 | Peter Ratchuk (Photo by Jason Villanueva). |
Monday, December 18, 2006
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
AEROS WEEKLY REPORT
Coming Attractions – Home game Friday!
Call 713.974.PUCK today to order your $20 center ice tickets (normally $30) or $15 corner tickets (normally $22) for any of the three remaining December home games. Also, for information on Aeros Holiday Stuffers, Voucher Packs or Aeros merchandise (all make great Christmas gifts!), please call 713.974.PUCK.
FRI, vs. CHI, 7:35 p.m.
Miss Aeros 2006 Appearance
It’s your last chance to meet and have your picture taken with Miss Aeros 2006 Amber Sine before she hands over her crown next week.
The Aeros have lost four in a row against the Wolves after winning the previous five. Houston hasn’t lost four straight in regulation versus Chicago since November 6, 1999-March 19, 2000. The Wolves have taken both meetings so far this season by a combined 11-5 margin, including a 4-2 victory at Toyota Center on November 1. Houston is 38-28-14-4 all-time against Chicago, including a 23-9-8-2 home mark.
The Wolves are leading the West Division with a 20-7-1-1 mark, including a stellar 12-3-0-0 road mark. Chicago, which leads the AHL in scoring at 4.79 goals per game, has outscored its opponents 81-46 on the road. Wolves RW Darren Haydar paces the league in scoring with 59 points (18-41=59), including a point in each of Chicago’s first 29 games. Next is the recalled C Jason Krog (19-33=52) and rookie sensation LW Brett Sterling (26-18=44).
Don't forget, Guns 'N Hoses Night is Tuesday, Dec. 26 at 7:05 p.m. when the Aeros take on San Antonio at Toyota Center. Call 713.974.PUCK today to sponsor a group of Houston's firemen and policemen for as little as $9 per ticket.
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.
Player of the Week G Josh Harding
12/13 vs. MTB 24-28, L 1-4
12/14 at SAN 41-42, W 3-1
12/16 vs. MTB 38-39, W 3-1
Totals – 3gp, 2-1-0, 2.00 gaa, .945 save pct.
In winning two straight games to end the week, recorded 1.00 gaa and a .975 save pct., stopping 79-of-81 shots…Sports a 2-3-2 December record despite posting a 2.34 gaa and a .930 save pct…Has appeared in eight straight games, which is only halfway to the 16 he played in to begin the season…Ranks tied for eighth in AHL in gaa (2.37) and tied for fourth in save pct. (.924)…Is tied for fourth in wins (11)…Leads circuit in games played (27), minutes (1,598), shots faced (830) and saves (767).
Notables –
Houston is 11-4-0-2 when scoring three goals or more, and just 1-10-0-1 when scoring two or fewer.
Aeros second-year winger Joel Ward made his NHL debut Saturday with Minnesota, which lost 2-1 in Vancouver. Ward was in the Wild’s starting lineup.
Houston has killed off all 12 shorthanded chances in its last two games to move to third in the AHL on the penalty kill at 87.1 percent. The Aeros also scored their fourth shorthanded goal Saturday against Manitoba.
Aeros RW Mattias Weinhandl has posted points in each of his first two games with the team. He scored a goal on his first shot Thursday in San Antonio, and assisted on Bryan Lundbohm’s shorthanded goal Saturday versus Manitoba.
Affiliation News
The National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild lost all three games on a Northwest Division road trip last week...This week, Minnesota is at home versus Vancouver on Tuesday, in Detroit on Friday and at home against the Red Wings on Saturday…C Wyatt Smith has two assists in 19 games…RW Joel Ward has made his NHL debut Saturday in Vancouver, recording an even rating on 13 shifts and 7:47 of ice time. Ward had one shot, one hit and a blocked shot..
The ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters took two of three home games from Phoenix last week to move to an American Conference-best 17-5-2-0…The Wildcatters rank tied for first in the entire ECHL with 36 points, and their .750 points percentage trails only Stockton (.795) for the top spot in the league…Texas plays at Pensacola this Friday and Saturday…F Kevin Baker (18-12=30), who attended Aeros camp, leads the ECHL in goals and is tied for eighth in points…C Marco Rosa is tied for fourth in the team with 23 points (10-13=23) despite missing six games due to a call-up to Houston… D Paul Albers(5-13=18) and D Mike Madill (1-16=17), both Minnesota Wild contracts, are the top two scoring rookies on the team… F Mark Rooneem has eight points (5-3=8) in 23 games…F Riley Emmerson has 52 PIM’s in 18 games…G Miroslav Kopriva is 4-1-0 with a 2.95 gaa and a .907 save pct. in nine games…G Matt Yeats, who attended Aeros camp, is 13-4-2 with a 3.10 gaa and a .910 save pct.
The Central Hockey League’s Austin Ice Bats went 2-1-0-0 last week and are 10-9-4, in fourth place in the Southeast Division…RW Michael Tucciarone, who attended the Aeros’ training camp in September, is fifth on the team in scoring (7-8=15).
Aeros win two of three
MTB 4, HOU 1; HOU 3, SAN 1; HOU 3, MTB 1
Wednesday: Drew McIntyre made 35 stops for his third straight win, and former Aero defensemen Maxime Fortunus and Dustin Wood each scored a goal, as the Manitoba Moose topped Houston 4-1 at Toyota Center. Nathan Smith and Adam Keefe also scored for Manitoba.
Erik Reitz scored a goal and Josh Harding made 24 saves for Houston.
Thursday: Josh Harding finished with 41 saves and Mattias Weinhandl scored a power play goal on his first shot in an Aeros uniform, as Houston defeated San Antonio 3-1 at AT&T Center to snap a pair of five-game winless streaks. Rookie Ryan Hamilton and Matt Foy had a goal apiece for Houston.
Saturday: Josh Harding made 38 saves and Josh Olson and Bryan Lundbohm scored first period goals, as the Houston Aeros earned their second straight win, 3-1 over the Manitoba Moose on Teddy Bear Toss Night at Toyota Center. Peter Olvecky snapped a 32-game drought without a goal for Houston.
Aeros’ Practice schedule:
Monday – 10-11:30 a.m., Sugar Land
Tuesday – 10-11:30 a.m. Sugar Land
Wednesday – 10-11:30 a.m. Sugar Land
Thursday – 10-11:30 a.m. Sugar Land
Friday – 10:15-11 a.m., pre-game skate, vs. CHI, 7:35 p.m.
Saturday – Off
Sunday – Off
Aeros non game-day practices are at Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center, the Official Training Facility of the Houston Aeros.
---HOUSTON AEROS---
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