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AEROS WIN FOUR STRAIGHT TO START SEASON

By:

From: Patrick Armstrong, Director of Communications
713.361.7920 (Direct Line)
Scott Henninger, Communications Manager
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
October 19, 2008

AEROS WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT TO START SEASON

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Ryan Hamilton scored the game-winning goal with 2:57 remaining to propel the Houston Aeros to their second straight victory, 4-3, over the San Antonio Rampage. The Aeros are off to a 4-0-0-0 start on this young season and are tied with the Rockford IceHogs atop the West Division standings with eight points.

BOX SCORE

Aeros’ goaltender Barry Brust (1-0-0) got the nod in net and allowed two goals in the first period on 10 shots. San Antonio jumped out to a 2-0 lead on even-strength goals by Steven Goertzen and Brett MacLean. The Aeros cut the lead in half on Jesse Schultz’s first goal of the 2008-09 season. Corey Locke picked the puck up on the left-wing boards as the Rampage were caught changing lines creating a two-on-one. Locke dished the puck to Schultz who snapped a wrister past goaltender Al Montoya (0-2-0)as he was moving right to left. Houston out-shot the Rampage 11-10 in the period but trailed 2-1 going into the intermission.

Morten Madsen tied the game for the Aeros at two when he scored his second unassisted goal in as many nights. He picked up a loose puck at the red line skated in with Danny Irmen trailing the play and wristed a shot just inside the far post for his second goal of the season. Locke gave the Aeros their first lead of the game at the 12:49 mark of the second period when he took a cross-crease pass from John Lammers and defeated Montoya with a quick shot. The power-play goal was Locke’s third against the Rampage over the weekend. Aeros’ defenseman Paul Albers took a penalty at the 18:27 mark of the period and San Antonio capitalized on the opportunity. Houston couldn’t clear the puck deep in the San Antonio zone and got caught in a line change. Brust stopped the first two attempts on the ensuing rush, but Chad Kolarik took a quick pass from Alex Bourret and buried the puck with just 1.2 seconds remaining in the period.

All tied in the third period, neither team would budge until late in the final frame. San Antonio had a hard time clearing the puck and the Aeros quickly capitalized. Schultz backhanded a pass to Hamilton who ripped a slapshot from the slot over the left shoulder of Montoya. The goal came with just 2:57 remaining in the game and the Aeros weathered the final three minutes of the San Antonio onslaught to win their fourth straight game.

Notes:
- The Aeros, at 4-0-0-0, are one of only two teams in the AHL without a loss. The North Division’s Hamilton Bulldogs is the other team at 4-0-0-0.
- Houston is now riding a six-game winning streak including the final two regular-season games of the 2007-08 campaign.
- Jesse Schultz’s first period goal marked the 200th point for his AHL career.
- Shultz’s two-point performance (goal and assist) extended his point/assist streak to three games with four points (1 goal, 3 assists).
- Ryan Hamilton’s goal extended his goal streak to three games tying a personal best.
- Corey Locke extended his point streak to three games having tallied seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in that span, tying him for seventh in the league for total points.

-- HOUSTON AEROS: 15 Seasons, One Reason --

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