MARCH 25, 2011
HOUSTON AEROS – 2nd, West Division (41-26-1-5, 88 pts.) vs.
OKC BARONS – 4th, West Division (36-26-2-8, 82 pts.)
TOYOTA CENTER (7:35 p.m. CST)

OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros and OKC Barons begin a three-game set at Toyota Center on Friday. This is the first meeting between the teams in Houston since Oct. 17, when the Barons took an 8-2 win. Since then, the Aeros have won three in a row vs. OKC, all on the road. The Aeros have won four of their last five and are coming off a 3-0 loss at Texas on Tuesday. OKC is winless in its last two games.

LAST FIVE GAMES/LAST RESULT
Houston (4-1-0-0) --- March 22 (HOU 0 at TEX 3)
OKC (2-1-0-2) --- March 22 (OKC 3 at MIL 4, SO)

WHERE THEY STAND
The Aeros, with 88 points, are one point out of first place in the West Division behind the Milwaukee Admirals. OKC holds the No. 4 spot in the West Division and enters the weekend two points out of third behind Texas.

WHAT THE GAME MEANS
An Aeros win coupled with a Milwaukee regulation loss at home vs. CHI would give the Aeros sole possession of first place. If the Barons win and Texas loses both OKC and TEX would be tied with 84 points.
 
SERIES NOTES
Houston is 5-1-0-0 vs. the Barons this season (0-1-0-0 at home, 4-0-0-0 on the road)…  HOU has won the last three meetings… HOU has scored the first goal in four of the five games… HOU is 4/28 on the PP while OKC is 6/29.

AEROS LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Richard Bachman made 20 saves, Aaron Gagnon registered three assists and Greg Rallo scored the only goal the Texas Stars needed in a 3-0 victory over the Houston Aeros on Tuesday night at the Cedar Park Center. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Aeros, who slipped one point behind the Milwaukee Admirals into second place in the West Division playoff race. The win helped Texas maintain a hold on third place in the West and pulled the Stars within four points of Houston.

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
OKC Barons (Edmonton Oilers)

WILD UPDATE
The Wild is 35-31-8 and is 11th in the NHL’s Western Conference with 78 points. They sit nine points out of a playoff spot with eight games remaining.

AEROS UPCOMING GAMES
March 26 vs. OKC, 7:35 p.m.
March 27 vs. OKC, 4:05 p.m.
March 31 vs. CHI, 7 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 NOTABLES
--- The 5-1 win over SA on March 19 gave the Aeros 40 wins in a season for the 10th time as a franchise.
--- Houston is 31-18-1-1 vs. West Division teams.
--- This weekend’s games mark the fifth home three-in-three in franchise history.
--- Last season’s the Aeros had a home three-in-three from Feb. 12-14 (2X vs. GR, 1X vs. CHI).
--- The first home three-in-three occurred Dec. 7-9, 2001, when the Aeros played Hartford twice and Manitoba once.
--- The Aeros are 6-6 in these games, with two OT wins.
--- This is the first time the Aeros have hosted one team for a three-in-three.
--- Houston’s recent four-game winning streak was the longest since a six-game run from Jan. 26-Feb. 11.
--- Opponents have scored the first goal in nine of the last 11 games.
--- The Aeros have been held without a first period goal in seven straight.
--- The Aeros have had 30 or more shots in 14 of the last 17 games.
--- The Aeros are 23-9-0-3 since Jan. 1.
--- All 41 of Houston’s wins have come when the team allows three or fewer goals.
--- The Aeros have earned 30 of their 41 victories when scoring the first goal of the game.

AEROS GOALIES
Matt Hackett is 4-0-1 in his last five decisions…  Hackett won  a personal season-high four in a row from March 13-20… Josh Tordjman is 3-1-0 in five appearances this season.

AEROS HOT STREAKS
--- Patrick O’Sullivan; Points in 14 of 16 games (9-15-24)... 23 of 29 as an Aero this season (17-21-38)… Points in four straight (4-2-6) until March 22.
--- Jon DiSalvatore; 16-17-33 since Jan. 14 (points in 23 of 30)

AEROS INJURY UPDATE
Jamie Fraser is out with an upper body injury… Matt Kassian is out with a lower body injury… Tyler Cuma is out for the season with a knee injury suffered Feb. 13, 2011 vs. PEO.

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY --- Is 1/26 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 6/17 in the last five 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.

AEROS RECENT ROSTER MOVES
D Nate Prosser was recalled by MIN on March 19… F Joel Broda was reassigned to BAK on March 18… F Chris Lawrence was released from his PTO on March 14… F Scott Campbell was signed to an ATO on March 14… F Casey Wellman was reassigned by MIN on March 10… D Marco Scandella was recalled by MIN on March 9… F Casey Wellman was recalled by MIN on March 9.

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
6 - scan-DELL-uh
14 – deh-SAL-vuh-tohr
20 – ROWH (like now)
22 – ORT-migh-uhr
26 – Max-uhm naw-roh
32 – FRED-haym
42 – KAS-ee-uhn
61 – KOO-muh
62 – DAH-ooh
Yeo – YOH
Sydor – sugh-DOHR
Tretiak – TREE-tee-ack