MARCH 11, 2011
HOUSTON AEROS (37-25-1-4) vs. MANITOBA MOOSE (35-23-1-5)
TOYOTA CENTER (7:35 p.m. CST)

OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros play host to the Manitoba Moose for the first of two games this weekend. The teams play again at Toyota Center on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. Friday’s game is the second of a five-game home stand for the Aeros. The Moose are near the end of an 11-game road trip; this is game No. 9 on the run. They visit San Antonio on Saturday before heading back to Houston for Sunday’s game. So far Manitoba is 5-3-0-0 on the trip, winning twice by shootout.

LAST FIVE GAMES/LAST RESULT
Houston (2-3-0-0) --- March 6 (ABB 5 at HOU 4)
Manitoba (4-1-0-0) --- March 8 (MTB 4 at OKC 1)

WHERE THEY STAND
The Aeros, with 79 points, sit two points out of first place in the West Division behind the Milwaukee Admirals. Manitoba (76 points) leads the North Division by one point over Hamilton and Toronto.

WHAT THE GAME MEANS
A win by the Aeros could pull them into a first place tie with Milwaukee in the West Division. Milwaukee plays host to Rockford tonight. The Moose will be watching the score of the Lake Erie at Hamilton and Toronto at Rochester games on Friday.
 
SERIES NOTES
Houston is 0-2-0-0 vs. the Moose this season… Both previous games were at Winnipeg; a 5-3 loss on Dec. 17 and a 1-0 loss on Dec. 18… Those two games closed out a five-game road trip for the Aeros… The Aeros are 1/6 on the PP while MTB is 3/7... All-time the Aeros are 46-29-10-2 vs. MTB in 86 games (23-11-52 at home, 23-16-50 on the road).

LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Jon DiSalvatore scored twice, Marco Scandella registered three assists and Patrick O’Sullivan extended his scoring streak to a team season-high 10 games with an assist but the Houston Aeros fell 5-4 to the Abbotsford Heat on Sunday at Toyota Center. Ales Kotalik scored the game-winning goal on the power play with 46 seconds left in the third period to seal the victory for the Heat.

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
Manitoba Moose (Vancouver Canucks)

WILD UPDATE
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild) --- As of March 10, the Wild is 35-25-7 with 77 points and holds the No. 3 spot in the Northwest Division. They sit two points out of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. The Wild visits Nashville on Thursday and Dallas on Friday.

AEROS UPCOMING GAMES
March 11 vs. MTB, 7:35 p.m.
March 13 vs. MTB, 4:05 p.m.
March 15 vs. MIL, 7 p.m.

BROADCAST INFO
Follow the Aeros on News Talk 1070 KNTH and online at AEROS.COM with Joe O’Donnell providing the play-by-play call. Watch every game at www.ahllive.com.

AEROS NOTABLES
--- Houston is 7-8-0-3 vs. North Division teams.
--- Jon DiSalvatore’s two goals on March 6 gave him 20 on the season and marked his eighth straight 20-goal campaign.
--- Opponents have scored the first goal of the game in the last three straight.
--- The Aeros are 19-8-0-2 since Jan. 1.
--- All 37 of Houston’s wins have come when the team allows three or fewer goals.
--- The Aeros have earned 29 of their 37 victories when scoring the first goal of the game.
--- Patrick O’Sullivan set a team season-high nine game scoring streak on March 5.
--- Max Noreau set a team and personal season high with an assist in his fifth straight game on March 2.
--- Noreau leads AHL defensemen with 27 PP points.
--- The Aeros set a franchise record and AHL season-high with six PPG on March 2 vs. RFD.
---Houston’s 8-1 win over RFD on March two tied a franchise record for goals scored in a game. A total of 13 Aeros recorded a point in the game.

AEROS GOALIES
Matt Hackett is 3-2-0 in his last five decisions….6-1-1 in his last eight home decisions… Josh Tordjman is 3-1-0 in five appearances this season.

AEROS SCORING STREAKS
--- O’Sullivan; 10 games (5-12-17)... 21 of 23 as an Aero this season (13-18-31)
--- Noreau; points in 8 of 9 games (2-9-11)… Assists in team season high six games until March 5.
--- Buck; points in 6 of 7 (1-6-7)
--- Wellman; 5 games (3-4-7)
---DiSalvatore; goals in four of five (5-0-5)
--- Earl; assists in three of four (0-5-5)
--- Rau; Points in three of four (2-2-4)
--- Palmer Goals in 2 of 3 (3-0-0)

AEROS INJURY UPDATE
Jeff Penner is out with an upper body injury… Jamie Fraser is out with an upper body injury… Cody Almond is out with a lower body injury but is skating on his own… Drew Bagnall is day-to-day with an upper body injury… Matt Kassian is out with a lower body injury… Tyler Cuma is out for the season with a knee injury suffered Feb. 13, 2011 vs. PEO.

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY --- Is 10/38 in the last five games… Has multiple PPG in 12 games and is 8-2-0-2 in those games… Set franchise record and AHL season-high with six PPG on March 2 vs. RFD… Was held to one or no PPG in 15 straight games prior to Feb. 4 (2-for-4).

PENALTY KILL --- Opponents are 4/19 in the last five games… Held opponents to one or no PPG in 15 straight games until TOR went 2-for-5 on Jan. 23…Has allowed multiple PPG in nine games and is 2-7-0-0 in those contests.

AEROS RECENT ROSTER MOVES
F Casey Wellman was reassigned by MIN on March 10… D Marco Scandella was recalled by MIN on March 9… F Casey Wellman was recalled by MIN on March 9… F Casey Wellman was reassigned by MIN on March 8… F Chris Lawrence was signed to a PTO on March 5… F Jed Ortmeyer was reassigned by MIN on March 3.