From: Patrick Armstrong, Director of Communications
713.361.7920 (Direct Line)
Scott Henninger, Communications Manager
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

HOUSTON AEROS PLAYOFF RECAP: APRIL 29

HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros returned home last week with a 1-1 series tie in the West Division Semifinals but are now packing their bags for the summer rather than the next round. The Aeros dropped all three home contests last week and were eliminated 4-1 in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

After seeing how tight the division was in the regular season everyone knew it wouldn’t be an easy task to win in the playoffs. The Rockford IceHogs bested the Aeros with three of the five games decided by only one goal, including the longest 0-0 tied game in league history. Rockford will go on to play Chicago in the second round beginning this week.

LAST WEEK
4/22 – L HOU 1 vs. RFD 2
4/24 – L HOU 1 vs. RFD 2
4/25 – L HOU 2 vs. RFD 5

Tuesday, April 22:
Derek Nesbitt unlocked a 1-1 tie with 2:46 remaining in the third period to lift the Rockford IceHogs to a 2-1 victory over the Houston Aeros Tuesday night at Toyota Center in game three. Rockford scored the final two goals of the game from Nesbitt and Kris Versteeg to overcome a 1-0 deficit and took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Marco Rosa tallied the only goal for the Aeros and Barry Brust stopped 32 of 34 shots for his first post-season loss.

Thursday, April 24:
The fourth game of the series remained scoreless until the Rockford IceHogs netted back-to-back goals only 43 seconds apart late in the third period and fought off the Houston Aeros to win 2-1. Marco Rosa netted Houston’s only goal for the second game in a row. Houston went down 3-1 in the series and faced elimination Friday night.

Friday, April 25:
The Rockford IceHogs closed out the season for the Houston Aeros with a 5-2 win at Toyota Center in front of 4,144 fans. After splitting the first two games in Rockford, the Aeros lost all three games on home ice. Neither team recorded a power-play goal throughout the series with the Aeros going 0-for-20 and Rockford 0-for-19. However, Rockford converted on two shorthanded chances for the only special teams markers of the series. Houston’s Barry Brust blocked 20 of 24 shots to Corey Crawford’s 28 of 30 stops.

Aeros Player of the Week: C Marco Rosa

Day      Opponent       G A PTS
Tues.    vs. Rockford   1 0 1
Thurs.   vs. Rockford   1 0 1
Fri.       vs. Rockford   0 0 0
Totals                      2 0 2

Marco Rosa led the Aeros with two goals in the post season and was tied for the team lead with two points. Rosa played very aggressively throughout the opening round which reflected on the scoreboard in his second trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Affiliation News
The Minnesota Wild was knocked out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the opening round 4-2 by the Colorado Avalanche. The teams were tied 2-2 in the series before Colorado took the last two games, one in each building, to clinch the series.

Marian Gaborik led the Wild with 83 points and 42 goals in the regular season but only recorded one assist in the playoffs. Brian Rolston led the club with six points (2-4=6) in the playoff series. Five of the six games in the series with Colorado were decided by only one goal, three of which were 3-2 overtime finals.

The ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters also made an exit from the Kelly Cup Playoffs but in the second round, falling 3-2 to the Columbia Inferno. The Wildcatters lost in game five by a score of 4-1 which was also the last game for the Wildcatters in the ECHL. The team will be moving to Ontario, Calif. prior to next season.

---HOUSTON AEROS---