MARCH 22, 2011
HOUSTON AEROS – 1ST, West Division (41-25-1-5, 88 pts.)
vs. TEXAS STARS – 3RD, West Division (36-24-4-6, 82 pts.)
CEDAR PARK CENTER (7:30 p.m. CST)

OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros and Texas Stars square off for the final time this season on Tuesday at the Cedar Park Center. The Aeros have won four in a row and are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over San Antonio on Sunday. The game is Houston’s third in four days and second straight away from home. The Stars upended Manitoba 5-1 on the road on Sunday

LAST FIVE GAMES/LAST RESULT
Houston (4-0-0-1) --- March 20 (HOU 3, SA 2 - SO)
Texas (2-2-0-1) --- March 19 (TEX 5, MTB 1)

WHERE THEY STAND
The Aeros, with 88 points, lead the West Division by one point over Milwaukee. Texas holds the No. 3 spot in the West Division with 82 points.

WHAT THE GAME MEANS
An Aeros win coupled with a Milwaukee regulation loss at home vs. OKC would give the Aeros a three-point hold on first place.
 
SERIES NOTES
Houston is 9-2-0-0 vs. the Stars this season (6-0-0-0 at home, 3-2-0-0 on the road)…  HOU has won six of the last seven meetings… Texas has scored the first goal in each of the last two games…  HOU is 12/46 on the PP while TEX is 9/44.

AEROS LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Chad Rau scored the deciding shootout goal, Jon DiSalvatore bagged his career-best 23rd goal of the season and the Houston Aeros skated to their fourth consecutive win in a 3-2 shootout victory over the San Antonio Rampage on Sunday at the AT&T Center.

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)

WILD UPDATE
The Wild is 35-30-8 and is 11th in the NHL’s Western Conference with 78 points. They sit seven points out of a playoff spot with nine games remaining.

AEROS UPCOMING GAMES
March 25 vs. OKC, 7:35 p.m.
March 26 vs. OKC, 7:35 p.m.
March 27 vs. OKC, 4:05 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
--- The 5-1 win over SA on March 19 gave the Aeros 40 wins in a season for the 10th time as a franchise.
--- Houston is 30-17-1-1 vs. West Division teams.
--- Houston is 8-8-0-4 vs. North Division teams.
--- The Aeros are 15 games over .500, a season high.
--- Houston’s 21 home wins is tied for the most in the West Division with SA.
--- The Aeros have had 30 or more shots in 14 of the last 16 games.
--- 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 six straight, a season-high.
--- The Aeros are 23-8-0-3 since Jan. 1.
--- All 41 of Houston’s wins have come when the team allows three or fewer goals.
--- The Aeros have earned 30 of their 41 victories when scoring the first goal of the game.
--- Houston set a franchise record with six goals in the third period on March 13 vs. MTB (6-3 win).

AEROS GOALIES
Matt Hackett is 5-1-1 in his last seven decisions…  Josh Tordjman is 3-1-0 in five appearances this season.

AEROS HOT STREAKS
--- Patrick O’Sullivan; Points in 14 of 15 games (9-15-24)... 23 of 28 as an Aero this season (17-21-38)… Points in four straight (4-2-6).
--- Jon DiSalvatore; 16-17-33, plus-7 since Jan. 14 (points in 23 of 29)
--- Cody Almond; Points in three of four games (2-2-4)

AEROS INJURY UPDATE
Jamie Fraser is out 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 1/18 in the last three 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 2/9 in the last three 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
D Nate Prosser was recalled by MIN on March 19… F Joel Broda was reassigned to BAK on March 18… F Chris Lawrence was released from his PTO on March 14… F Scott Campbell was signed to an ATO on March 14… 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.

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
6 - scan-DELL-uh
14 – deh-SAL-vuh-tohr
20 – ROWH (like now)
22 – ORT-migh-uhr
26 – Max-uhm naw-roh
32 – FRED-haym
42 – KAS-ee-uhn
61 – KOO-muh
62 – DAH-ooh
Yeo – YOH
Sydor – sugh-DOHR
Tretiak – TREE-tee-ack