Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Monday, October 24, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

AEROS WEEKLY REPORT

Coming attractions:

TUE, vs. CHI, 7:05 p.m., Two-for-one at Center Ice
One of the top rivalries is renewed as the Aeros and Wolves face off at Toyota Center. The teams last met in the 2005 West Division Semifinals, with Chicago sweeping all three games in Houston for a 4-1 series win en route to the Calder Cup Finals. Houston is 33-23-14-4 all-time versus Chicago, including a 5-3-2 mark in the regular season in 2004-05. Houston is 5-1-2 in its eight home games versus Chicago during the regular season. Aeros fans, get your center ice tickets for every Tuesday game at half price. That's right, get center ice seats for only $14. Also, special "VIP" parking is available for just $5. Click here for an order form. Or, simply log on to www.aeros.com/themenights. Username is Tuesday, password is Aeros. Also, fans showing up with baseball gear on get a $5 off coupon on center ice or corner seats

FRI, at MIL, 7 p.m.
This game kicks off Houston’s grueling stretch of 10 games in 17 days. The Aeros make their first visit of the season to Milwaukee’s Bradley Center, typically a place they have a hard time being successful. Houston is 1-6-2 in its last nine trips to Wisconsin, and last year lost the last four games there (once in overtime) by a combined 12-2 score. Houston has been blanked by the Ads’ Brian Finley three times in its last four trips to Milwaukee. Finley is 15-6-1 with a 2.10 gaa against the Aeros in his career. He owns four more wins versus them than any other goalie in history.

SAT, at GR, 6 p.m.
The Aeros pay their second and last visit of the season to Van Andel Arena, as the two rivals play only four games this season. Houston earned a 3-2 win over the Griffins October 15.

SUN, at PEO, 6 p.m.
The Aeros finish off the road trip at Carver Arena, the site of Josh Harding’s career-high 47 saves in a 3-1 Aeros win October 14.

All Aeros games are broadcast live on KNTH 1070-AM and through aeros.com. For $6, you can also watch the game live via B2 Networks. Visit aeros.com 10 minutes prior to gametime to order.

Aeros in the community - Thursday, Sonic Boom & Chilly will attend the Pearland High School Festival from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sonic Boom, Chilly & Strike Force will attend Main Street Square's Halloween Parade. Saturday, Sonic Boom, Chilly & Strike Force will attend Main Street Square’s Halloween Parade. From 7-8 p.m. Saturday, Sonic Boom & Chilly will attend the Children's Museum of Houston's Diabetes Halloween Festival.

Jersey auction up - The Aeros' 2004-05 road jersey auction is underway. The auction ends November 2 at 12:01 p.m. (ct).

Quick Hits

C Erik Westrum's career-best, season-opening seven-game point streak came to an end Saturday, but he is still tied for the AHL's scoring lead with 15 points (4-11=15).

RW Roman Voloshenko, who tallied four goals Friday for his second hat trick in as many home games, is tied for the AHL's rookie scoring lead with nine points (7-2=9). The 19-year-old's seven goals tie him for second overall in the AHL, trailing only GR's Jiri Hudler (10). Voloshenko became just the second Aero ever with a four-goal game - the first at home - and he's just the fifth player in team history with two hat tricks in a season. His came only 14 days apart.

Friday's 7-3 win over Grand Rapids was Houston's largest margin of victory ever in the series, which has seen 58 meetings

Player of the Week D Kurtis Foster
10/18 at OMA (6-5 SOW) 2-1=3, +2
10/20 at OMA (4-3 SOW) 1-0=1, E
10/21 vs. GR (7-3 W) 0-1=1, -1
10/22 vs. MCH (1-2 OTL) 0-1=1, E
Totals 4gp, 3-3=6, +1

Scored twice, once on the PP, and added assist in 6-5 SO win at OMA Tuesday...Tallied third goal in two games, a game-tying goal with 2:33 left in regulation, in 4-3 SO win at OMA Thursday...Posted one assist each in 7-3 win over GR Friday, and 2-1 OTL to MCH on Saturday...Has eight points (3-5=8) in five-game point streak...Career-best, six-game point streak came 12/26/03-1/3/04...Has 10 points (3-7=10) in eight games, second among all AHL defensemen...Three goals is one off Ryan Whitney's league-best pace for blueliners...Tied for eighth overall in points among all AHL players.

Aeros pick up seven of eight points
HOU 6, OMA 5 (SO); HOU 4, OMA 3 (SO); HOU 7, GR 3; MCH 2, HOU 1 (OT)
The Aeros garnered seven of a possible eight points last week, with three of their four games going into overtime or a shootout.
Tuesday: Kurtis Foster scored two goals and added an assist, Kirby Law tallied a pair of power play goals, and Erik Westrum supplied three assists, as the Aeros eked out a wild 6-5 shootout victory over the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at Omaha Civic Auditorium. Rookie Patrick O’Sullivan scored early in the third period to give Houston a 5-2 lead, but the Aeros – who trailed by two just four minutes into the game – needed the shootout to claim the victory after the Knights scored a pair of extra-attacker, 6-on-3 goals in the final 2:03 of regulation.
Thursday: Foster forced overtime with 2:23 left in regulation and Miroslav Kopriva (kop-CHEEV-kah) made 29 saves and four more in the shootout in his North American debut, as the Houston Aeros rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at Omaha Civic Auditorium. Erik Reitz and Petr Taticek also scored and Westrum’s shootout goal in the sixth round of his 300th pro game was the game-winner for Houston.
Friday: Nineteen-year-old rookie Roman Voloshenko notched Houston’s second four-goal game in team history and 20-year-old Peter Olvecky scored twice, as the Aeros overwhelmed three-time NHL All-Star goalie Chris Osgood with four power play goals en route to a 7-3 victory at Toyota Center for their fifth straight win. Clayton Stoner and Curtis Murphy each added three assists, and Westrum and Reitz each pitched in two helpers for Houston. Taticek also scored and Harding made 29 saves for the Aeros.
Saturday: Former Aero Marty Wilford scored on a power play 3:04 into overtime to ruin a 43-save performance by Harding, as the Manchester Monarchs rallied for a 2-1 win over the Houston Aeros at Toyota Center. Barry Brust made 26 saves and Jeff Giuilano also scored for Manchester.
Law scored a shorthanded goal 2:25 into the first period, but Houston was held scoreless after that. Harding was the story for much of the game, making 15 saves in the first period, 12 in the second and third, and four more in overtime before Wilford’s blast. Harding also stopped Connor James’ penalty shot.


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