Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Saturday, October 1, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)


AEROS 4, Rampage 3



SUGAR LAND, Texas – Erik Westrum (pictured) scored twice in his Aeros debut, and rookie Adam Courchaine snapped a tie midway through the third period, as Houston rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 4-3 pre-season victory over the San Antonio Rampage in front of a capacity crowd at Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center.



Bryan Lundbohm, also in his first game with Houston, posted a goal and an assist, and Courchaine chipped in a helper for the Aeros, who travel to suburban San Antonio on Sunday at 5 p.m. The game is at the Ice Center at Northwoods.



Josh Harding made 32 saves for Houston. Westrum faced many of his old teammates. The veteran centerman was acquired from Phoenix this summer. The Coyotes are the Rampage’s new NHL affiliate.



Frantisek Lukec, Dave McCulloch and Matthew Spiller each scored for the Rampage.



Lukes got San Antonio on the board at 11:38 of the first, but Lundbohm replied back for the Aeros less than three minutes later. Clayton Stoner sent a headman pass to Courchaine, who lost the puck in traffic at the blueline. Lundbohm picked up the loose rubber and banged it by Dov Grumet-Morris.



San Antonio took a two-goal lead, scoring at 15:06 of the first and then again 1:39 into the second. McCulloch finished off a 2-on-1 from Randall Gelech, and then Spiller scored on the power play.



It took less than two minutes for the Aeros to counter twice, with the Westrum/Kirby Law/Roman Voloshenko line coming up big.



At 3:33 of the second, Harding made a save, and Colin Peters banged the puck off the boards to a waiting Westrum, who skated in alone on Grumet-Morris. Westrum deked right, went left and got the puck by the goalie.



Only 19 seconds later, Westrum took a feed from Voloshenko, cycled out from behind the net and put it by Grumet-Morris.



The teams took a 13-minute break 4:45 into the third when the power to the facility went out. Four minutes after the break, Harding ranged from his right to left to rob Leon Hayward’s 2-on-1 attempt.



Lundbohm set up Courchaine for the game-winner with 9:22 left, with Jake Moreland in net for San Antonio. Lundbohm left a pass for the rookie in the right circle, and he snapped a quick shot by the goalie.



San Antonio went on the power play with 2:42 left, and Harding was the hero again. With 52 seconds left, Martin Podlesak caught a pass in the low right circle from Jarrod Skalde. He lifted a quick shot, but Harding ranged over in time.



Houston went 0-for-4 on the power play, while San Antonio was 1-for-4.