From: Patrick Armstrong, Director of Communications
713.361.7920 (Direct Line)
Scott Henninger, Communications Manager
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Monday, January 07, 2008

HOUSTON AEROS WEEKLY UPDATE: JANUARY 7

HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros (19-15-1-2) played four divisional games this past week, including three against Iowa. Houston came out of the week 2-2-0-0 and finished strong Sunday night with a 5-0 win over Iowa. This coming weekend doesn’t ease off the conference play as the Manitoba Moose come to town for games Thursday and Saturday. The Aeros will travel to San Antonio between those games in a Friday night I-10 rival game.

THR vs. MAN, 11:05 a.m., FRI at SAN, 7 p.m., SAT vs. MTB, 7:35 p.m.

Thursday
The Manitoba Moose will visit the Toyota Center for the first time this season in the Aeros annual Chronicle in Education Kids’ Game at 11:05 a.m. this Thursday. The game has curriculum designed to help prepare the kids for the state TAKS and TEKS tests in a fun manner that will also better educate them about the game of hockey. The game isn't just for kids! Take an extended lunch break from work as part of "Hockey Hooky Day"! Get Center Ice/Club seats for just $20 (normally $30) by calling 713.974.PUCK.

The teams first met this season in back-to-back games in early December in which the Aeros won both, a 2-1 shootout-win followed by a 4-3 regulation-win. The wins extended the Aeros win-streak to five games against the Moose. The victories were also was part of Houston’s season-high five-game win-streak. The Aeros are 42-21-10-1 all time against the Moose.

Friday
The Aeros are 4-2-0-0 this season against the San Antonio Rampage (20-11-2-3) but have a record of 1-2-0-0 while visiting AT&T Center. Houston lost the last contest 6-1 in the last meeting on December 29 after winning three straight prior to that game. The Aeros have an all-time record of 42-15-6-3 against the Rampage and a 15-11-4-3 record in San Antonio.

Saturday
The Moose (21-12-2-1) stick around Houston to play Saturday at 7:35 p.m. as they currently hold the second spot in the North Division at 45 points. Saturday is also Canada Night where fans can also enter to win a trip to Calgary to watch Houston’s NHL affiliate Minnesota Wild take on the Calgary Flames. Call the Aeros front office at 713.974.PUCK for tickets or more information.

Practice Schedule
7-Jan-08, Monday, Off
9-Jan-08, Wednesday, SLICE 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
10-Jan-08, Thursday, Game vs. Manitoba, 11:05 a.m.
11-Jan-08, Friday, Game at San Antonio, 7 p.m.
12-Jan-08, Saturday, Game vs. Manitoba, 7:35 p.m.
13-Jan-08, Sunday, Off

Aeros Player of the Week: C Serge Payer

12/31 at Iowa, 1-0=1, reduced Stars’ lead to one goal in third period
1/1 at Peoria, 1-0=1, scored goal in second straight game, his first goal streak of the season.
1/4 vs. Iowa, 0-0=0
1/6 vs. Iowa, 2-2=4, recorded first four-point outing this season for the Aeros.
C Serge Payer had a career-high four-point night against Iowa on Sunday with a pair of goals and a pair of assists in the Aeros 5-0 win. Payer was the first player on the Aeros’ roster to record two goals in a single period and four points in a game. The four-point game also set a career-high for Payer. The two goals in a game and two assists in a game also tied a personal record. The Rockland, Ontario native has 15 points (8-7=15) in 23 games this season. Six of those points came in the four games last week

TEAM NOTES
• The Aeros announced that the Serge Payer Foundation would receive all proceeds from the teams Chuck-a-Puck sales on Sunday. Payer responded with his four-point game, however four anonymous fans donated a total $1,400 ranging from $250-500 after witnessing Payer’s outstanding performance. All of that money will go to the foundation that raises money for research and treatment for Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disease that Payer was diagnosed with at the age of 19.
• G Nolan Schaefer recorded his fourth shutout in his last 15 games for Houston. He currently leads all active goaltenders in the AHL in shutouts. In the past 16 games, Schaefer has a 12-3-0 record with those four shutouts, a 1.90 GAA and .935 save percentage.
• Houston currently stands alone in the fifth spot in the West Division. They are just two points behind Peoria for fourth and four points behind San Antonio for third, however Iowa, Milwaukee and Quad City all are at most three points away from Houston. Only seven points separates third from eighth place in the tightest division in the AHL.
• The Aeros will player their eight of their next nine games at home. They are fourth in the league at killing penalties at home. Houston has a .883 kill percentage at home only trailing Philadelphia (.886), Syracuse (.895) and Manitoba (.921).
• Houston lost their first home game in regulation in 11 games on Friday, January 4 to the Iowa Stars. The Aeros had not lost a regulation game at Toyota Center since October 30th, but they rebounded with a 5-0 drubbing of the Stars on Sunday. Houston is 10-1-0-1 in their last 12 games at Toyota Center.

Affiliation News
The NHL’s Minnesota Wild (23-16-2) currently rank third in the Northwest Division and are tied for sixth in the Western Conference. The Wild went 1-2-0 last week including a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars last Thursday with leading scorer Marian Gaborik tallying three points (2-1=3) in the contest. Minnesota will play tonight in Dallas, Thursday in Detroit and Friday in Chicago before returning back to Xcel Energy Center to host Phoenix on Sunday.

The ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters’s head coach Malcom Cameron was named the coach for the American Conference All-Star Team last week. Cameron has coached his team to a league-high 57 points with a record of 26-2-1-4. Last weekend the ‘Catters defeated Charlotte in back to back games, 4-2 Friday night and 4-1 Saturday. Texas hosts the South Carolina Stingrays in a three game set Friday through Sunday this week.

LAST WEEK
12/31 - HOU 4 at IOW 5 – L
1/1 - HOU 3 at PEO 2 – OTW
1/4 - HOU 1 vs. IOW – L
1/6 - HOU 5 vs. IOW 0 – W

Monday, December 31: The Houston Aeros fell 5-4 to the Iowa Stars during their New Years Eve dual in front of 3,308 fans at Wells Fargo Arena, Monday night. The Aeros (17-14-1-2) lost their first game of the season when scoring three or more goals. The Stars (17-17-1-1) move into a three-way tie for sixth in the West Division and within one point of Houston with the win.

Tuesday, January 1: Nolan Schaefer stopped 30 of 32 shots in net for the Houston Aeros as they defeated the Peoria Rivermen 3-2 in overtime Tuesday night in their first game of 2008. It marked the final game of a four-game road trip for Houston (18-14-1-2) as they split the trip going 2-2-0. Peoria (15-11-4-3) is now tied with Quad City for sixth place in the West Division with 37 points.

Friday, January 4: The Iowa Stars scored first and scored the final two to defeat the Houston Aeros 3-1 in front of 5,123 fans at Toyota Center Friday night. The Stars’ (18-17-1-1) win moves them within one point of tying the Aeros (18-15-1-2) in the tightest division in the American Hockey League.

Sunday, January 6: Aeros’ center Serge Payer had a career-high four points as goaltender Nolan Schaefer shutout the Iowa Stars 5-0 in front of 5,459 fans at Toyota Center Sunday night. Houston’s (19-15-1-2) win marks the first home-victory over the Stars (18-18-2-1) since February 23, 2006.

The Aeros are hosting the Chronicle in Education Kids Game this coming Thursday in an 11:05 a.m. matinee. Companies with interest in donating to help students from Title One call (713) 974-PUCK for details and tickets. ---HOUSTON AEROS---