From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Friday, March 23, 2007
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

Americans 6, Aeros 4
Official Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas – Marek Zagrapan scored two goals and Greg Jacina netted the third period game winner, as the Rochester Americans rallied from three goals down for a 6-4 victory over the Houston Aeros at Toyota Center. Martin Lojek, Mark Mancari and David Brine also scored and Adam Dennis made 21 saves for Rochester (41-26-1-0), which has won three straight.

Jason Morgan, Curtis Murphy, Mattias Weinhandl and Roman Voloshenko each scored and Dieter Kochan made 27 saves for Houston (24-36-3-6), which had won two straight going into tonight’s game.

The Aeros are at Toyota Center again on Saturday to face the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at 7:35 p.m. Visit Aeros.com or call 1.866.GO.AEROS for tickets. The first 3,000 fans receive an Aeros puck.

Houston controlled most of the first period, outshooting Rochester 11-7. The Aeros almost got on the board eight minutes in when Murphy shot from the right point and Ryan Hamilton deflected it on net, but Dennis made a nice pad save and covered up.

Rochester finally got its first shot 10:20 into the game.

Morgan got the Aeros on the board with 3:44 left in the first after a high-sticking call to Rochester captain Brandon Smith. Shawn Belle played the puck in deep for Weinhandl. Weinhandl carried the puck to the left corner – drawing three Americans – and slid a perfect pass through the crease to a cutting Morgan at the right doorstep. Morgan powered the puck into the net for his ninth goal of the season – second on the power play.

A wild second period saw six goals – three by each team.

Rochester evened things up 3:15 into the second period, as Lojek fired from the right point off a pass from Dylan Hunter.

The Aeros scored three times in a span of 1:34 – including two goals in 12 seconds – to seemingly take control.

Murphy made it 2-1 at the 10:40 mark with his eighth goal of the season. Dennis stopped Danny Irmen’s shot from the right point, but Murphy crashed the net on the left side and put the rebound in the net.

Just 18 seconds later, Weinhandl took a pass from Morgan in the right circle and went high on Dennis for his 15th goal.

Voloshenko made it 4-1 with 12:14 gone in the second. Josh Olson hit Voloshenko behind the net, and the second-year winger powered in on the net and wrapped the puck under Dennis for his 11th goal – his first in 16 games.

Rochester began chipping away 1:13 later, as Zagrapan streaked in on the left wing side and snuck a shot between Kochan’s shoulder and glove for his 14th of the season. The Americans got within a goal with 4:22 left in the second. Lojek sent a seemingly harmless shot from the right point. Mancari deflected it high over the net and by a stunned Kochan.

The Americans evened things up with just 14 seconds gone in the third, with Patrick Laketa again setting up Zagrapan, whose rebound beat Kochan for his second of the night and 15th of the season.

Rochester scored two more third period goals – getting the game-winner goal from Jacina with 10:58 gone. Jacina rebounded a Drew Larman miss into the left corner of the net for his 15th goal. The Amerks continued their domination of the final third period as Brine beat Kochan off an Aeros turnover with 2:05 remaining.

Houston finished 1-for-1 on the power play, while Rochester went 0-for-1. After allowing a man advantage goal in 11 straight games, the Aeros are 19-for-19 on the penalty kill in the last four games.

Notes:

Not dressing for the Aeros were Chris Ovington, Benoit Pouliot and Matt Foy.

Defenseman Mike Madill was reassigned to the ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters this morning.

Foy, the Aeros’ leader in points (47) and goals (24), missed the game after suffering a broken nose Wednesday in Manitoba. Mike Brown, whose open ice hit on Foy caused the injury, was suspended two games today by the AHL.

The Aeros are 3-13-2-1 in their last 19 March games dating back to last season.

Houston fell to 6-21-2-2 this season in games in which goalie Josh Harding doesn’t play. Harding remains on recall to NHL Minnesota.

The Aeros haven’t held a third-period scoring advantage in 18 of their last 22 games.