APRIL 10, 2011
HOUSTON AEROS – 2nd, West Division (45-28-1-5, 96 pts.)
vs. OKC Barons – 4th, West Division (40-28-2-9, 91 pts.)
TOYOTA CENTER (4:05 p.m. CST)

OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros close out the 2010-11 regular season at home against the Oklahoma City Barons. The Aeros have been off since winning 6-1 at Chicago last Saturday. They are winners in four of their last six games and have won six of their last seven home games. OKC entered Saturday winners of three-in-a-row including a 7-2 victory at San Antonio on Friday.

LAST GAME/RESULT
Houston – April 2 at CHI, 6-1W
OKC – April 9 at TEX, 2-0 W

WHERE THEY STAND
The Aeros, with 96 points, are in second place in the West Division. OKC holds the No. 5 spot in the west.

WHAT THE GAME MEANS
The Aeros have clinched the No. 2 seed in the West Division. Third place is still up for grabs (and with that, the team the Aeros will face in the first round).
Below is a list of possible scenarios…
--- If TEX beats SA, TEX clinches third place.
--- OKC clinches third place with a regulation or overtime win AND a Texas loss of any kind.
--- If OKC loses in OT/SO AND Texas loses in regulation, PEO clinches third place.
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL RUNDOWN OF SEEDING POSSIBILITIES

SERIES NOTES
Houston leads the series at 8-1-0-0 (3-1-0-0 at home, 5-0-0-0 on the road)…  HOU has scored the first goal in seven of the games… HOU is 12/50 on the PP while OKC is 12/54.

AEROS LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Patrick O’Sullivan registered a goal and three assists while five other Aeros recorded goals as the Houston Aeros capitalized on four power play goals and a five-goal second period to take a convincing 6-1 victory over the Chicago Wolves in American Hockey League action on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
OKC Barons (Edmonton Oilers)

AEROS UPCOMING GAMES
Wed. April 13, PLAYOFFS GAME A (7:05 p.m., Toyota Center)
Fri. April 15, PLAYOFFS GAME B (7:35 p.m., Toyota Center)

BROADCAST INFO
Follow the Aeros on News Talk 1070 KNTH and online at AEROS.COM with Joe O’Donnell providing the play-by-play call. Watch every game at www.ahllive.com.

AEROS NOTABLES
--- The 5-1win over SA on March 19 gave the Aeros 40 wins in a season for the 10th time as a franchise.
--- Houston is 35-20-1-1 vs. West Division teams (18-9-1-0 at home).
--- The Aeros have scored the first goal in five straight.
--- The Aeros are 27-11-0-3 since Jan. 1.
--- 43 of Houston’s 45 wins have come when the team allows three or fewer goals.
--- The Aeros have earned 33 of their 45 victories when scoring the first goal of the game.
--- Jon DiSalvatore leads the team with 15 multi-point games and six multi-goal games.
--- Robbie Earl set a career-high with his 20th goal on March 26 vs. OKC.
--- Maxim Noreau was named an AHL First Team All-Star on March 31. He was a Second Team All-Star last season and represented the Aeros at the 2011 AHL All-Star Game.
--- Houston’s power play is 29/106 in the last 19 games, a season-best within a 20-game stretch.

AEROS GOALIES
Matt Hackett won a personal season-high four in a row from March 13-20…  Hackett improved to 12-4-2 at home with the March 27 win vs. OKC… Hackett had won five in a row at Toyota Center until taking the loss on March 31 vs. CHI… Josh Tordjman is 4-1-0 in six appearances this season.

AEROS HOT STREAKS
#14 Jon DiSalvatore, points in five of six (5-2-7)
#16 Patrick O’Sullivan, assists in five straight (1-7-8)
# 17 Robbie Earl, goals in four of five (5-1-6)
#20 Chad Rau, points in five of six (4-5-9), goals in four of five (4-3-7)
#25 Warren Peters, points in three of four (1-3-4)
#26 Maxim Noreau, points in four straight (0-6-6)

AEROS INJURY UPDATE
Jamie Fraser is out with an upper body injury… Tyler Cuma is out for the season with a knee injury suffered Feb. 13, 2011 vs. PEO.

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY --- Has goals in six straight to tie a season-high streak (14/38)…Also had goals in six-straights from Feb. 22-Mar. 4…  Has multiple PPG in 15 games and is 11-2-0-2 in those games… Set franchise record and AHL season-high with six PPG on March 2 vs. RFD… Was held to one or no PPG in 15 straight games prior to Feb. 4 (2-for-4).

PENALTY KILL --- Opponents are 15/43 on the PP in the last seven games… Allowed at least a goal in a season-high seven straight (Mar. 22 – Apr. 2)… Held opponents to one or no PPG in 15 straight games until TOR went 2-for-5 on Jan. 23…Has allowed multiple PPG in nine games and is 2-7-0-0 in those contests.

AEROS RECENT ROSTER MOVES
2011-04-09     Jed Ortmeyer (RW)     ADD Returned on loan from Minnesota (NHL)
2011-04-08     Drew Bagnall (D)     DEL Recalled from loan by Minnesota (NHL)
2011-04-08     Justin Falk (D)     ADD Returned on loan from Minnesota (NHL)
2011-04-07     Jed Ortmeyer (RW)     DEL Recalled from loan by Minnesota (NHL)
2011-04-07     Carson McMillan (C)     DEL Recalled from loan by Minnesota (NHL)
2011-04-06     Sam Lofquist (D)     ADD Signed to ATO

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
6 - scan-DELL-uh
8 – LOFF-kwist
10 – FOO-coh
14 – deh-SAL-vuh-tohr
20 – ROWH (like now)
22 – ORT-migh-uhr
26 – Max-uhm naw-roh
32 – FRED-haym
42 – KAS-ee-uhn
61 – KOO-muh
62 – DAH-ooh
Yeo – YOH
Sydor – sugh-DOHR
Tretiak – TREE-tee-ack