FEB. 11, 2011: AEROS AT PEORIA RIVERMEN (7:05 p.m. CST)

OVERVIEW

The Houston Aeros (31-19-1-3) continue a run of four straight games away from Toyota Center with a West Division matchup against the Peoria Rivermen (30-18-2-2) at Carver Arena. This is the first of two-straight games between the clubs; they play again Sunday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., the home of the Minnesota Wild. The game coincides with Saturday’s Hockey Day Minnesota, in which the Wild play host to the St. Louis Blues (Peoria’s parent club) along with high school and college hockey contests. The Aeros have won a season-high five straight games and are coming off a 4-1 win over Rockford on Wednesday night. The Rivermen battled back from a 3-0 deficit on Wednesday to beat Milwaukee 4-3 in a shootout. Houston holds a one-point lead on first place in the West Division and Western Conference. Peoria sits just two points behind.

AEROS UPCOMING GAMES

Feb 13 vs. Peoria (at Minnesota), 1 p.m. CST

Feb. 17 vs. Chicago, 11:05 a.m.

Feb. 18 at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

Feb. 19 at Rockford, 7:05 p.m.

BROADCAST INFO

Follow the Aeros on News Talk 1070 KNTH and online at AEROS.COM with Joe O’Donnell providing the play-by-play call. Watch every game at www.ahllive.com.

AEROS AT A GLANCE

STANDING………………………….....1st/West Div.

RECORD…………………………..31-19-1-2, 66 pts.

HOME……………………………………….15-6-1-1

ROAD………………………………………16-13-0-2

STREAK……………………………………...WON 5

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

·          The Aeros set a season-high with their fifth consecutive win on Wednesday at RFD.

·          The Aeros have won six of their last seven on the road and three-straight. A win tonight marks a season-high streak.

·          All 31 of Houston’s wins have come when the team allows three of fewer goals.

·          25 of Houston’s wins have come when they score the first goal.

·          Since Dec. 26, the Aeros are 8-0-0-1 at home. That’s the second -longest home point streak in the AHL this season. Portland had the longest (10 games, Oct. 9-Nov. 20).

·          The Aeros won 10 games in the month of January, one win shy of a team record for victories in one month (10 games played or more).

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS

PP: 17.1% (17th)…………………..PK: 84.6% (10th)

PPG: 41………………………………………SHG: 5

NHL AFFILIATES

Houston Aeros……………………….Minnesota Wild

Peoria Rivermen………………………St. Louis Blues

AEROS LEADERS

Points..................................................DiSalvatore (34)

Goals………………………………………...Earl (16)

Assists……………………………………Noreau (25)

PPG………………………………….Almond/Earl (6)

PP-Pts…………………………………….Noreau (18)

SHG…………………………………….McMillan (3)

SH-Pts……………………………..........McMillan (4)

PIM.....………………………….............Kassian (109)

VS. PEORIA RIVERMEN

ALL-TIME AEROS RECORD: 24-19-2-3 (14-8-1-1 at home, 10-11-1-2 at PEO)

SEASON RECORD: 1-2-1-0 (0-1-1-0 at home, 1-1-0-0 at PEO)

NOTES: The Rivermen and Aeros play in Peoria on Friday and then square off in Minnesota on Sunday... The parent clubs of both teams (St. Louis and Minnesota) play Saturday night... The Aeros and Rivermen enter the week tied with 62 points... Peoria won four times in its previous 10 games entering the week... These are the final two meetings this season between the clubs.

AEROS TIDBITS

·          Houston tied a season-long three-game road winning streak on Feb. 9 at RFD, marking the second such streak this season.

·          Since Jan. 1, Houston is 13-2-0-1 and 6-2-0-0 away from home.

·          Houston has outscored their opponents 16-10 in the last five road games and 12-5 in the last three.

·          The Aeros have allowed three goals in their last three games and are 7th in the AHL in team GAA (2.59).

·          In the last five games, the Aeros have scored 20 goals (four in each). That’s the most they have scored over a five-game stretch this season.

·          The Aeros won their 30th game of the 2010-11 season on Feb. 8 at TEX in their 53rd game. Last season, it took the club 71 games to win 30 overall (March 26).

·          Robbie Earl has scored 10 of his 16 goals on the road… Cody Almond has notched 16 (8-8-16) of his 24 points on the road.

JANUARY JUGGERNAUT --- The Aeros had an impressive month of January by recording a 10-2-0-1 record and moving into position to challenge for the top spot in the Western Conference. Here’s a rundown of nuggets from January…

·          Jan. 2011 was the sixth time in franchise history the team has recorded 10 or more wins in a month.

·          The last time was Jan.2003 (11-2-3-0).

·          The franchise has recorded 10 wins or more in a month in four other seasons (1997-98, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2002-03).

·          In the 1997-98 and 00-01 seasons the team lost in the 1st round of playoffs.

·          In the 1998-99 and 2002-03 seasons the team went on to win championships.

·          The Aeros have never finished season lower than 2nd in their division when recording 10 or more wins in one month.

·          Houston’s .808 win % in Jan. 2011 is tied for the 4th highest in franchise history for best winning % in a month (when playing 10 or more games).

HOMEBOYS --- Houston has points in nine consecutive home games dating back to Dec. 26…They have also won 12 of 16 at home dating back to a Nov. 21 victory over Texas. Six of those wins have been decided by one goal; four have been decided by two goals.

STREAKS --- Anton Khudobin has won five in a row… Jon DiSalvatore ran his scoring streak to four games with a season-high three points, all assists, on Feb. 8. He has points (4-9-13) in nine of his last 11 games and has racked up eight multi-point games this season… Patrick O’Sullivan has seven points (5-2-7) in his last four games… Jarod Palmer has points (1-2-3) in three of his last four games… Chad Rau has points (0-5-5) in four of his last five games…

AEROS GOALIES --- Anton Khudobin is 17-9-1 with a 2.46 GAA and .913 SV%. Khudobin has won six of his last seven starts and five in a row... With the Jan. 28 SO win over ABB, Khudobin is now 5-1 in shootouts. He has won four straight shootout decisions and six-straight extra time decisions. In addition Khudobin is 4-0 at home in the extra-extra and 7-2 overall in extra time games including overtime decisions… Matt Hackett is 12-11-2 with a 2.42 GAA and .915 SV%. He is 4-1-1 in his last six decisions.

TURNSTILE TIDBITS --- Through 23 home games, the Aeros are sixth in the AHL with an average attendance of 6,137… The 10,552 on hand for the Jan. 1 game was the largest crowd for an Aeros contest since Dec. 3, 2009, when 11,291 watched the Aeros and Rampage at Toyota Center.

RECENT ROSTER MOVES --- F Cody Almond and D Justin Falk were reassigned by MIN on Feb. 6……F Cody Almond and D Justin Falk were recalled by MIN on Feb. 5…F Cody Almond was reassigned by MIN on Jan. 26… G Josh Tordjman was loaned to BAK on Jan. 20… G Anton Khudobin was reassigned by MIN on Jan. 20.

 LAST GAME QUICK RECAP --- Patrick O’Sullivan and Nate Prosser each had a goal and an assist and Matt Hackett made 24 saves as the Houston Aeros scored four unanswered goals en route to their fifth-straight win, a season-high, at the Rockford MetroCentre on Wednesday night in a 4-1 victory over the Rockford IceHogs. The win gave the Aeros their 31st win of the season and propelled theminto sole possession of first place in both the Western Conference and West Division. The Aeros are 13-2-0-1 since Jan. 1. J.M. Daoust bagged the deciding goal for the Aeros with under a minute left in the second period for his ninth goal of the season.

 HOCKEY DAY MINNESOTA --- Hockey Day Minnesota 2011 includes a NHL game from Xcel Energy Center as the Minnesota Wild take on the St. Louis Blues, as well as a college match-up from Mariucci Arena between the University of Minnesota and University of Denver and a pair of high school games.