From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Sunday, March 20, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

Moose 2, Aeros 0
Official Box Score


WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Wade Flaherty stopped 21 shots for his fourth shutout and Cory Pecker and Jason Jaffray each scored power play goals, as the Manitoba Moose blanked the Houston Aeros 2-0 at MTS Centre. Manitoba won its third straight.



Josh Harding played admirably with 35 saves for Houston, which finished its four-game road trip 1-2-0-1. The Aeros have dropped five straight games versus the Moose and have been shut out eight times this season – one off the franchise record set in 1999-2000.



Houston, which is still three points behind third-place Cincinnati, returns to Toyota Center for an important five-game homestand beginning Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. versus Utah.



The Aeros controlled play in the first, outshooting Manitoba 10-8, but from there the Moose outshot them 29-11 with two power play goals.



Pecker scored his first goal with Manitoba at 10:48 of the second, with Brent Burns in the penalty box for insurance. Rookie Kevin Bieksa fed Tomas Mojzis at the far point, and Mojzis’ shot was deflected by Pecker up and over Harding.



Houston has allowed the first goal in eight of its last nine games.



Jaffray’s 12th goal made it 2-0 Moose 7:10 into the third, after a delay of game bench minor on the Aeros.



Houston went 0-for-2 on the power play, while Manitoba finished 2-for-6. The Aeros had no power plays for the final 45 minutes of the game, while the Moose had five.



Notes:

The Aeros scratched Erik Reitz, Mark Cullen, Stephane Veilleux, Todd Reirden, Christoph Brandner, Derek Boogaard and John Erskine. Patrick Traverse was dressed, but didn’t skate a shift.

Houston fell to 6-2-1-0 when playing the third game in three nights.

Harding and counterpart Mike Smith are a combined 0-6-0 in their careers against Manitoba.