DISALVATORE, TORDJMAN SPARK AEROS TO FOURTH-STRAIGHT WIN

HOUSTON --- Jon DiSalvatore had a goal and an assist while Josh Tordjman turned aside 28 shots as the Houston Aeros skated to their fourth-straight win in a 2-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins in front of 9,178 fans Saturday at Toyota Center.

The win, coupled with a San Antonio Rampage loss to the Oklahoma City Barons, pushed the Aeros into a third-place tie in the AHL’s West Division race. The four-game winning streak tied a season-high while the victory was Houston’s fifth-straight home win. The five-game home winning streak set a season-high and dates back to Dec. 26.

DiSalvatore gave Houston a 2-0 lead with a shot that redirected off a Griffins defender just as a 5-on-3 power play was set to expire at the 6:01 mark of the third period.  Derek Meech cut the lead in half with the Griffins’ AHL-leading 11th short-handed goal just 45 seconds later, but Tordjman responded by closing the door on the next nine Grand Rapids shots to preserve the win.

Patrick O’Sullivan, in his first game of the season for Houston, gave the Aeros a 1-0 lead in the first period on his first shot.

Tordjman won his second-in-a-row for the Aeros, who earned their 20th win of the season when scoring first.

The Aeros and Griffins square off again on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at Toyota Center when the Aeros celebrate Team Mascot Chilly’s 15th birthday with Chillypalooza. Mascots from around the Houston area will be on hand to take part in the festivities including an intermission broomball game against the Sugarland Mites (4-8 years old) hockey team.

Sunday’s Family Day ticket packs start at $67 and include four tickets, free parking, Aeros souvenirs and $20 in Toyota Center Bucks.

Call 713-974-7825 (PUCK) for more information on Aeros tickets and other promotions.

DECIDING GOAL
DiSalvatore (6:01, 3rd)

POWER PLAYS
HOU: 1/6
GR: 0/4

GOALIES
HOU: Tordjman (28/29, W)
GR: Pearce (21/23, L)

TEAM RECORDS
HOU: 24-18-1-2
GR: 18-18-1-4

AEROS STARTERS
F: Almond, DiSalvatore, O’Sullivan
D: Noreau, Bagnall
G: Tordjman

AEROS SCRATCHES
Fraser, Kalus, Buck, Broda, Daoust

NEXT GAME
Jan. 16 vs. Grand Rapids, 4:05 p.m. CST

BOMB DROPPINGS
Patrick O’Sullivan scored on his first shot; it was his first regular season Aeros goal since he scored a pair at Chicago on April 16, 2006. His last two goals overall as an Aero came on May 9, 2006 vs. Milwaukee in Game 4 of the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs...Casey Wellman played for the first time since Dec. 21. He missed the last 10 games with a lower body injury…J.M. Daoust was scratched for the first time this season…Goalie Matt Hackett was reassigned by Minnesota prior to the game. He served as Josh Tordjman’s backup…The Aeros released goalie David Brown from his PTO…The Aeros scored the first goal for the 28th time this season, an AHL-high...Jon DiSalvatore has points in two straight, the first time he has points in consecutive games since collecting assists in three straight from Dec. 14-17…DiSalvatore’s 31st point this season will be his 400th as a pro.