From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Friday, March 16, 2007
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

Marlies 4, Aeros 3
Official Box Score

TORONTO, Ont. – Jaime Sifers, John Mitchell, Tyson Nash and Chris Harrington scored a goal apiece, as the Toronto Marlies knocked off the Houston Aeros 4-3 at Ricoh Coliseum. Justin Pogge made 20 saves and Aleksander Suglobov had three assists for Toronto (25-34-2-4), which is an AHL-worst 11-20-2-1 at home.

Benoit Pouliot tallied a goal and an assist, Aaron Voros and Danny Irmen each added a goal and Dieter Kochan made 28 saves for Houston (22-33-3-6), which is 0-10-2-1 in its last 13 road games. The Aeros play game two of a five-game road trip Saturday in Syracuse.

Toronto got an early power play after a penalty to Pouliot, and Sifers capitalized with his sixth goal, 5:52 into the game. Sifers collected an errant Aeros clear at the right blueline, skated deep into the circle and snapped a bad angle shot by Kochan.

Mitchell was credited with his 11th goal – a deflection in front – at the 12:04 mark of the first for a 2-0 advantage.

Voros cut the deficit in half with 5:21 left in the first, taking a pass from Ryan Hamilton – who was behind the net – and depositing it past Pogge for his first with the Aeros and 10th of the season.

Irmen got Houston even with 2:41 remaining in the opening period. Joel Ward stole the puck at the neutral zone and sprung Bryan Lundbohm up the right side on a 2-on-1. Lundbohm hit a cutting Irmen for a breakaway, and Irmen flipped a backhand by Pogge for his 16th goal of the season.

The Aeros haven’t led after one in any of their past nine games, having allowed the game’s first goal seven times. Houston has been outscored 8-3 in the first period of its last seven games. The Aeros did, however, score two goals in the opening 20 minutes for the first time in 10 games since February 17 against Chicago.

Nash’s 14th goal got Toronto back on top 3-2 with 8:47 gone in the second. Nash swatted a rebound out of mid air and by Kochan.

Harrington’s power play goal – his fourth tally of the season – pushed Toronto’s lead back to two goals with 7:10 left in the second. Harrington’s long shot from the left point eluded Kochan.

The Aeros stormed back again, as Pouliot scored for the first time in 14 games, a power play goal, with 5:45 remaining in the second period to get Houston within 4-3. Pouliot took a pass from Matt Foy in the high slot and snuck the puck just inside the left post for his 18th goal of the season.

The Aeros received a power play 7:17 into the third, setting up a chance to get even, but Houston’s Shawn Belle picked up a holding the stick minor 24 seconds in to make it 4-on-4.

Midway through the final period, Irmen hit a cutting Ward, whose shot from the right circle was kicked out by a sliding Pogge.

The Aeros appeared set for another power play with 7:44 left after Jeremy Williams whipped Ryan Stokes with a high stick. But Stokes retaliated, picking up a roughing minor to negate the power play.

Houston pulled Kochan for the extra attacker with a minute remaining, and got a faceoff in front of Pogge with 40 ticks left. But the Aeros didn’t get a clear look at the goal.

The Aeros have not held a scoring advantage in the third period in 14 of their last 17 games.

Houston finished 1-for-3 on the power play, while Toronto went 2-for-7.

Notes:

Not dressing for the Aeros were Curtis Murphy, Josh Olson and Joey Tetarenko. Murphy missed his first game ever as an Aero – 348 games counting the regular- and post-seasons. He had played in 282 straight regular-season games overall since missing the 2003-04 season opener to attend Dan Snyder’s funeral. Murphy had missed just one of his prior 521 games.

Pouliot didn’t have a point in the last nine games and hadn’t scored a goal since February 2 in Milwaukee. It marked his second goal in 20 contests.

Houston is 9-13-3-6 in one-goal games, but just 3-10-3-2 in its last 18 such games. The Aeros have only two non shootout one-goal wins, the last coming 3-2 at Iowa 11/9. Toronto improved to 17-7-2-4 in one-goal games.

The Aeros are 1-10-2-1 in their last 14 March games dating back to last season.

The Aeros fell to 4-18-2-2 this season in games in which goalie Josh Harding doesn’t play. Harding remains on recall to NHL Minnesota.

Irmen’s goal was his second in the last 17 games.

Aeros rookie defenseman Chris Ovington played his first AHL game since January 19 in place of Murphy.