From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Saturday, December 2, 2006
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

Knights 4, Aeros 0
Official Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – Curtis McElhinney made 27 saves and Brandon Prust, Carsen Germyn and Richie Regehr each scored a goal in the third period, as the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights earned their second straight shutout of the Houston Aeros, 4-0 at Omaha Civic Auditorium. David Van der Gulik added a shorthanded goal late in the first period for Omaha, which has won two in a row after going winless in four straight.

Josh Harding made 30 stops for Houston (10-12-0-1), which fell 3-0 at Omaha on November 18. The Aeros, now winless in their last five trips to Omaha, are in Peoria on Sunday at 4 p.m.

The Aeros, who were blanked on just 14 shots by Brent Krahn in their aforementioned visit to Omaha, got 12 alone in the first period tonight but just 15 after.

Van der Gulik gave McElhinney all the support he would need, with 1:50 left in the first period. With teammate Andrei Taratukhin in the penalty box, Van der Gulik got an unassisted goal by Harding for his fifth goal of the season.

The Aeros had three power plays in all in the opening period, but couldn’t solve McElhinney. Houston got just two short man advantages after that – while Omaha had nine.

Harding kept Houston in the game in the second period, with Omaha holding a 14-7 shot advantage, including 10-2 at one point with the help of five straight power plays. Neither team could crack the scoreboard.

Prust, who earlier in the game tangled with Aeros rookie defenseman Chris Ovington, added his fourth of the season 3:03 into the third to give Omaha a 2-0 advantage.

Germyn, who assisted on Prust’s tally, extended the lead to three goals at the midway point of the third. Regehr added his sixth tally late on an Omaha power play for a 4-0 lead with 6:25 left.

Houston went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Omaha finished 1-for-9.

Notes:

Not dressing for the Aeros were Steve Shields, Dieter Kochan, Erik Reitz and Ryan Hamilton.

Houston is 0-3-1-1 in its last five trips to Omaha after winning the first two games there – both in a shootout.

Harding fell to 5-1-0 in his career against the Knights.