From:
Ryan StanzelDirector of Communications
Monday, February 28, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Aeros Weekly Report
This week on Aeros.com – Check out
aeros.com for information on this week’s Aeros Happy Hour (Wednesday) and CD Holder giveaway (Friday). Also, Junior Reporter Michael McHugh has a
new feature story on the on- and off-the ice life of veteran defenseman Ray Giroux. Wednesday, check out the latest edition of the
Aeros.com Power Poll.
Coming attractions: WED, vs. SAN, 7:05 p.m.
“Happy Hour”
The Aeros play host to in-state rival San Antonio on Texas Independence Day. It's an Aeros Happy Hour! Get a club level ticket (normally $28) and $10 in Toyota Bucks to be used on concessions for only $30! Or, receive a $20 corner ticket and free parking, plus enjoy drink specials at The Bus II, for only $15. Packages are available via
www.aeros.com/themenights. Username is Happy, password is Hour. This marks the middle game of a three-game set between the Aeros and Rampage, the eighth time in Houston’s four years in the AHL it has played the same opponent three straight times. San Antonio hasn’t been to Toyota Center since a 5-2 Houston win December 23. The Aeros play four of their final 12 true home games versus the Rampage.
THU, at SAN, 7 p.m.The Aeros make a return visit to SBC Center, where they are 2-1-0-0 this season. Houston has won the last two meetings in San Antonio, including a 2-1 shootout decision Sunday.
FRI, vs. HAR, 7:35 p.m.
Third jersey unveiling/CD Holders (3,000)The Aeros will wear their Third Jerseys for the first time, as they’ll skate out for introductions donning the new uniforms. Hartford goalie Jason LaBarbera has shut out the Aeros in three straight games, and he has not allowed a goal to Houston in the last 211 minutes, 55 seconds. LaBarbera is tied with Marc Lamothe and Joey MacDonald for the most shutouts ever against Houston. LaBarbera outdueled Josh Harding in a 1-0 shootout November 1 in Hartford.
‘Rooters update - Aeros defensemen and alternate captains Todd Reirden and Ray Giroux combine to bring a group of underprivileged children out to each and every Aeros game. This week’s groups are Jaycee’s Children’s Center (Wednesday) and House of Tiny Treasures/Ronald McDonald House (Friday).
Nailbiters down the stretch - Eight of the Aeros’ last nine games have been decided by one goal, and they’ve gone 3-2-2-1 in that stretch. Houston had been on the losing end of four straight one-goal games until a 3-2 shootout win in San Antonio on Sunday. Overall, the Aeros are 13-9-5-3 in one-goal games, having picked up a point in 21 of 30 chances.
Bad bad boys - Josh Harding’s fight Wednesday was the first fighting major for an Aeros goalie since Ryan Bach duked it out with San Antonio’s Sergei Zvyagin on March 21, 1998, in a 6-1 Houston win. Jamie McLennan was involved in a pair of skirmishes in the 2002 Calder Cup playoffs, but picked up minor penalties each time. Troy Gamble is the only other Aeros netminder with a fighting major, and that happened in the team’s inaugural 1994-95 season.
Ducks, Rampage solve PK unit - The Aeros’ penalty killers allowed five goals on 17 chances over the weekend (70.6 percent kill rate). Houston, which had been leading the league for the past month, has slipped to fourth at 88.2 percent.
Win it in “real” time - Houston’s overtime woes continued Saturday, when Cincinnati’s Chris Kunitz scored a power-play goal with less than one second left in the extra session. The Aeros dropped to 2-5 in overtime this season after going winless in 18 attempts in 2003-04, when they tied 14 games and lost four more in the extra five minutes. After winning two of their first three OT games this season, the Aeros have lost four straight. Houston is 5-3, meanwhile, in the shootout.
Down on the farm - The CHL’s Austin Ice Bats are 26-22-4 and have taken over first place in the Southeast Division by one point over Corpus Christi...F Dallas Anderson has 17 points (9-8=17) and 325 PIM’s. to rank second in the CHL...The Pensacola Ice Pilots are an ECHL-best 37-13-4...LW Jordan Krestanovich has 46 points (15-31=46)...RW Jason Beckett has 24 points (9-15=24) and is tied for fifth in the league at plus-20...D Ryan Stokes has 15 points (1-14=15) and 111 PIM’s and is a plus-15...ECHL Louisiana is 19-28-6...RW Mark Rooneem has 23 points (15-8=23)...D Maxime Fortunus has 22 points (6-16=22)...G Kyle Kettles is 4-6-1 with a 3.37 gaa and came off injured reserve over the weekend...UHL Quad City is 25-24-9, in fourth place in the West...G Robert Gherson is 12-9-5 with a 2.33 gaa to rank second in the AHL....C Mike Kompon has a team-best 58 points (22-36=58)...Kompon is second among UHL rookies in points and is first in assists and third in goals.
West Standings - The fourth-place Aeros begin the week at 26-21-5-3 for 60 points, six behind third-place Cincinnati but with five games in hand. Grand Rapids sits in fifth, two points behind Houston.
West Division Standings, 2/28Milwaukee 36-17-3-4=79
Chicago 33-19-4-2=72
Cincinnati 31-25-1-3=66
Houston 26-21-5-3=60
Grand Rapids 28-25-1-1=58
San Antonio 23-31-3-5=54
Utah 15-37-0-3=33
Aeros get six of 10 points on road trip
UTA 2, HOU 1 (SO); HOU 3, UTA 0; CIN 3, HOU 2; CIN 4, HOU 3 (OT); HOU 3, SAN 2 (SO)
The Aeros played five road games in seven nights last week and picked up six of a possible 10 points for a .600 winning percentage on the trip.
Monday: Jamie Storr made 35 saves and stopped four of six shootout attempts, and Erik Westrum notched the deciding goal, as the Utah Grizzlies defeated the Houston Aeros 2-1 at The E Center. Fredrik Sjostrom also scored for Utah.
Mike Smith made 29 saves against his former team and Stephane Veilleux forced overtime with a third-period goal for Houston.
Wednesday: Josh Harding made 31 saves and fought opposing goalie Storr, and Ray Giroux finished with a goal and an assist, as the Houston Aeros blanked the Utah Grizzlies 3-0 at The “E” Center. Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Todd Reirden also scored for Houston.
Friday: Tim Brent snapped a tie with 16 seconds left in regulation just 2:28 after Pierre Parenteau knotted the game, as the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks stunned the Houston Aeros 3-2 at Cincinnati Gardens. Frederic Cassivi made 19 saves and Chris Kunitz tallied a power play goal for Cincinnati.
Matt Foy scored both goals and Harding made 34 saves for Houston.
Saturday: Chris Kunitz scored a power play goal with less than one second left in overtime, as the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks outlasted the Houston Aeros 4-3 in a wild game at Cincinnati Gardens. Kurtis Foster scored twice and added an assist and Shane O’Brien chipped in a goal for Cincinnati, which went 3-for-10 on the power play and won its fifth straight.
Bouchard tied the game with a power play goal midway through the third period for Houston, which rallied from three goals down to force overtime for the second time in 15 days.
Sunday: Foy scored his fourth goal in three games, then notched the deciding shootout tally, as the Houston Aeros defeated the San Antonio Rampage 3-2 at SBC Center in the first of three straight meetings between the teams. Harding made 20 saves, plus four-of-five in the shootout, and Rickard Wallin also scored for Houston.
Player of the week RW Matt Foy - Totaled four goals and five points and was plus-five on Aeros’ 2-1-1-1 road trip...Had one assist and was a plus-two in 3-0 win over Utah on Wednesday...Notched second career two-goal game and was plus-two in 3-2 loss to Cincinnati on Friday...Scored a goal in Saturday’s 4-3 OT loss at Cincinnati, and then scored team’s first goal and added a shootout tally in 3-2 shootout win in San Antonio on Sunday...Three-game goal streak and four-game point streak are career-highs...Has 21 points (10-11=21) and is a plus-two in 48 games.
Foy this week...2/21 at UTA 0-0=0, E
2/23 at UTA 0-1=1, +2
2/25 at CIN 2-0=2, +2
2/26 at CIN 1-0=1, +1
2/27 at SAN 1-0=1, +1
Totals - 5gp, 4-1=5, +5 Aeros’ Practice schedule:Monday - Off
Tuesday - 10-11:30, Sugar Land
Wednesday - 10-10:45, pre-game skate, vs. SAN 7:05 p.m.
Thursday - at SAN 7 p.m.
Friday - vs. HAR 7:35 p.m.
Saturday - Off
Sunday - Travel Day
---HOUSTON AEROS, BE A FAN---
