Sun., Dec. 1, 2011

The Houston Aeros (15-4-2-5, 37 pts., Minnesota Wild) continue a four-game home stand at Toyota Center on Sunday against the Peoria Rivermen (11-14-1-1, 24 pts., St. Louis Blues). The Aeros have earned standings points in 11 of 13 home games this season, including the last six in a row after Friday’s 1-0 victory over SAN. Houston is two points off the AHL points lead (OKC) and is tied with Abbotsford for the No. 2 spot in the West Division.  Peoria is 2-8-0-0 in the last 10 games and has dropped two straight. Today’s game is the third in as many days for the Rivermen. They fell 3-1 at OKC on Friday and 2-1 at SAN last night.

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen via Smartphone: Download the TuneIn Radio app; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

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THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Tuesday --- at San Antonio (6-1 W)
Thursday --- vs. Oklahoma City (2-1 SOL)
Friday --- vs. San Antonio (1-0 W)
Sunday --- vs. Peoria (5:05 p.m.)

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen on Smartphone including BlackBerry: Download the TuneIn Radio App; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

GOING TO AEROS HOME GAMES
On-street, garage and surface parking surround Toyota Center… The Box Office and Will Call windows are located on La Branch Street… Due to recent road construction surrounding Toyota Center, the Aeros encourage all guests to allow extra time for parking or visiting the box office.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Aeros fans can get four tickets, four Aeros gifts and parking for any Sunday game with prices starting as low as $52…  Bring a stuffed animal for the annual Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 16 to toss on the ice when the Aeros score their first goal of the game.

RECENT AEROS TRANSACTIONS
---Dec. 11: F Jeff Taffe reassigned by MIN
---Dec. 9: F Joey Martin released from PTO
---Dec. 8: D Mike Montgomery signed PTO
---Dec. 8: F Jeff Taffe recalled by MIN
---Dec. 6: F Mike McKenzie signed SPC
---Dec. 6: G Rob Nolan signed PTO

AEROS INJURIES
Carson McMillan returned to the lineup on Dec. 8 after missing six games… Jed Ortmeyer has missed the last five games… David McIntyre missed the last three games.

AEROS MILESTONES
---Jon DiSalvatore: 22nd goal will be 200th career goal… 18th goal will be 69th as an Aero, placing him first in franchise history (AHL only, 4th AHL/IHL).
---Jeff Taffe’s 12th goal will be his 200th as a pro… 33rd goal will be his 200th in the AHL… 37th game will be his 500th in the AHL… 62nd game will be his 700th as a pro.

AEROS PLAYER NOTES
---Kris Foucault has four points (2-2=4) in the last five games, including a pair of 1-1=2 games.
---Warren Peters recorded his first multi-goal game of the season on Dec. 6 at SA.
---Justin Fontaine has two goals in his last five games. He had theonly goal in a 1-0 win over SA on Dec. 9.
---Jarod Palmer has goals in two of the last three games.
---Matt Hackett made his NHL debut on Tuesday and made 34 saves in a 2-1 win at SJ. He entered the game early in the first period to relieve an injured Josh Harding. Hackett led the Wild to a 4-2 win at LA last on Thursday night with 42 stops in his first NHL start.

NOTABLES
---The Aeros have won three of their last five and have earned standings points in 11 of the last 12 games.
---Houston has earned at least a point in 12 of the 15 games in which they have allowed the first goal. They are 10-1-0-0 when scoring first.
---All 15 of Houston’s wins have come when allowing three or fewer goals. Three of four regulation losses have come when allowing four or more goals.
---The Aeros play nine of 11 games at home from Dec. 8-Jan. 6.
---Houston has made 13 transactions since Dec. 1.
---The 2-1 win at LE on Nov. 30 tied an Aeros franchise record for the team's best road start, originally set during the team's 1998-99 IHL Turner Cup championship season. The win gave the Aeros 18 road points, the most through 10 away games since the team joined the AHL in the 2001-02 season.

AEROS GOALIES
HACKETT – Is 2-3-2 at home and 7-0-1 on the road... Has a 1.88 GAA and a .941 save percentage away from home.… Last Game: Stopped 22 of 23 in a 2-1W at LE on Nov. 30.

NOLAN – Signed PTO on Dec. 6… Appeared in 12 games and registered a 6-5-1 record along with a 2.87 GAA and .901 save percentage with Chicago (ECHL).

KUEMPER --- Led the ECHL in both GAA (1.74) and save percentage (.941) at the time of his recall on Nov. 29 and posted a 7-1-0 record with the Ontario Reign… Recorded his first pro shutout with 1-0 win on Dec. 9 vs. SAN (33 saves)… Is 1-0-1 at home (.48 GAA, .985 SV%) and 2-1-0 on the road (2.68 GAA, .916 SV%).

POWER PLAY
Is 1/12 in three games this week… Went 1/9 in three games last week… Set a season-high going 3/5 in a 4-2 win at SAN on Oct. 28…

PENALTY KILL
Opponents are 2-for-11 in three games this week… Went 2/9 on the power play last week… Had allowed a goal in five straight before holding TOR 0/6 on Nov. 6.

WILD WATCH
The Wild has won six straight overall and 17 of 21 after opening the season 3-3-3. They lead the Western Conference with a 20-7-3 record. There have been 10 players to suit up for both the Aeros and Wild this season.

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
4 – BAGH-nawl
7 – FRED-haym
8 – MED-vekh
14 – deh-SAL-vuh-tohr
20 – ROWH (like now)
22 – TAYF
26 – MACK-in-tyre
27 – mick-MILL-uhn
35 – KEM-per
39 – GEHN-oh-way
41 - ORT-migh-er
42 – KASS-ee-uhn
61 – KOOH-muh