From: Patrick Armstrong, Director of Communications
713.361.7920 (Direct Line)
Scott Henninger, Communications Manager
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Sunday, April 13, 2008

HOUSTON LOCKS IN THREE SEED AND
HEADS TO ROCKFORD AFTER 3-2 SHOOTOUT WIN

HOUSTON, Texas – Everything came down to the last game of the season to determine the seeding for playoffs, just as the game was played out as long as it could. The Houston Aeros won 3-2 in a shootout over the Milwaukee Admirals at Toyota Center in front of 9,739 fans Sunday night. The Aeros victory combined with a Rockford win sends Houston to Rockford to start the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs as the #3 seed. Game one is slated to start Friday at the Rockford MetroCentre. Stay tuned to AEROS.com for further updates.

Box Score

Milwaukee got on the board early with a bouncing puck at the Aeros blue line that Mike Santorelli picked up and beat Aeros net-minder Nolan Schaefer on his glove side. Not to be out-done Joel Ward tallied his third goal in two games when Serge Payer forced a turnover right in front of Admirals’ goaltender Pekka Rinne and Ward picked up the puck and wristed it past Rinne at 10:58 in the first.

The Aeros took a 2-1 lead at the 15:20 mark of the opening period when Colton Gillies made a nice backdoor feed to Milan Gajic and he tipped into the back of the net during a power-play. The goal marked the Aeros first power-play tally in four games as Morten Madsen earned the second assist.

Milwaukee tied it in the second period at the 5:15 mark when Antti Pihlstrom scored a power-play goal to tie the game at two apiece. The Third period and overtime remained scoreless with good opportunities for each team to take the game in regulation. Houston out-shot Milwaukee 25-18 through 65 minutes of play as the teams prepared for a shootout.

Milwaukee had the first opportunity in the shootout but the Aeros recorded the first goal as Gajic netted his attempt. The Admiral’s John Vigilante tied the shootout at one each but that was it for Milwaukee’s shootout markers. Shawn Belle and Morten Madsen each recorded shootout goals to lock the Aeros 3-2 victory after four rounds of shootout. Belle improved his shootout record for the season by scoring on five of seven attempts.

Houston Aeros playoff tickets are already on sale with special packages and group rates as well! Call 713.974.PUCK to get yours today. Seeing how the regular season finished up you don’t want to miss the playoffs!

Game Notes
- The Houston Aeros’ victory earned them the #3 seed in the West Division and the club will start the series in Rockford this Friday. The post-season matchup with the IceHogs marks the first time ever. Rockford is in it’s first season in the AHL.
- Houston goaltenders Nolan Schaefer and Barry Brust earned the Harry “Hap” Holmes Award for allowing the fewest goals in the AHL during the 2007-08 season. The tandem allowed only 183 goals and ranked first (2.06) and sixth (2.27) in the league respectively for goals-against average.
- The 183 goals against also set and Aeros team record for fewest goals allowed in a season. The previous best was 195 goals against set during the 2004-05 season.
- The Aeros improved their record by 32 points over last year’s 64 marking a team record for largest turnaround from one season to the next. The previous best turnaround was set at 30 points between the 1995-96 and 96-97 seasons when the team played in the IHL.
- Houston RW Joel Ward was the Aeros’ regular-season points and goals leader by scoring 41 points and 21 goals in 79 games. Ward only missed one game during the regular season which also led the team. Ward scored one goal in the season finale Sunday night.
- Defenseman Brandon Rogers led Houston with 24 assists.

-- HOUSTON AEROS --