From: Patrick Armstrong, Director of Communications
713.361.7920 (Direct Line)
Scott Henninger, Communications Manager
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Monday, March 3, 2008

HOUSTON AEROS WEEKLY UPDATE: MARCH 3

HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros (31-22-2-3) are currently tied for sixth in the West Division and begin a nine-game home stretch this week with games on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Friday's contest will also be televised on FSN-Houston with Jason Shaver and Cam Stewart calling the action. The month has a total of 11 home games and three road contests. The Aeros recently announced Spring Break and Spring Fling ticket packages and will also be having many promotions throughout the month including the Hanson Brothers on March 15, Miss Aero contest on March 20, Mullet Hats on March 28 and much, much more.

LAST WEEK
2/27 - HOU 1 at LEM 0 – W

Wednesday, February 27: The Houston Aeros finished a perfect 4-for-4 road trip after shutting out the Lake Erie Montsers 1-0 in Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday. The Aeros recorded their third set of back-to-back shutouts this season. Houston goaltender Barry Brust earned his second shutout of the season, in back-to-back nights, stopping all 31 shots faced. Monsters’ G Jason Bacashihua blocked 29 of 30 shots on net in the loss. RW Joel Ward recorded the game’s only goal, earning his third game-winning goal of the season.

THIS WEEK
TUE. vs. PRO, 7:05 p.m. CST
FRI. vs. HFD, 7:35 p.m. CST
SUN. vs. ROC, 4:05 p.m. CST

Tuesday
The Aeros will play host to the Providence Bruins in the second of two meetings this season. The Bruins won the first meeting 4-1 on December 16. The game is a Maple Leaf Happy Hour game. Get a center ice seat, $10 in Toyota Bucks, free parking and a Maple Leaf Pub drink coupon for just $32. The package is also available in the lower end zone for $23. Call 713.974.PUCK to order your package now.

Friday
Houston will take on Hartford Friday night at 7:35 p.m., also a second of two meetings this season. The game will also be televised live on FSN-Houston. The Aeros won the first contest 6-1 in which the club recorded three power-play goals. The first 3,000 fans entering Toyota Center will receive puck #3 in the three-part series commemorating Houston arenas. Don’t forget, Spring Break and Spring Fling ticket packages are on sale now! Call 713.974.PUCK for more details or visit AEROS.com.

Sunday
The Rochester Americans come to visit Sunday at 4:05 p.m. The contest caps the two games this season against the Americans who the Aeros shut out 4-0 only two weeks prior. Sunday is also an Aeros Family Day. Get four tickets, four Aeros gifts, $20 in Toyota Bucks and free parking, all starting at just $67. Call 713.974.PUCK to order. The Aeros are also hosting a Dance Clinic and Sports Career Fair prior to Sunday's game.

Aeros Player of the Month: G Barry Brust

Finished the month of February with a 7-1-1 record, 1.62 GAA and .944 save pct…Finished the month with two consecutive shutouts stopping all 55 shots against the Lake Erie Monsters and Rochester Americans…Strung together two winning streaks, a three game streak vs. QCY, at RFD and at PEO in which he allowed just one goal in each of the three games…Currently riding a four-game winning streak in which he recorded his first shutout, overtime win and shootout win…Has stopped 114 of 119 shots in the last four wins for a .958 save pct…Currently hold a shutout streak of 143:26 and hasn’t allowed a goal in seven-plus periods…His first three wins in the current winning streak came in three straight nights in three different cities…Brust has moved into the top 10 among goaltenders for GAA ranking 10th in the league with a 2.33 GAA…he is 13-10-3 on the season, but before February his record stood at 6-9-2.

Day    Opponent          Min       SA   GA    SV    W/L     AVG     SV%
2/1    vs. Quad City     65:00    32    3      29    SOL     2.77     .906
2/2    vs. Quad City     60:00    31    1      30    W        1.00     .968
2/5    at Rockford       59:53     25    1      24    W        1.00     .960
2/12    at Peoria         58:02     28    1      27    W        1.03     .964
2/13    at Chicago       27:41     17    3      14    L         6.50     .824
2/22    at Syracuse     65:00     36    4      32    W        3.69     .889
2/23    at Hamilton      62:26     28    1      27    W        0.96     .964
2/24    at Rochester    60:00     24    0      24    W                   1.000
2/27    at Lake Erie     59:55     31    0      31    W                   1.000
Totals                     517:57  252  14   238  (7-1-1) 1.62    .944

TEAM NOTES

 

• The Aeros have won four straight games, all on the road to move into a logjam in the West Division.  Houston and Worcester are tied for the fewest games played in the league (58). Houston trails the Milwaukee Admirals for fifth place in the West by two points however the Aeros have played four fewer games than Milwaukee. Peoria, fourth place in the West Division, has played three more games than Houston and is three points ahead. Houston has a better winning percentage (.578) than both Peoria (.574) and Milwaukee (.556).
• G Barry Brust has been the Aeros netminder in the four-game winning streak and he has only given up one goal in the last three games.  Brust stopped all 55 shots in the last two games for two consecutive shutouts against Rochester and Lake Erie .  The Aeros’ goaltender went 7-1-1 in the month of February with a 1.62 GAA and .944 save percentage.
• The Aeros second ranked penalty kill unit is one of the main reasons the team has been winning.  Houston has not allowed a power-play goal in six straight games going 35-35 in that time and they have killed 38 straight penalties. The last time the Aeros went six straight games without giving up a power play goal was last season from 11/10-11/21 in which they killed 30 penalties in six games. Overall, the Aeros have killed 275 of 317 penalties this season for a .868 percentage. Only the Toronto Marlies have a better kill rate (.876).
• The Aeros finished with the best February road-record in team history. The team had 16 points in 10 road games (8-2-0-0) which is better than the 2001-02 season in which they had 11 points in nine games.
• Houston has a record of 7-5-0-2 against teams they only play two game sets with this season. Houston will play Providence, Hartford and Rochester this week in the second and final game of each of those series. Houston is 2-1-0 against the three teams they play this week, their only loss coming against Providence.

Affiliation News
The Minnesota Wild (37-24-5) tops the Northwest Division with 79 points. Calgary is only two points behind with 77. Vancouver and Colorado trail by five points and currently hold the final two playoff spots. Vancouver is the only team in the division with 65 games completed, the others each have 66 of 82 games behind them.

Marian Gaborik leads the club with 66 points and 34 goals. Pierre-Marc Bouchard leads Minnesota with 42 assists and is second with 54 points. Minnesota defeated the LA Kings 2-1 in overtime Sunday night for the Wild’s third straight win. The Wild play on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday this week.

The ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters (43-6-3-6) have already clinched a playoff birth and went 3-0-0-0 last week on the road. The 95 points for the team leads the league eight points and leads the South Division by 20. John McNabb leads the team with 66 points (26-40=66) and has recorded 62 PIM in 58 games. The Wildcatters travel to Augusta Tuesday to finish a four-game road trip and return on Friday to start a six-game home stand.

The busy month of March is loaded with ticket specials and promotions you don’t want to miss out on. Click here to see all the promotions and call 713.974.PUCK for ticket information. If you are unable to attend any games tune in to AM-1070 KNTH for live play-by-play with Jason Shaver and Cam Stewart will be on Friday's simulcast.
---HOUSTON AEROS---