Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Sunday, October 2, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)


AEROS 5, Rampage 2



NORTHWOODS, Texas – Rookie Mark Rooneem tallied two goals and an assist and Erik Westrum added his third tally in two games in a four-goal third period, as the Houston Aeros finished off a perfect pre-season with a 5-2 victory over the San Antonio Rampage at the Ice Center at Northwoods. Rookie Peter Olvecky added a goal and an assist and Bryan Lundbohm scored for the second time in two games for Houston.



The Aeros, who beat the Rampage 4-3 Saturday, open up the American Hockey League regular season Friday at 7:35 p.m. at Toyota Center versus San Antonio, and then return to the Alamo City on Saturday for the Rampage’s home opener.



Jarrod Skalde and Layne Ulmer each scored second-period goals for the Rampage.



Rooneem, who played one game in Houston in 2004-05, scored the first period’s lone goal at 10:15. He caused a turnover low in the right circle and unleashed a quick shot high over Passmore’s glove.



San Antonio scored twice in the second period to take the lead. Skalde got things going for the Rampage at 8:02, taking a pass from Ladislav Kouba on the right wing and skating into the circle. He ripped a quick backhand on Seamus Kotyk (14 saves), who nearly caught the puck. It kicked off his glove and into the net for the equalizer.



The Rampage went up on Ulmer’s power play goal with 4:43 remaining in the second. With Josh Olson in the box for interfering with San Antonio goalie Steve Passmore – one of three minors on the Aeros in a 5:04 span – Ulmer went short side with a backhander from the right circle against Miroslav Kopriva (21 saves), who replaced Kotyk midway through the second and ended up with the victory.



The Aeros scored two power play goals in a span of 55 seconds early in the third period to reclaim the lead.



Westrum, who scored two goals in 21 seconds Saturday, took a cross-ice feed from Kurtis Foster in the right circle, and he powered a shot glove side by Passmore at 3:38.



Rooneem scored on the man advantage just 55 ticks later. Anders Myrvold (two assists) slid a pass from the right circle to Rooneem at the inside edge of the left circle. Rooneem took his time, teed up a shot and fired it by Passmore’s blocker.



Rooneem set up Olvecky at 9:33 to put Houston up by two. He centered a pass from the right wing in transition, and it hit Olvecky’s skate and went up and over Passmore.



Peters finished off a left-to-right pass from Olvecky to end the scoring with 2:06 remaining.



Houston went 2-for-6 on the power play, while San Antonio was 1-for-6.

Wild Assigns O'Sullivan to Houston Aeros

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has assigned C Patrick O’Sullivan to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL), the team’s primary development affiliate.



O’Sullivan skated in two preseason games for the Wild before suffering a shoulder injury. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound native of Winston Salem, N.C. was Minnesota’s second selection (56th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He skated for Mississauga of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2004-05 and tallied 90 points (31-59-90) in 57 games.