From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Monday, March 14, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

Mighty Ducks 3, Aeros 0
Official Box Score


HOUSTON, Texas – Stanislav Chistov snapped a 10-game goal-less streak by scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes and Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 24 shots for his fourth shutout, as the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks rode their mighty forecheck to a 3-0 victory over the Houston Aeros at Toyota Center. Joel Perrault also scored for Cincinnati, which has points in its last five road games (4-0-0-1) and increased its lead over fourth-place Houston to four points in the West Division.



The Aeros, who have two games in hand on Cincinnati, begin a four-game, five-day road trip Wednesday in Utah at 8:05 p.m. The trek includes another game Friday in Utah, then an evening battle Saturday in Manitoba followed by a 2 p.m. matinee in Manitoba.



Josh Harding turned aside nine shots in one period of action for Houston, which has lost three of four – two by shutout. Mike Smith made 17 saves in relief of Harding. The Aeros, coming off an 8-0 drilling of San Antonio on Saturday, had won four straight home games but fell to 1-6-4-0 in their last 11 games against the Ducks, counting the 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs.



Houston, which entered the game fourth in the league in shots at 33.26, was held to 24 attempts.



The Aeros spent seven of the first 9 1/2 minutes of the game penalty killing, and it cost them dearly.



Houston was able to kill off a roughing penalty to Kirby Law just 37 seconds in, but a five-minute high-sticking major to Chris Heid produced two scores by Chistov – a power play goal, and another just after the advantage expired.



At 6:37, Chistov fired a wrister from the middle of the left circle. Harding, screened by Zenon Konopka, had no shot as the goal went high into the net. With 10:12 left in the first – 11 seconds after Heid’s penalty expired – Chistov walked out from behind the net and banked a shot off Harding’s arm and just inside the post for his second of the period and 14th goal of the season.



Houston has allowed the first goal in four of five games.



The Ducks made it a three-goal advantage with 1:38 left in the first, capitalizing on a 3-on-1. The Aeros pinched deep in the Cincinnati zone, and the Ducks rushed ahead. Perrault converted a give-and-go pass from Shane O’Brien for his eighth of the season.



Smith replaced Harding to begin the second period.



Cincinnati and its aggressive forwards held the Aeros to four shots in the second – only one in the opening 12 minutes. Houston managed two great scoring chances. Four minutes in, Marius Holtet took a cross-crease feed from Junior Lessard and hit the post. With a minute remaining in the period, Brent Burns cut back door, took a pass from Pierre-Marc Bouchard but fired a one-timer well wide.



The Aeros turned it up a notch and solved the forecheck in the third, outshooting Cincinnati 12-7. But Bryzgalov was there each time.



Houston’s best chance of the final period came off Lessard’s stick 3:00 in. Matt Foy left a rebound at the doorstep, but Bryzgalov recovered. With 5:20 left, Law hit the post from the right circle.



The Aeros finished 0-for-4 on the power play, while Cincinnati went 1-for-5. The Ducks are 4-for-15 on the power play in the last two meetings with Houston.



Notes:

The Aeros scratched Erik Reitz, Bill Kinkel, Marc Cavosie, Stephane Veilleux, Todd Reirden, Christoph Brandner and Derek Boogaard.

Aeros defenseman Zbynek Michalek skated in his 200th professional game. Winger Joey Tetarenko played in his 350th pro game.

Houston gave up three first-period goals for the fifth time this season. The last time was in a 5-4 win over Chicago on February 18. The Aeros, though, scored four in the first that night.

Heid turned 22 today, while Patrick Traverse turned 31.

The Aeros fell to 5-2-3-0 at home versus Cincinnati in the regular season.

Prior to the game, Houston recalled defenseman Ryan Stokes from ECHL Pensacola.

Konopka finished with two assists for Cincinnati.