HOUSTON, Texas – Marcel Goc tallied two goals and an assist and Dmitri Patzold stopped 34 shots, as the Cleveland Barons beat the Houston Aeros 5-2 at Toyota Center. Patrick Rissmiller, Scott Dobben and Aaron Gill also scored for Cleveland (1-1-1-1), which picked up its first win.



Kyle Wanvig scored a shorthanded goal, Brent Burns scored on the power play and Mike Smith turned aside 8-of-12 shots before being replaced by Josh Harding for Houston (1-2-1-0). The teams meet again Saturday at 7:35 p.m. at Toyota Center on Mini Hockey Stick Night.



Dobben got things started 8:56 in, less than two minutes after an Aeros power play. Dobben snuck behind the defense and took a feed from Matt Carkner and roofed it over Smith from the left circle for his second of the season.



Goc made it 2-0 with an unassisted shorthanded tally with 5:30 remaining in the opening period. Goc kicked a loose puck at his own blueline ahead to himself, and he ripped one from the left circle that went under Smith’s pads for his fourth tally.



Patzold stopped Pierre-Marc Bouchard on a breakaway with 20 seconds left in the first to keep Houston off the board.



The Barons wasted no time in the second, taking 1:18 to build a three-goal lead. Christian Ehrhoff’s centering pass from the left point was deflected to a wide open Gill at the center point. Gill took his time, wound up and fired one that deflected off an Aero in front and into the net.



Wanvig quickly got the Aeros within 3-1 with a shorthanded goal 3:24 later. Smith sent a clearing pass along the boards that Mark Cullen redirected to Wanvig, who was able to beat his man one-on-one down the left side. The winger slid the puck under Patzold as he fell to the ice for his first goal of the season.



Less than three minutes later, Wanvig took exception to a Tim Conboy hit in front of Patzold, and the two quickly fell to the ice with the gloves off.



The momentum appeared to be changing, and Cleveland had lost multi-goal leads in two of its first three games. But Rissmiller’s power play goal, with 8:17 left in the second, ended Smith’s night after 12 shots. Rissmiller took a feed from Goc in the lower right circle and snapped one under Smith’s pads for his first goal.



Goc’s second of the game, on the power play, made it 5-1 only 1:25 into the third, as he snuck one between Harding’s pads for his fifth of the season. Goc has team bests of five goals and seven points.



The Aeros finished the scoring on Burns’ power play goal with 3:07 left. Reigning Hobey Baker winner Junior Lessard fed Burns from the right circle for his first pro point.



Houston went 1-for-6 on the power play, while Cleveland finished 2-for-6. The Aeros lost despite outshooting Cleveland 36-25.



Notes:

The Aeros became the last AHL team to yield a third-period goal when Goc scored his second goal.

Houston’s Christoph Brandner played in his 400th pro game.

Smith allowed as many goals in this game as he had in his first three Toyota Center starts combined.

The Aeros have allowed four power play goals in their last two games after yielding none in their first two contests. Last season, Houston didn’t allow back-to-back games with more than one power play goal.

Smith notched his second career assist. His other came with Utah November 28, 2003 at Cincinnati. Smith scored a goal in the ECHL.

Cullen assisted on both goals and has points in each of his first three games.