NOV. 21 VS. TEXAS

OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros (9-7-1-2, 21 pts.) play host to the Texas Stars (10-6-0-0, 20 pts.) to close out a three-in-three weekend. Houston started the weekend at Grand Rapids with a 5-0 win on Friday. Last night, the Aeros visited Chicago and fell 5-2. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak and tightened the gap in the West Division standings. Texas defeated Milwaukee 2-0 at Cedar Park last night and pulled to within one point of the fourth place Aeros. The win by Chicago gave them a standings-point tie with Rockford (15 pts). The Aeros trail third place Milwaukee and San Antonio by one point.

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UPCOMING GAMES
Nov. 21 vs. Texas    4:05 p.m. CST      
Nov. 24 at Texas    7:30 p.m. CST      
Nov. 26 vs. San Antonio    7:35 p.m. CST     

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)

AEROS AT A GLANCE
RECORD: 9-7-1-2, 21 pts.
HOME: 3-3-1-0
ROAD: 6-4-0-2
STREAK: LOST 1

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
POTENT PENALTY KILL --- Houston’s penalty kill entered Saturdays game at Chicago ranked first in the AHL at 91.1%. Chicago went 2-for-4 last night, snapping a five game string of killing off 18-straight power plays. The team had given up just eight PPG, an AHL low.
FIRST SHUTOUT --- Houston’s 5-0 shutout on Nov. 19 at Grand Rapids was their first since a Feb. 13, 2010, 1-0 overtime win at home against the Griffins, a run that spanned 42 games. Anton Khudobin made 28 saves for his sixth career shutout with the most recent win.
MOVIN' ON UP --- The Aeros have already had seven callups up to Minnesota (Gillies, Wellman, Kassian, Almond-2x, Scandella, Earl).
HACKETT BREAKS SLUMP --- Matt Hackett earned his first win since Oct. 15 with a 21-save outing Nov. 14 in a 5-2 victory at PEO. Hackett was 0-3-1 between wins. His win over CHI on Nov. 17 was his first consecutive start and win since Oct. 9-15.
KALUS FINDING STRIDE --- After being held without a goal in 11 games from Oct. 22-Nov. 13, Petr Kalus now has goals in three of four games.
DISALVATORE SNAPS SKID --- Jon DiSalvatore had a goal and two assists Friday at GR snapping a span of 16 games without a goal.
SCORE EARLY! --- The Aeros are 7-0-0-2 when leading after 20 minutes and 1-4-0-0 when trailing after the opening period.
SCORE FIRST! --- Houston is 9-1-0-2 when scoring first this season and 0-6-1-0 when allowing the first goal.
FIRST-GOAL STREAK ---The Aeros have scored the first goal in 10 of the last 12 games and have won seven of those contests. The Aeros scored the first goal in seven straight games (Oct. 29-Nov. 8) and were 4-1-0-2 in those contests.
SHOOTIN' --- The Aeros are 7-2-0-2 when being outshot and 2-4-1-0 when outshooting their opponents. The Nov. 14 win at PEO was the first time this season the Aeros out shot an opponent and won.
SCHEDULE NOTES --- Sunday’s game ends a run of four games in five days…The team plays seven games in 11 days from Nov.17-27… The Aeros just completed their longest stretch between home games of the season, a total of 12 days (Nov. 5 vs. TOR-Nov. 17 vs. CHI)...The Aeros opened the season playing six of their first 11 games at home...A total of 18 of Houston’s final 27 games in the calendar year of 2010 are away from Toyota Center; The longest home-stand remaining in 2010 is four games from Nov. 26-Dec. 3...The Aeros have two separate five-game road trips: Nov. 6-Nov. 14 and Dec. 12-Dec. 18. These two road trips are the longest of the 2010-11 season.
RECENT ROSTER MOVES --- G Michael Ouzas was signed to a PTO on Nov. 19…D Justin Falk was reassigned to Houston from Minnesota on Nov. 18…D Bryce Lampman was signed to a PTO on Nov. 16…LW Robbie Earl was recalled by Minnesota on Nov. 13…C Cody Almond was reassigned by Minnesota on Nov. 13…D Marco Scandella was recalled by Minnesota on Nov. 12…C Cody Almond was recalled by Minnesota on Nov. 10…C Cody Almond and LW Matt Kassian were reassigned to Houston from Minnesota on Nov. 7.

LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
The Chicago Wolves used four second-period goals and 25 saves by Peter Mannino to both end a seven-game losing skid and halt a three-game winning streak for the Houston Aeros in a 5-2 victory Saturday at Allstate Arena. Jared Ross (1-2-3) and Spencer Machacek (1-1-2) paced the Wolves, who went 2-for-4 on the power play. Machacek's second period power play tally at 8:48, the eventual game-winner, chased Aeros starting goalie Anton Khudobin. Khudobin stopped six of nine while Michael Ouzas, in his first appearance as an Aero, stopped 13 of 15 in 30:58 of relief duty.