From: Patrick Armstrong, Director of Communications
713.361.7920 (Direct Line)
Scott Henninger, Communications Manager
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008

AEROS’ COMEBACK NOT QUITE ENOUGH IN 3-2 LOSS TO QUAD CITY

HOUSTON, Texas – After going down 3-0 the Houston Aeros mounted a comeback, scoring two unanswered goals but fell in a 3-2 loss to the Quad City Flames in front of 3,596 fans at Toyota Center Wednesday night. The win brought the Flames (32-27-2-7) within two points of the Aeros (35-25-2-3) who hold the fifth spot of the West Division. Houston stays at home with back-to-back games against Chicago starting tomorrow night in a battle against the division-leading Wolves.

Box Score

The Flames got on the board first as Peter Olvecky was serving a high-sticking penalty for the Aeros. Quad City’s Carsen Germyn slipped the puck in behind Aeros' goaltender Barry Brust after it rebounded off the back boards at the 7:42 mark in the first period. Tim Ramholt and Tim Hambly earned the assists on the only goal in the early frame.

During the middle of the second period a number of penalties were called, which eventually resulted in an unassisted, 4-on-4 goal by the Flames’ Adam Pardy to take the club to a 2-0 lead at 12:22 in the frame. Just as the final seconds were about to expire on the previously mentioned sets of penalties, Quad City was put back on the power-play and Grant Stevenson netted the team’s third goal at 16:05. Stevenson received a pass across the crease from David Van der Gulik and was able to flip it in behind Brust before he could slide across the net.

The Aeros came back within two when Danny Irmen netted his sixth goal of the year at 16:44 in the middle period. Marco Rosa brought his assist-streak to three games when he set Irmen up with his pass from behind the net and Clayton Stoner earned the second assist to round out the period’s scoring.

The Aeros replaced Brust in net with Anton Khudobin to start the final period. Ryan Hamilton started the third period scoring for the Aeros by slapping in a rebound at 6:20 in the final session, which proved to be the period's only marker. Stoner earned his first multiple-point game of the season with an assist. Irmen tallied his first multi-point game in 33 contests with the second assist. The Aeros finished with 25 shots on net but didn't convert on any of their six power-play chances. Quad City recorded two goals on five man-advantages with 17 total shots on net. Brust stopped nine of 12 shots faced in nearly 40 minutes of ice time and Khudobin knocked aside all five shots faced in the third period.

The Aeros' $22 Center Ice seats and addition to other Spring Break specials you don't want to miss only run through Friday so act now. The quest for the post-season is in full swing with only divisional oppenents being played during the rest of the March. Call 713.974.PUCK for more details and to order your tickets today!

GAME NOTES
- In each of the seven meetings so far this season the club who has scored first has won the game.
- The Aeros’ Clayton Stoner marked his first multiple-point game of the season with two assists recorded.
- Danny Irmen’s goal and assist earned him his first multi-point game in 33 games. His first and only other multiple-point game of the season was December 28 when he recorded two assists during a 4-3 shootout loss at Quad City.

-- HOUSTON AEROS --