Sat., Feb. 11, 2012
The Houston Aeros (24-13-3-9, 60 pts.) continue an 11-game road trip at Grand Rapids on Saturday at 6 p.m. CST against the Griffins (19-19-4-4, 46 pts.) at Van Andel Arena.
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.
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OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros (24-13-3-9, 60 pts.) continue an 11-game road trip at Grand Rapids on Saturday at 6 p.m. CST against the Griffins (19-19-4-4, 46 pts.) at Van Andel Arena.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
---Houston is on the longest road trip in franchise history (11 games, 1-1-0-0).
---The Aeros will log over 12,000 miles on the current road trip. By comparison, Aeros broadcaster Joe O’Donnell could take four round trips to Geno’s in Philadelphia; six round trips to Caracas, Venezuela; or about 300 round trips between Houston and Sugar Land, Texas.
---Houston’s 60 points are third-best in the Western Conference behind OKC (67) and Charlotte (62).
--- The attendance of 13,390 on Feb. 5 was the largest crowd for the Aeros since moving to Toyota Center in the 2002-03 season. It was the largest Aeros crowd since 13,342 on Jan. 16, 2004.
---The Griffins have alternated wins and losses in the last six games (3-3-0-0).
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Tuesday (Feb. 7) --- at CHI (2-1 L)
Friday (Feb. 10) --- at GR (5-1 W)
Saturday (Feb. 11) --- at GR (6 p.m. CST)
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.
AEROS/GRIFFINS HEAD-TO-HEAD
This is the fourth of four meetings this season… Houston has outscored GR 11-4 in three games… HOU PP is 2/11… GR PP is 1/14… In AHL play, HOU is 32-26-6-3 all time (17-8-4-3 at home, 15-16-2-0 on the road).
RECENT AEROS TRANSACTIONS
---Feb. 9: Jed Ortmeyer reassigned by MIN… Rob Mignardi signed PTO… Harrison Reed released from PTO.
---Feb. 3: Chad Rau reassigned by MIN… Casey Wellman recalled/traded by MIN… Harrison Reed signed PTO
---Feb 1: Chris Clackson, Mike Montgomery, Mike Radja and C.J. Stretch signed PTO
AEROS INJURIES
Jeff Penner has missed the last 10 games… Marco Scandella returned to the lineup on Feb. 7 after missing five games… Mike McKenzie has missed the last seven games.
AEROS MILESTONES
---Jon DiSalvatore’s 20th goal will be 69th as an Aero, placing him first in franchise history (AHL only, 4th AHL/IHL). His 41st game on Jan. 21 at TEX was his 200th as an Aero, placing him 10th all-time in Aeros (AHL) history.
---Jeff Taffe notched his 400th AHL point with an assist on Jon DiSalvatore's goal on Jan. 8 at SA. Taffe had two assists while skating in his 500th AHL game on Jan. 21 at TEX.
---Drew Bagnall played in his 300th AHL game at TEX on Jan. 21.
AEROS PLAYER NOTES
---Jon DiSalvatore has points in eight of the last nine games (2-5=7).
---Cody Almond had his first two-point game of the season on Feb. 10 and first since March 13, 2011 against Manitoba.
---Jeff Taffe scored his third goal in four games on Feb. 10 and his second two-point game in the last four outings. He has points in three of the last four games (3-2=5) and now has 10 two-point games on the season.
---Kris Foucault scored his second goal in the last four games on Feb. 10. Foucault has points in three of the last four games (2-2=4) and now has four two-point games on the season.
---David McIntyre had his second goal in three games on Feb. 4 and has points in three of the last six games (2-2=4).
---Marco Scandella has points in the last four games he has played with the Aeros (1-3=4).
--- Jed Ortmeyer, who was reassigned by Minnesota to Houston Thursday, had the second assist on Foucault's goal and has points in four of the last six games with the Aeros (2-2=4).
---The Aeros have been involved in 77 transactions since Dec. 1 involving 28 different players. Overall the Aeros have been involved in 110 transactions since the start of the season.
---The Aeros were involved in 38 transactions since from Jan. 1-31 involving 18 different players. The team was involved in 33 transactions from Dec. 1-Dec. 31 involving 17 different players. The Dec/Jan. combined transaction totals include 27 different players and 71 transactions.
---A total of 17 different players have been recalled from Houston to Minnesota this season.
TEAM NOTABLES
---Houston has earned at least a point in 19 of the 29 games (10-10-3-6) in which they have allowed the first goal. They are 14-3-0-3 when scoring first.
---Houston played seven of 10 games on the road from Jan. 8-Feb. 2 and notched a 3-3-0-1 record away from home in that time.
---Houston has played 25 games that have been decided by one goal (9-4-3-9).
---The Aeros edged Grand Rapids 3-2 on Jan. 11 for their first shootout victory of the season.
---The Aeros drew 27,048 fans in three games over four days from Feb. 2-5, including a Toyota Center best-ever crowd of 13,390 on Saturday, Feb. 4.
AEROS GOALIES
HACKETT – Is 6-8-4 (2.58 GAA/.904 SV%) at home and 10-2-1 (2.13 GAA/.936 SV%) on the road… Won six-straight road starts from Oct. 28-Dec. 30… 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 39 in a 5-1 W at GR on Feb. 10.
KUEMPER --- Is 1-1-2 at home (2.01 GAA/.934 SV%) and 4-3-2 on the road (2.31 GAA/ .924 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 25/29 in 5-2 L at SA on Jan. 28.
POWER PLAY
Is 1/13 in the last three games… Went 7/38 (18.4%) in games 31-40… Went 5/37 (13.5%) in games 21-30… Went 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.
PENALTY KILL
Opponents are 2/16 on the PP in the last three games… Stopped 28/36 (77.7%) in games 31-40… Stopped 20/27 (74.0%) in games 21-30… Stopped 80/97 (82.4%) in games 1-20.
AEROS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
4 – BAGH-nawl
7 – FRED-haym
8 – MED-vekh
10 – RAHD-juh
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
Torchetti --- TOHR-cheh-TEE
Van Ryn --- VAN-RIGHN
LaPlante --- luh-PLAHNT
