SUGAR LAND, Texas – After 53 games without a goal in his rookie season, 6-foot-7, 270-pound Derek Boogaard scored twice, leading the Houston Aeros to a 4-1 win over the San Antonio Rampage in a pre-season game in front of a capacity crowd at the Sugar Land Aerodrome. The teams split a home-and-home series this weekend and meet again Friday in Sugar Land at 7 p.m.



Josh Harding stopped 30 shots and Stephane Veilleux and Erik Reitz also scored for the Aeros, who have won nine of their last 10 exhibition games.



Josh Olson scored for San Antonio.



Just 49 seconds into the first period, Boogaard – who led the Aeros with 207 penalty minutes last season – one-timed a 2-on-1 pass from Rickard Wallin in the right wing past Patrick DesRochers.



Harding made his best save of the night with 7:15 left in the first, when while flat on his back he robbed Eric Sonnenberg with his glove.



Veilleux and Boogaard then scored 28 seconds apart against Phil Osaer midway through the second period.



Veilleux’s wraparound, originally ruled no goal, made it 2-0 at 10:09 on assists from David Bararuk and Todd Reirden. Boogaard then took a pass from Zbynek Michalek along the left boards, skated in on Osaer with a man on his hip and slid the puck under the netminder.



The Rampage closed within 3-1 with 3:48 left in the second, as Olson slipped one under Harding from between the circles. The tally was the first against Harding in 68:03 this pre-season.



Reitz made it 4-1 on the power play 2:55 in the third period. Pierre-Marc Bouchard, along the right boards, fed Reitz at the point, and the blueliner rifled one short side past Osaer.



Houston’s Kirby Law, signed as a free agent this summer, fought San Antonio toughman Grant McNeill with 8:27 left after a McNeill slash.



With 2:29 left, Harding stoned Dominic Periard from the right circle, reaching behind to grab the puck with his glove.


Houston went 1-for-9 on the power play, while San Antonio finished 0-for-6.


What they are saying:



Derek Boogaard:

“I don’t think this has ever happened. The first one, it was a great pass. I didn’t get that good of a shot, but it went five-hole. This is a really good start. I’m not saying I drew it up, but if it’s there, I’ll take it.”



“I was in Minnesota for almost two months this summer. The first month we worked out, and the second month we skated every day an worked out in the afternoon. I just have to keep working at it. It just comes with age I guess.”



Josh Harding:

“The team battled hard in front of me. It’s easy to battle out there when they battle hard for you.”



(On the save on Sonnenberg)


“It went off my pad. It was kind of a weak shot. It was behind me, and I reached back and caught it with my glove. It was lucky maybe, I should have had it the first time.”



“I’ve known (Boogaard) for a long time. We grew up in the same town (Regina, Sask.). When he hits the ice, he’s a presence out there. Especially now that he’s found some hands.”