Fri., Jan. 6, 2012

The Houston Aeros (18-7-2-7, 45 pts.) close a stretch of nine-out-of-11 games at home before setting off on a four-game road swing as they host the Rockford IceHogs (11-18-1-3, 26 pts.) at Toyota Center on Friday at 7:35 p.m.

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen via Smartphone: Download the TuneIn Radio app; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

►Follow us on Facebook
►Buy Tickets Online
►Listen: Audio Highlights & Exclusive Interviews

---

OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros (18-7-2-7, 45 pts.) close a stretch of nine-out-of-11 games at home before setting off on a four-game road swing as they host the Rockford IceHogs (11-18-1-3, 26 pts.) at Toyota Center on Friday at 7:35 p.m. The Aeros are coming off a 6-0 loss to the OKC Barons on Sunday, a loss which snapped a two-game winning streak. Houston, which is 7-5-0-5 at home this season, trails the first place Barons by five points in the West Division. Rockford is winless in five games (0-4-0-1) and is 2-5-0-3 in its last 10. They last played on New Year’s Eve and fell to Peoria by a 3-2 count. The Hogs sit 10 points behind the fourth place Chicago Wolves in the Midwest Division.
 
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday (Jan. 6) --- Rockford (7:35 p.m.)
Sunday (Jan. 8) --- at San Antonio (3:30 p.m.)

AEROS BROADCASTS
Radio: 1070 KNTH-AM
Listen online: www.aeros.com
Watch online: www.ahllive.com
Listen on Smartphone including BlackBerry: Download the TuneIn Radio App; search Houston, then KNTH.

LIVE SCORING AND STATS
The AHL provides live scoring and stats via the GameCenter tab at www.theahl.com.

GOING TO AEROS HOME GAMES
On-street, garage and surface parking surround Toyota Center… The Box Office and Will Call windows are located on La Branch Street… Due to recent road construction surrounding Toyota Center, the Aeros encourage all guests to allow extra time for parking or visiting the box office.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Aeros fans can get four tickets, four Aeros gifts and parking for any Sunday game with prices starting as low as $52… Get to the game early on Jan. 6 for the chance to win a Free Texas Lottery Scratch-Off Ticket (Fans 18 and over only)! Who knows, it could be your lucky day... On Jan. 20 the first 1500 kids (14 and under) get Aeros jerseys courtesy Sports 790 radio and Belknap Plumbing/Belknap Concrete!

AEROS/HOGS HEAD-TO-HEAD
This is the first of four meetings this season… The teams next play March 16 at HOU and at RFD on March 23 and 24…  Last season the Aeros went 5-3-0-0 against the Hogs (2-2-0-0 at home, 3-2-0-0 on the road)…  Houston is 13-11-2-2 all-time against the Hogs (6-6-1-1 at home, 7-5-2-0 on the road).

WATCH FOR THIS
---This is the second game of a seven-game road trip for the Hogs.
---The Aeros are 4-0-0-2 against Midwest Division teams this season.
---Rockford’s Brett McLean played 78 games for the Aeros in 2001-02.

RECENT AEROS TRANSACTIONS
---Jan. 5: F Harrison Reed released from PTO
---Jan. 5: D Nate Prosser reassigned by MIN
---Jan. 3: F Matt Kassian reassigned by MIN
---Dec. 29: F Jed Ortmeyer recalled by MIN
---Dec. 29: F Jon DiSalvatore reassigned by MIN
---Dec. 29: F Matt Kassian recalled by MIN
---Dec. 27: F Jon DiSalvatore recalled by MIN

AEROS INJURIES
None reported

AEROS MILESTONES
---Jon DiSalvatore’s 22nd goal will be 200th career goal… 18th goal will be 69th as an Aero, placing him first in franchise history (AHL only, 4th AHL/IHL).
---Jeff Taffe’s 12th goal will be his 200th as a pro… 33rd goal will be his 200th in the AHL… 37th game will be his 500th in the AHL… 61st game will be his 700th as a pro.
---Drew Bagnall’s 37th game this season will be his 300th in the AHL.

AEROS PLAYER NOTES
---Chad Rau had a five-game point streak snapped on Sunday (3-3=6).
---Jeff Taffe had the game-winner in two straight games (Dec 26, 30). Taffe had a five-game points streak (2-4=6) snapped Sunday. Taffe’s OT goal on Dec. 26 was his first since Nov. 18 at Texas.
---Cody Almond has goals in three of the last five games (3-0=3).
---Jon DiSalvatore made his Wild debut on Dec. 28 and skated 14:27 with two shots, two PIM and one hit. It was his first NHL game since March 7, 2006, and the sixth of his career.
---Jon DiSalvatore, David McIntyre and Jed Ortmeyer have registered at least one shot in all but four games this season…  Jeff Taffe has a shot in all but three games.
---Drew Bagnall is on pace to surpass his career-high for points in a season (12).
---Jarod Palmer scored his first NHL goal on Dec. 29 as the Wild beat EDM 4-3.
---Matt Kassian, Nate Prosser and Jarod Palmer each earned three Star nods in a Wild 4-3 win over EDM on Dec. 29.

TEAM NOTABLES
---Houston has earned at least a point in 14 of the 18 games (6-4-2-6) in which they have allowed the first goal. They are 12-3-0-1 when scoring first.
---Houston made 33 transactions from Dec. 1-Dec. 31 involving 17 separate players.
---The Aeros play nine of 11 games at home from Dec. 8-Jan. 6. After that, they play seven of 10 on the road from Jan. 8-Feb. 2.
---The Aeros are 13-0-0-2 when leading at the end of two periods.
---Houston has played 15 games that have decided by one goal (5-1-2-7).
---The Aeros broke the 100,000 mark in attendance this season with the 4,608 who attended the game on Dec. 18.

AEROS GOALIES
HACKETT – Is 4-5-2 (2.58 GAA/.902 SV%) at home and 8-0-1 (1.88 GAA/.942 SV%) on the road… Has won six-straight road starts… Made his NHL debut on Dec. 6 and made 34 saves in a 2-1 win at SJ after entering the game early in the first period to relieve an injured Josh Harding… Last Game: Stopped 38 of 40 in a 5-2 W at SA on Dec. 30.

KUEMPER --- Is 1-1-2 at home (2.01 GAA/.934 SV%) and 2-1-1 on the road (2.46 GAA/ .916 SV%)… Led the ECHL in both GAA (1.74) and save percentage (.941) at the time of his recall on Nov. 29 and posted a 7-1-0 record with the Ontario Reign… Recorded his first pro shutout with 1-0 win on Dec. 9 vs. SAN (33 saves)… Last Game: Stopped 23/29 in a 6-0 loss to OKC on Jan. 1.

POWER PLAY
Is 3/14 in the last three games… Went 5/37 (13.5%) in games 21-30 after going 20/106 (18/9%) in games 1-20… Set a season-high going 3/5 in a 4-2 win at SAN on Oct. 28… Casey Wellman leads the team with 7 PPG.

PENALTY KILL
Opponents are 5/18 in the last three games… PK stopped 20/27 (74.0%) in games 21-30 after stopping 80/97 (82.4%) in games 1-20… Allowed goals in five straight before holding TOR 0/6 on Nov. 6.

AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
4 – BAGH-nawl
7 – FRED-haym
8 – MED-vekh
14 – deh-SAL-vuh-tohr
20 – ROWH (like now)
22 – TAYF
26 – MACK-in-tyre
27 – mick-MILL-uhn
35 – KEM-per
39 – GEHN-oh-way
41 - ORT-migh-er
42 – KASS-ee-uhn
61 – KOOH-muh