Tues., March 6, 2012

Jon DiSalvatore registered a goal and three assists, Chad Rau had two goals and a helper, and the Houston Aeros battled back from four separate deficits to edge the Abbotsford Heat 7-6 in the shootout in a Tuesday matinee game at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.

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AEROS POSTGAME REPORT
MARCH 6: HOU 7, ABB 6 (SO)

ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia ---  Jon DiSalvatore registered a goal and three assists, Chad Rau had two goals and a helper, and the Houston Aeros battled back from four separate deficits to edge the Abbotsford Heat 7-6 in the shootout in a Tuesday matinee game at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.

Kris Foucault bagged the deciding goal in the shootout to give Houston the extra shootout point and move the team back within the eight-team playoff bubble in the AHL's Western Conference. The teams square off again on Wednesday at 9 p.m. CST.

The Aeros overcame a trio of Heat leads in the first period alone. Chris Clackson scored his first goal as an Aero to tie the game at 1-1. Rau and DiSalvatore also had first period tallies for Houston, erasing goals by Abbotsford's James Martin, Clay Wilson and Hugh Jessiman.

Foucault and Chay Genoway built the Houston lead to 5-3 with goals in the first 8:08 of the second period, and the Aeros took a 5-4 lead into the locker room after Ryan Howse’s goal tighetned the gap for the Heat.

Jessiman and Ben Walter answered with goals for the Heat in the third to regain the lead, but Rau netted his 10th goal of the season with 24 seconds left in regulation after the Aeros pulled goaltender Matt Keetley in favor of an extra attacker.

Houston outscored Abbotsford 3-1 in the shootout, with Foucault's second round goal standing as the game-winner.

Both teams played each of their goaltenders. Houston's Joe Fallon started the game, but was relieved by Keetley in the first period. Keetley got the win with a 13-save effort in 50 minutes of work. Abotsford's Leland Irving made 15 saves on 20 shots and was relieved by Danny Taylor after Genoway's goal.

The Aeros close out their franchise-record 11-game road trip at Abbotsford on Wednesday at 9 p.m. CST. The team returns home Saturday against Grand Rapids at 7:35 p.m. at Toyota Center.

BOMB DROPPINGS
Jon DiSalvatore has points in six straight games (6-4=10); nine of the last 10 games (7-7=14); and 14 of the last 16 (9-9=18)... The 13 combined goals tied an AHL season-high... The 13 combined goals also tied an Aeros franchise record. It hasn't been done since Feb. 14, 2009, in a 7-6 win at Iowa.

NEXT GAME
Wednesday at Abbotsford (9:30 p.m. CST)

RECORDS
HOU: 27-18-3-9
ABB: 31-22-3-1

GOAL SCORERS
HOU: Clackson, Rau (2), DiSalvatore, Foucault, Genoway
ABB: Martin, Wilson, Jessiman (2), Howse, Walter

AEROS STARTERS
F – Almond, Foucault, McMillan
D – Fredheim, Cuma
G – Fallon

AEROS SCRATCHES
Penner, Mignardi, Palmer, McKenzie, Kuemper

DECIDING GOAL
Foucault (SO, 2nd round)

POWER PLAYS
HOU: 1/3
ABB: 2/4

GOALIES
HOU: Fallon (1/4), Keetley (13/16, 3/4 SO)
ABB: Irving (15/20), Taylor (10/11, 1/4 SO)