Fri., Jan. 20, 2012

The Houston Aeros (21-9-2-7, 51 pts.) kick off a 3-in-3 weekend with a 7:35 p.m. home game against the San Antonio Rampage (19-18-2-0, 40 pts.) at Toyota Center on Friday.

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen via Smartphone: Download the TuneIn Radio app; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

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OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros (21-9-2-7, 51 pts.) kick off a 3-in-3 weekend with a 7:35 p.m. home game against the San Antonio Rampage (19-18-2-0, 40 pts.) at Toyota Center on Friday.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
---The Aeros are coming off a 2-1 loss at PEO on Jan. 14, a loss that snapped a three-game winning streak.
---The Rampage is coming off a pair of 2-1 wins, both on the road.
---The Aeros are tied for second place with Abbotsford in the AHL’s West Division race, chasing OKC by four points each.
---Since each division leader gets seeded 1-3 in the playoff race, Houston actually sits in the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference despite having a better record, better winning percentage and more points than both Charlotte and Toronto.
---Houston has the fourth-best team Goals Against Average (GAA) in the league at 2.54.

THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday (Jan. 20) --- vs. San Antonio (7:35 p.m. CST)
Saturday (Jan. 21) --- at Texas (7 p.m. CST)
Sunday (Jan. 22) --- vs. San Antonio (5:05 p.m. CST)

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen on Smartphone including BlackBerry: Download the TuneIn Radio App; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

GOING TO AEROS HOME GAMES
On-street, garage and surface parking surround Toyota Center… The Box Office and Will Call windows are located on La Branch Street… Due to recent road construction surrounding Toyota Center, the Aeros encourage all guests to allow extra time for parking or visiting the box office.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
On Jan. 20 the first 1500 kids (14 and under) get Aeros jerseys courtesy Sports 790 radio and Belknap Plumbing/Belknap Concrete… On Jan. 22, the first 2500 fans will get a photo of team mascot Chilly as the Aeros celebrate Chillypalooza.

AEROS/RAMPAGE HEAD-TO-HEAD
This is the eighth meeting this season… Houston has won six straight… Houston is 6-0-0-1 vs. the Rampage this season…  HOU PP is 11/30 (36.7%)… SA PP is 3/28 (10.7%)… The Aeros are 67-29-8-4 all-time vs. the Rampage (45-10-3-0 at home, 30-19-5-4 on the road).

WATCH FOR THIS
---The Aeros have scored multiple power play goals in four of the seven games against the Rampage this season.
---The Aeros have the lowest penalty minute per game average in the league (12.3 PIM/game). San Antonio is also in the top-10 for lowest PIM/game (14.9).

RECENT AEROS TRANSACTIONS
---Jan. 20: Matt Kassian, Jed Ortmeyer, Nate Prosser and Chad Rau were recalled by MIN.
---Jan. 20: David McIntyre and Casey Wellman reassigned by MIN
---Jan. 19: F Joey Martin signed PTO
---Jan. 16: F Carson McMillan recalled by MIN
---Jan. 16: G Matt Hackett reassigned by MIN

AEROS INJURIES
Cody Almond has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury.

AEROS MILESTONES
---Several Aeros are on the milestone watch. Listed below is where they currently sit.
---Drew Bagnall (298 AHL GP).
--- Jon DiSalvatore (198 Aeros games/647 pro games/190 AHL goals/61 Aeros goals.
---Jeff Taffe (498 AHL games/676 pro games/174 AHL goals/195 pro goals.
---Jed Ortmeyer (536 pro games/226 AHL games).
---Matt Kassian (491 Aeros PIM). He already ranks second in Aeros AHL history behind Erik Reitz.
---Jon DiSalvatore’s 18th goal will be 69th as an Aero, placing him first in franchise history (AHL only, 4th AHL/IHL). His 41st game will be 200th as an Aero, placing him 10th all-time in Aeros/AHL history.

AEROS PLAYER NOTES
---Jeff Taffe notched his 400th AHL point with an assist on Jon DiSalvatore's goal on Jan. 8 at SA.
---Jon DiSalvatore has points in three of the last four games (2-0=1).
---Joel Broda's two-goal effort on Jan. 8 was his third of the season. He has points in three of the last four games (3-1=4). Broda had the GWG in two of three games (Jan. 8 at SA, Jan. 13 at PEO).
---Jed Ortmeyer has goals in two of the last three games (2-0=2).
---Kris Foucault's goal on Jan. 8 was his first since Dec. 6.
---Mike McKenzie scored his first goal as an Aero in a 4-1 loss to RFD on Jan. 6.
---The Aeros have made 22 transactions since Jan. 1 involving 16 different players and 33 transactions from Dec. 1-Dec. 31 involving 17 separate players.

TEAM NOTABLES
---Houston has earned at least a point in 17 of the 22 games (9-6-2-6) in which they have allowed the first goal. They are 12-3-0-1 when scoring first.
---The Aeros played nine of 11 games at home from Dec. 8-Jan. 6 and posted a record of 3-4-0-2 in those contests.
---Houston plays seven of 10 games on the road from Jan. 8-Feb. 2. So far, they have notched a 3-1-0-0 record.
---The Aeros are 15-0-0-2 when leading at the end of two periods.
---Houston has played 19 games that have been decided by one goal (8-2-2-7).
---The Aeros edged Grand Rapids 3-2on Jan. 11 for their first shootout victory of the season.
---The Aeros broke the 100,000 mark in attendance this season with the 4,608 who attended the game on Dec. 18.

AEROS GOALIES
HACKETT – Is 4-6-2 (2.70 GAA/.899 SV%) at home and 9-0-1 (1.99 GAA/.939 SV%) on the road… Won six-straight road starts from Oct. 28-Dec. 30… Made his NHL debut on Dec. 6 and made 34 saves in a 2-1 win at SJ after entering the game early in the first period to relieve an injured Josh Harding… Last Game: Stopped 33 of 36 in a 4-3W at SA on Jan. 8.

KUEMPER --- Is 1-1-2 at home (2.01 GAA/.934 SV%) and 4-2-1 on the road (2.10 GAA/ .929 SV%)… Led the ECHL in both GAA (1.74) and save percentage (.941) at the time of his recall on Nov. 29 and posted a 7-1-0 record with the Ontario Reign… Recorded his first pro shutout with 1-0 win on Dec. 9 vs. SAN (33 saves)… Last Game: Stopped 31/33 in a 2-1 loss at PEO on Jan. 14.

POWER PLAY
Is 2/13 in the last three games… Went 5/37 (13.5%) in games 21-30 after going 20/106 (18/9%) in games 1-20… Set a season-high going 3/5 in a 4-2 win at SAN on Oct. 28.

PENALTY KILL
Opponents are 2/10 on the PP in the last three games… PK stopped 20/27 (74.0%) in games 21-30 after stopping 80/97 (82.4%) in games 1-20.

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
4 – BAGH-nawl
7 – FRED-haym
8 – MED-vekh
10 – RAHD-juh
14 – deh-SAL-vuh-tohr
20 – ROWH (like now)
22 – TAYF
26 – MACK-in-tyre
27 – mick-MILL-uhn
35 – KEM-per
39 – GEHN-oh-way
41 - ORT-migh-er
42 – KASS-ee-uhn
61 – KOOH-muh