MAY 22, 2011
HOUSTON AEROS (2nd seed, West Division)
vs. HAMILTON BULLDOGS (1st seed, North Division)
BEST-OF-7 (HOU LEADS 3-2)
TOYOTA CENTER (4:05 p.m. CST)

OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros and Hamilton Bulldogs clash in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Toyota Center. The series is a best-of-seven series with a 2-3-2 format in which the Aeros have home ice advantage. The Aeros won the first three games of the series but the Bulldogs battled back to win Games 4 and 5.

HOW THEY GOT HERE
Houston swept the Peoria Rivermen 4-0 in the first round and edged Milwaukee in seven games in the second round. Hamilton edged OKC 4-2 in round one and then defeated Manitoba in seven games in round two. Both teams won their respective Game 7’s in round two to reach the Conference Finals. For the Aeros, Casey Wellman’s deciding goal came with 1:21 left in regulation. Dustin Boyd scored for Hamilton six seconds into the third OT.

DID YOU KNOW?
--- This is the fourth time the Aeros have faced a Canadian team in the playoffs. Houston defeated Hamilton in the 2003 Calder Cup Finals. The other two series were against Manitoba.

AEROS PLAYOFF NOTABLES
--- The Aeros are 5-1 when scoring first.
--- When leading after 20 minutes, Houston is 3-0. They are 6-0 when leading after two periods.
--- Houston has outshot their opponents in 11 of 16 playoff games. They are 7-4 when doing so.
--- Opponents have scored first 10 times, but the Aeros have won six of those games.
--- The Aeros are 7-1 in games decided by one goal.
--- The Aeros are 11-9 all-time in Calder Cup Playoff games in which they can eliminate an opponent…This playoff season, the Aeros are 2-3 when they can oust an opponent
--- HAM’S 8-1 win in Game 4 was the largest margin of defeat in a playoff game for the Aeros since May 11, 2009, in a 7-0 loss at MIL.
--- Houston joined the Maine Mariners (5-0) as the only franchises in AHL history to win five Game 7’s in their history without a loss, and the Aeros became the first team ever with five Game 7 road victories to its credit.
--- Games 4, 5 and 6 versus MIL went to overtime, which set an Aeros playoff record for consecutive playoff overtime games.
--- Game 5 versus MIL was the 14th-longest overtime game in Aeros history.

AEROS PLAYER NOTABLES
--- Jared Spurgeon has assists in five of the last six games.
--- In Game 2 vs. HAM, Matt Kassian made his first appearance in the lineup since Game 4 of the opening round series versus Peoria.
--- Jon DiSalvatore, Robbie Earl and Colton Gillies each have registered two-goal games. No Aeros player has ever recorded a hat trick in the postseason.
--- Jed Ortmeyer has a pair of goals in this series and three overall. His goal in Game 1 versus HAM was the game-winner.

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens)

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS SCHEDULE
Western Conference Finals – Series “N” (best-of-7)
Game 1 – Fri., May 13 – Hamilton 1 at Houston 2
Game 2 – Sun., May 15 – Hamilton 2 at Houston 3
Game 3 – Tue., May 17 – Houston 3 at Hamilton 2
Game 4 – Wed., May 18 – Houston 1 at Hamilton 8
*Game 5 – Fri., May 20 – Houston 2 at Hamilton 2
*Game 6 – Sun., May 22 – Hamilton at Houston, 4:05 PM
*Game 7 – Tue., May 24 – Hamilton at Houston, 7:05 PM
--- ALL TIMES CST

PLAYOFF HISTORY VERSUS HAMILTON
Houston meets Hamilton for a berth in the 2011 Calder Cup Finals, the teams’ first postseason collision since the Aeros won a seven-game Calder Cup Finals series in 2003. The Aeros are in the conference finals for the second time in three seasons and fourth time since joining the AHL. The Bulldogs are making their second straight appearance and fifth in the last 10 years.

AEROS GOALIES
--- Matt Hackett went 4-0 in the first round versus PEO with a 1.68 GAA and .932 SV%.
--- Hackett was 4-3 versus MIL in the second round with a 2.66 GAA and .881 SV%.
--- On the road, Hackett is 5-4 on the road with a 2.94 GAA and .884 SV%.
--- At home, Hackett is 6-1 with a 2.03 GAA and .918 SV%.
--- Hackett’s 38-save effort in Game 1 versus HAM included 20 stops in the third period alone. The 21 shots he faced were one short of a franchise playoff record for shots allowed in a period.
--- Hackett’s 21-save shutout in Game 2 versus MIL as his first as a pro in the postseason and Houston’s first since May 7, 2009, when the Aeros blanked the Admirals 2-0 at Toyota Center in Game 4 of the West Division Finals. It was their 14th shutout overall.
--- Hackett went 1-0-0 against the Bulldogs with a 0.69 GAA and .973 SV% in two appearances during the regular season.
--- Josh Tordjman was 4-1-0 in six overall appearances during the regular season.

LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Ryan Russell’s shorthanded goal in the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Hamilton Bulldogs edged the Houston Aeros 4-2 in Game 5 of the American Hockey League’s Western Conference Finals on Friday at Copps Coliseum. The Hamilton victory cut Houston’s series lead to 3-2 and forced the series to return to Houston. Game 6 is set for Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at Toyota Center.

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY --- Is 5/22 versus HAM… Went 6/32 versus MIL in round 2… Went 3/24 versus PEO in the opening round… Ranked 6th (20.2%) in the regular season… Jon DiSalvatore led the team with 14 PPG… Finished the season with goals in six-straight to set a season-high streak (18/45)…Also had goals in six-straight from Feb. 22-Mar. 4…  Had multiple PPG in 16 games and was 12-2-0-2 in those games.

PENALTY KILL --- HAM is 3/19… MIL went 4/30 in round 2… The Ads scored a SHG in Game 5… PEO went 3/12 on the PP in the first round… Ranked 22nd (81.0%) in the regular season… Carson McMillan led the team with three SHG… Opponents were 16/46 on the PP in the final eight games of the season… Allowed at least a goal in a season-high seven straight (Mar. 22 – Apr. 2)… Held opponents to one or no PPG in 15 straight games until TOR went 2-for-5 on Jan. 23.

REGULAR SEASON SERIES NOTES
--- The teams met twice in a one week span in December and split the games (Dec. 14 at HAM, 3-1 HOU win; Dec. 21 at HOU, 5-0 HAM win).
--- HOU went 0/7 on the PP while HAM went 1/7. HAM scored a pair of SHG on Dec. 21.
--- Matt Hackett earned the win on Dec. 14 and entered the game on Dec. 21 in a relief role.
--- Curtis Sanford appeared in both games in goal for HAM. He is out with a shoulder injury and has not played since Feb. 26.

AEROS 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 online at www.ahllive.com.

AEROS REGULAR SEASON NOTES
The Aeros finished the regular season with a 46-28-1-5 (98 pts.) record for the No. 2 spot in the West Division. The Aeros had the most wins in both the division and the Western Conference. Only two other teams finished with more wins (WBS – 58, Portland -47). Milwaukee won the West Division title for the fourth time in eight years and topped 100 points for the fifth time since 2003-04. They finished with a 44-22-6-8 record.

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
6 - scan-DELL-uh
8 – LOFF-kwist
10 – FOO-coh
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

AEROS PLAYER NOTES
4 Jamie Fraser --- Has not played
5 Jeff Penner --- Had three assists in the first round… DNP vs. MIL
6 Marco Scandella --- 1-1-2 in 7 games vs. MIL
7 Casey Wellman --- Scored series clinching goal versus MIL
8 Sam Lofquist --- Has not played
10 Kris Foucault --- Has not played
11 Brett Bulmer --- Made pro debut in GM 1 vs. MIL
12 Cody Almond --- Has 5 assists in 11 games…4 of 5 assists at home
14 Jon DiSalvatore --- Had two goals on GM 3 at HAM incl. GWG
15 Nate Prosser --- 1 assist in 11 games
16 Patrick O'Sullivan --- Has a point in all but three playoff games…Set franchise record w/ 12 shots in GM 5 vs. MIL
17 Robbie Earl --- Scored 2X incl. GWG in GM 5 vs. MIL… Had 3 assists in GM 3 vs. MIL
18 Colton Gillies --- Had GWG in GM 2 vs. HAM… Leads team w/ 7 goals
19 Jarod Palmer --- 3-2-5 in 11 games… Assisted on OT GWG in GM 4 vs. MIL
20 Chad Rau --- 3-3-6 in 11 games… GTG in GM 5 vs. MIL
21 Colton Jobke --- Has not played
22 Jed Ortmeyer --- Scored GWG in GM 1 versus HAM
24 Scott Campbell --- Has not played
25 Warren Peters --- 3-3-6 in 11 games… ENG in GM 7 vs. MIL
26 Maxim Noreau --- 0-2-2 in GM 4 vs. MIL and assisted on OT GWG
27 Carson McMillan --- Had OT GWG’s in GM 2 vs. PEO and GM 4 vs. MIL… Only Aero to have multiple OT GWG in postseason.
28 Jared Spurgeon --- Assists In five-straight… 0-2-2 vs. HAM in GM 2…1-1 -2 vs. MIL in GM 3
29 Drew Bagnall --- 1-1-2 in 11 games… GTG in GM 4 vs. PEO
31 Matt Hackett --- Has started every playoff game
32 Kris Fredheim --- Has not played
37 Pascal Morency --- Has not played
39 Brandon Buck --- Has not played
41 Josh Tordjman --- Made relief appearance in Game 4 at HAM
42 Matt Kassian --- Was plus-2 in RND 1 vs. PEO
44 Justin Falk --- 0-1-1 in GM 1 vs. PEO
56 Joel Broda--- Has not played
61 Tyler Cuma --- Injured
62 JM Daoust --- Scored a goal in first playoff appearance in GM 5 at HAM

ROAD GAME WATCH PARTIES
Watch every Aeros playoff road game at the Maple Leaf Pub and at Nick’s Place, the official Aeros watch party headquarters. Join other fans to cheer on the team and enjoy drink specials and Aeros prizes.

AEROS SEASON TICKETS
Aeros season ticket holders can renew their seats by calling 713-974-7825 for first priority for the 2011-12 season.

STUFF TO DO IN HOUSTON?
Aeros hockey is an awesome night out in Houston! It’s major league fun with affordable family prices. Get ticket packages with parking included, or bring out your office or youth sports team for a great group event. Call 713-974-7825 to save money off box office prices and take advantage of the best Aeros ticket packages.