JUNE 7, 2011
HOUSTON AEROS (Western Conference Champions)
vs. BINGHAMTON SENATORS (Eastern Conference Champions)
BEST-OF-7 --- TOYOTA CENTER (7:05 p.m. CST)

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OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros and Binghamton Senators square off in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals at Toyota Center. The teams alternated wins after Houston won Game 1. Binghamton took a 3-2 series lead with a 4-2 victory in Game 5.
BNG leads 3-2
 
HOW THEY GOT HERE
HOUSTON
--- Swept the Peoria Rivermen 4-0 in the first round.
--- Defeated Milwaukee 4-3 in the second round.
--- Defeated Hamilton 4-3 in the Western Conference Finals

BINGHAMTON
--- Defeated Manchester 4-3 in the first round.
--- Defeated Portland 4-2 in the second round.
--- Swept Charlotte 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

DID YOU KNOW?
--- The Aeros are the first AHL club ever to win a playoff series after relinquishing a 3-0 series lead (Conference Finals vs. HAM)
--- With wins over Milwaukee and Hamilton in the last two rounds, Houston improved to 6-0 all-time in AHL Game 7’s.
--- Houston and Binghamton both reached the 2011 Calder Cup Finals after missing the postseason entirely in 2010.
--- Binghamton is the eighth consecutive East Division team to represent the Eastern Conference in the Calder Cup Finals.
--- Houston’s hockey history actually pre-dates that of Binghamton. The Houston Skippers began play at the Sam Houston Coliseum in 1946, changed their name to the Huskies, and were coached by Toe Blake during the 1947-48 season. The team won the USHL crown that season. Binghamton’s first pro team was known as the Broome Dusters in the NAHL in 1973.

ALL-TIME AEROS PLAYOFF NOTABLES
--- The Aeros are 7-3 all-time in AHL Playoff series when they split the first two games.
--- In 2003, the Aeros split the first two games of each best-of-seven series on their way to the Calder Cup.
--- Both Aeros championship runs (1999 Turner Cup, 2003 Calder Cup) required seven games to decide the winner.
--- Since 1965, only five Calder Cup series have gone seven games. Houston’s 2003 victory is the most recent.
--- Only twice have the Aeros trailed a playoff series 3-2; the 2000 IHL Western Conference Finals (lost 4-2 to Chicago) and the 2009AHL Western Conference Finals (lost 4-2 to Manitoba).

2011 AEROS PLAYOFF NOTABLES
--- During the regular season, when the Aeros lost two games outright, the team came back to win the next two game a total of three times (out of five instances). In the two other scenarios, Houston dropped the third game in a shootout and then won the following two contests.
--- In the playoffs, the Aeros lost three straight to HAM (Games 4-6) and then won Game 7.
--- The Aeros lost six straight from Oct. 16-29 and then won four in a row from Oct. 20-Nov. 6. The team dropped three straight (two in a shootout) from Nov. 8-14 and then won three straight from Nov. 14-19.
--- Houston is 9-3 in games decided by one goal. Six of those games have gone to overtime with the Aeros winning three times.
--- When registering 40 or more shots, the Aeros are 4-2.
--- The Aeros have allowed 35 or more shots only four times including Game 4 vs. Binghamton; the team is 1-3 in those contests.

AEROS PLAYER NOTABLES
--- Matt Hackett’s start in Game 5 tied Johan Holmqvist’s single-season Aeros playoff record for starts (23). Ondrej Pavelec (CHI, 2008) has the AHL record for games played by a goaltender (24) in one postseason.
--- Aeros players have a combined 30 multi-point games in the playoffs, led by Patrick O’Sullivan (4). Five players have three multi-point games.

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators)

CALDER CUP FINALS SCHEDULE
2011 Calder Cup Finals (best-of-seven)
W2-Houston Aeros vs. E5-Binghamton Senators
Game 1 – Fri., May 27 – Binghamton 1 at Houston 3
Game 2 – Sat., May 28 – Binghamton 2 at Houston 1 OT
Game 3 – Wed., June 1 – Houston 2 at Binghamton 1
Game 4 – Fri., June 3 – Houston 0 at Binghamton 3
Game 5 – Sat., June 4 – Houston 2 at Binghamton 4
Game 6 – Tue., June 7 – Binghamton at Houston, 7:05 CST
Game 7 – Thu., June 9 – Binghamton at Houston, 7:05 CST

PLAYOFF HISTORY, CONNECTIONS
--- This is the first time the teams have met in the playoffs.
--- The Aeros have never faced a team from New York in the postseason.
--- Binghamton’s Corey Locke is the Aeros single season (2009) playoff leader in points (23), goals (12) and PPG (6). Goaltender Barry Brust was an Aero from 2007-10.

AEROS GOALIES
--- AT HOME, Matt Hackett is 8-3 with a 2.17 GAA and .911 SV%. He went 3-1 at home in the Conference Finals.
--- ON THE ROAD, Hackett is 6-6 with a 2.88 GAA and .893 SV%.
--- Matt Hackett’s uncle, Jeff, led the Springfield Indians to a Calder Cup win in 1990 and was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, annually given to the most valuable player of the playoffs. He went 10-5 that playoff campaign.

LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Zack Smith scored twice for the Senators and Robin Lehner turned aside 41 shots in goal as the Binghamton Senators edged the Houston Aeros 4-2 in Game 5 of the 2011 Calder Cup Finals before 4,727 fans at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday night. The victory gave the Senators a 3-2 series lead as the series shifts back to Houston. JM Daoust scored twice for the Aeros and Matt Hackett made 23 stops in goal.

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY --- Is 1/17 vs. BNG… Went 6/30 vs. HAM… Went 6/32 vs. MIL in round 2… Went 3/24 vs. PEO in the opening round… Ranked 6th (20.2%) in the regular season… Jon DiSalvatore led the team with 14 PPG… Finished the season with goals in six-straight to set a season-high streak (18/45)…Also had goals in six-straight from Feb. 22-Mar. 4…  Had multiple PPG in 16 games and was 12-2-0-2 in those games.

PENALTY KILL --- BNG is 4/21 on the PP… HAM went 6/25 and scored three SHG… MIL went 4/30 in round 2… The Ads scored a SHG in Game 5… PEO went 3/12 on the PP in the first round… Ranked 22nd (81.0%) in the regular season… Carson McMillan led the team with three SHG… Opponents were 16/46 on the PP in the final eight games of the season… 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.

AEROS 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 online at www.ahllive.com.

AEROS REGULAR SEASON NOTES
The Aeros finished the regular season with a 46-28-1-5 (98 pts.) record for the No. 2 spot in the West Division. The Aeros had the most wins in both the division and the Western Conference. Only two other teams finished with more wins (WBS – 58, Portland -47).

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

AEROS PLAYER NOTES
4 Jamie Fraser --- Has not played.
5 Jeff Penner --- Had three assists in the first round… DNP vs. MIL
6 Marco Scandella --- Missed first round with injury
7 Casey Wellman --- Scored twice in GM 7 vs. HAM… Scored series clinching goal vs. MIL.
8 Sam Lofquist --- Has not played.
10 Kris Foucault --- Has not played.
11 Brett Bulmer --- Made pro debut in GM 1 vs. MIL.
12 Cody Almond --- Had primary assist on OT GWG in Game 5 vs. MIL.
14 Jon DiSalvatore --- Scored series clinching goal in GM 7 vs. HAM… Had two goals in GM 3 at HAM incl. GWG.
15 Nate Prosser --- Scored GWG in GM 3 vs. BNG… Had a goal in GM 6 vs. HAM.
16 Patrick O'Sullivan --- Leads team with four multi-point games.
17 Robbie Earl --- Scored 2X incl. OT GWG in GM 5 vs. MIL… Had 3 assists in GM 3 vs. MIL.
18 Colton Gillies --- Had GWG in GM 2 vs. HAM… Leads team w/ 7 goals.
19 Jarod Palmer --- Assisted on OT GWG in GM 4 vs. MIL.
20 Chad Rau --- Had GTG in GM 5 vs. MIL.
21 Colton Jobke --- Has not played.
22 Jed Ortmeyer --- Scored twice including GWG in GM 1 vs. BNG… Scored GWG in GM 1 vs. HAM.
24 Scott Campbell --- Has not played.
25 Warren Peters --- 1-1 in GM 1 vs. BNG… ENG in GM 7 vs. MIL.
26 Maxim Noreau --- 0-2-2 in GM 4 vs. MIL and assisted on OT GWG.
27 Carson McMillan --- Had OT GWG’s in GM 2 vs. PEO and GM 4 vs. MIL… Only Aero to have multiple OT GWG in one postseason.
28 Jared Spurgeon --- 0-2-2 vs. HAM in GM 2…1-1 -2 vs. MIL in GM 3.
29 Drew Bagnall --- Had GTG in GM 4 vs. PEO.
31 Matt Hackett --- Has started every postseason game.
32 Kris Fredheim --- Has not played.
37 Pascal Morency --- Has not played.
39 Brandon Buck --- Has not played.
41 Josh Tordjman --- Made relief appearance in Game 4 at HAM.
42 Matt Kassian --- Was plus-2 in RND 1 vs. PEO.
44 Justin Falk --- Had two assists in GM 7 vs. HAM
56 Joel Broda--- Has not played.
61 Tyler Cuma --- Injured.
62 JM Daoust --- Scored twice in GM 5 at BNG… Scored a goal in first playoff appearance in GM 5 at HAM.

ROAD GAME WATCH PARTIES
Watch every Aeros playoff road game at the Maple Leaf Pub, the official Aeros watch party headquarters. Games are also shown at Nick’s Place and Stats Sports Bar and Grill. Join other fans to cheer on the team and enjoy drink specials and Aeros prizes.

AEROS SEASON TICKETS
Aeros season ticket holders can renew their seats by calling 713-974-7825 for first priority for the 2011-12 season.

STUFF TO DO IN HOUSTON?
Aeros hockey is an awesome night out in Houston! It’s major league fun with affordable family prices. Get ticket packages with parking included, or bring out your office or youth sports team for a great group event. Call 713-974-7825 to save money off box office prices and take advantage of the best Aeros ticket packages.