MARCH 4, 2011
HOUSTON AEROS (36-23-1-4) vs. SYRACUSE CRUNCH (20-32-3-4)
TOYOTA CENTER (7:35 p.m. CST)

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OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros host the Syracuse Crunch at Toyota Center in the second of two meetings between the teams this season and only in Houston. The Aeros have won two of their last three games and are coming off an 8-1 rout of Rockford on Wednesday. Syracuse is winless in three games (0-2-1-0) and fell 2-1 in overtime at Rochester on Feb. 27. This is the first game of a 3-in-3 weekend for Houston while the Crunch heads to San Antonio on Saturday and then battles Texas on Monday.

WHERE THEY STAND
The Aeros, with 77 points, sit two points out of first place in the West Division behind the Milwaukee Admirals. Syracuse tied with Adirondack for the fewest wins in the league and has the lowest point total (47) of any AHL club.

 WHAT THE GAME MEANS
A win by the Aeros could pull them into a first place tie with Milwaukee in the West Division.
 
SERIES NOTES
The Aeros beat the Crunch 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 26. Robbie Earl had the game-winner… HOU is 1/6 on the PP while SYR is 1/3… SYR is the only Eastern Conference opponent of the season for the Aeros… All-time the Aeros are 6-5-0-1 vs. the Crunch (4-2-0-0 at home, 2-3-0-1 on the road.

LAST GAME
Jon DiSalvatore scored twice, Marco Scandella had two goals and an assist while Patrick O’Sullivan, Max Noreau and J.M. Daoust registered a goal and two assists each as the Houston Aeros rolled past the Rockford IceHogs 8-1 on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild) --- The Wild is 34-25-6 with 74 points and holds the No. 3 spot in the Northwest Division. The Wild beat the New York Rangers 3-1 on Thursday. Casey Wellman had the game-winning goal.
Syracuse Crunch (Anaheim Ducks) --- The Ducks are 34-25-5 with 73 points and are fifth in the Pacific Division.

AEROS UPCOMING GAMES
March 4 vs. SYR, 7:35 p.m.
March 5 at TEX, 7:00 p.m.
March 6 vs. ABB, 5:05 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.

NOTABLES
--- Patrick O’Sullivan was named the AHL/Reebok Player of the Month for February after posting 18 points (9-9-18) in 12 games.
--- Goalie Josh Tordjman was recalled on Tuesday from Bakersfield (ECHL) after Anton Khudobin was traded to Boston... The Aeros alsoadded D Jeff Penner, who was acquired as part of from Boston as part of the Khudobin trade with Boston. Penner has posted 19 points (5-14-19) and is a plus-10 in 57 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins this season.
--- The Aeros have earned 29 of their 36 victories when scoring the first goal of the game.
--- Houston is 28-16-1-1 vs. the West Division
--- Jon DiSalvatore set a team season high by recording points in eight straight games from Feb. 11-26.
--- Max Noreau set a team and personal season high with an assist in his fifth straight game on Sunday.
--- The Aeros set a franchise record and AHL season-high with six PPG on March 2 vs. RFD.
---Houston’s 8-1 win over RFD on March two tied a franchise record for goals scored in a game. A total of 13 Aeros recorded a point in the game.
---Marco Scandella notched a season-high 2-1-3 on March 2 vs. RFD.
---Colton Gillies recorded his third 1-1-2 game on March 2.
---Patrick O’Sullivan has recorded multiple points in eight of his 20 games.

AEROS GOALIES --- Matt Hackett is 6-1-1 in his last eight home decisions… Josh Tordjman is 2-0-0 with a 1.54 GAA and .938 SV%.

SCORING STREAKS
--- O’Sullivan; 7 games (5-9-14)... 18 of 20 as an Aero this season (13-15-28)
--- Noreau: 6 games (2-6-8)
--- Wellman; 5 games (3-4-7)
--- Buck; 5 games (1-4-5)

INJURY UPDATE --- Drew Bagnall is day-to-day with  an upper body injury… Tyler Cuma is out for the season with a knee injury suffered Feb. 13, 2011 vs. PEO.

SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY --- Is 11/32 in the last five games… Has multiple PPG in 12 games and is 8-2-0-2 in those games… Set franchise record and AHL season-high with six PPG on March 2 vs. RFD… Was held to one or no PPG in 15 straight games prior to Feb. 4 (2-for-4).

PENALTY KILL --- Opponents are 1/15 in lastfour games… Held opponents to one or no PPG in 15 straight games until TOR went 2-for-5 on Jan. 23…Has allowed multiple PPG in nine games and is 2-7-0-0 in those contests.

RECENT ROSTER MOVES --- F Casey Wellman was recalled by MIN on March 3… F Petr Kalus was traded to Columbus for futures on March 1… F Jed Ortmeyer was recalled by MIN on March 1… G Josh Tordjman was recalled from BAK on March 1… D Jeff Penner was loaned by MIN on March 1… F Warren Peters was recalled by MIN on Feb. 28… F Cody Almond was reassigned by MIN on Feb. 28… G Anton Khudobin was traded to BOS by MIN on Feb. 28 in exchange for D Jeff Penner and RW Mikko Lehtonen.