From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Monday, March 28, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

Aeros Weekly Report

This week on aeros.com – Log on to www.aeros.com Tuesday for Junior Reporter Michael McHugh’s feature story on 6-foot-7 winger Derek Boogaard, who scored his first goal as an Aero on Sunday.

Coming attractions:

WED, vs. CIN, 7:05 p.m.
Happy Hour
It doesn’t get any bigger than this, as the Aeros and Ducks square off tied for third place in the West with 77 points apiece. Cincinnati has one game in hand on the Aeros. The Ducks, who won 3-0 at Houston on March 14, are 10-4-0-1 in their last 15. Cincinnati split two weekend games with Milwaukee, nearly rallying from a four-goal deficit for a 4-3 win before whipping the Admirals 7-0 Saturday. Since winning its home opener versus the Ducks, Houston is 0-2-1-0 against Cincinnati. For happy hour, get a center ice ticket, free parking and $10 in Toyota Bucks ($45 value) for just $30! Or, get a corner ticket and free parking for just $15 ($27 value). Order via www.aeros.com/themenights. Username is Happy, password is Hour.

SAT, vs. SAN, 7:35 p.m.
Aeros Baseballs (3K) and former Astros All-Stars Terry Puhl and Kevin Bass in attendance
Former Astros All-Stars Terry Puhl and Kevin Bass will take in the game. Puhl hails from Melville, Sask., the same hometown as Aeros head coach Todd McLellan. Houston plays four of its final 10 games against San Antonio, which enters the week having lost six of seven. San Antonio is 3-13-1-1 in its last 18 games. The Aeros are 5-1-2-0 against the Rampage this season, including 3-0-1-0 at home. Houston sports a 20-5-5-2 mark all-time versus San Antonio, including only two regulation losses in 16 home games (13-2-1-0). This game kicks off a grueling seven-games-in-nine-nights stretch for the Aeros. The run takes Houston to four visiting cities. Shadows of Change will also perform on Faith Night.

SUN, at SAN, 4 p.m., Internet only
The Aeros open an important five-game road trip that will end their road slate. Houston is 2-1-1-0 in San Antonio this season, losing a 4-3 overtime decision in the last game there March 3.

West Division standings/schedule (3-5 only)
3t. Cincinnati 69 GP, 77 PTS
3t. Houston 70 GP, 77 PTS
5. Grand Rapids 69 GP, 75 PTS
CIN (11GR, 6H, 5R); HOU (2, 1H/1R), GR (2, 1H/1R), CHI (2, 1H/1R), UTA (1, 1H), CLE (2, 1H/1R), MIL (1, 1H), SAN (1, 1R)
HOU (10GR, 5H, 5R); CHI (1, 1H), CIN (2, 1H/1R), MIL (1, 1R), SAN (4, 2H/2R), UTA (2, 1H/1R)
GR (11GR, 5H, 6R); MIL (1, 1R), SAN (2, 1H/1R), CIN (2, 1H/1R), HAM (1, 1R), CLE (1, 1H), UTA (4, 2H/2R)

Smith has won three straight at home, unbeaten in regulation in four straight overall - Aeros goalie Mike Smith made 30 saves in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Grand Rapids, his third straight home win. In his last four Toyota Center appearances, including a no decision in relief, Smith is 3-0-0 with a 1.09 gaa. He is unbeaten in regulation in his last four starts overall, going 3-0-1 with a 1.47 gaa. Smith’s recent run has improved his record to 18-15-3 with a 2.42 gaa and a .913 save percentage. After going winless (0-2-1) with a 2.89 gaa in February, Smith is 4-2-1 with a 2.21 gaa in March, his second lowest gaa of any month this season.

Boogie lights the lamp - Derek Boogaard, the Aeros’ 6-foot-7, 270-pound winger, scored his first AHL goal in 106 career games on Sunday. Boogaard had missed the last three games and seven of the last 10 due to injury. He has a point in each of the last two games he has played, and he has three points (1-2=3) in his last five games for a total of five (1-4=5) in 53 games this season.

Just holding on - The Aeros entered Friday’s game second in the AHL in third-period goals allowed with 45, and Grand Rapids had scored a league-worst 38 third-period goals. But the Griffins bucked the trend in the weekend series, scoring four third period goals. Houston, which lost Friday’s game in a shootout but won Sunday, is 3-14-2-2 in its last 21 games when allowing a third-period goal.

‘Rooters update - Aeros defensemen and alternate captains Todd Reirden and Ray Giroux combine to bring a group of underprivileged children out to each and every Aeros game. This week’s groups are Houston Children’s Charity (Wednesday) and Downs Syndrome Association (Saturday).

Down on the farm - The CHL’s Austin Ice Bats have completed their season...The Pensacola Ice Pilots are an ECHL-best 46-15-5 and have clinched the top spot in the entire Western Conference..LW Jordan Krestanovich has 59 points (22-36=59)...LW Bill Kinkel has four points (3-1=4) and a team-best 166 PIM’s in only 29 games...LW Mark Rooneem has four points (3-1=4) in three games since being reassigned from Louisiana, and has 31 points (20-11=31) in 60 games overall...UHL Quad City is 35-27-10 and has won four straight...The Mallards hold down the eighth and final spot in the playoff chase by five points over Flint...Quad City has two of the frontrunners for league Rookie of the Year, and they are both Aeros prospects...G Robert Gherson is 22-10-6 with a 2.25 gaa to rank first in the UHL...Gherson has won five straight games and is 10-1-1 with a 2.09 gaa in March...C Mike Kompon has 78 points (32-46=78) - 23 more than any other teammate...Kompon, who had eight points (4-4=8) in a 48-hour span last week, including a five-point game (2-3=5), leads all UHL rookies in points and assists and is only three off the goal lead...His 78 points rank him 12th overall in the league.

Penalty shot notes – Aeros defenseman Ray Giroux became the first defenseman in team history to score a penalty shot goal Friday. Travis Roche was the only other blueliner to have an attempt. The last successful Aeros penalty shot at home came March 14, 2000, when Brian Wiseman scored on Cincinnati’s Jean-Marc Pelletier. Aeros captain Kirby Law also has a penalty shot goal this season, making this the first time since the 1995-96 season the Aeros have scored twice on a penalty shot in one season. Houston is 2-for-3 this season on penalty shots, with Kyle Wanvig missing February 19 against Chicago’s Kari Lehtonen.

Aeros go 2-0-0-1 to move into third-place tie
HOU 5, UTA 2; GR 3, HOU 2 (SO); HOU 3, GR 2
The Aeros picked up five of a possible six points last week to move into a third-place tie in the West Division with Cincinnati.
Wednesday: Dan Cavanaugh tied his career high in points with a goal and two assists, and he became the 22nd player in team history with 100 points, as the Houston Aeros rallied from a very early deficit for a 5-2 victory over the Utah Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Rickard Wallin and Kirby Law each notched a goal and an assist for Houston.
Mike Smith made 22 saves against his former team and Jeremy Reich and Mikko Koivu each added two assists for Houston.
David LeNeveu made 29 stops and Kiel McLeod and Jakub Koreis each scored for the Grizzlies, who were trying to win back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Friday: Joey MacDonald made a career-high 47 saves and stopped five-of-six shootout attempts, and Matt Ellis forced overtime with 28 seconds left in regulation, as the Grand Rapids Griffins rallied from a two-goal third-period deficit for a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Houston Aeros at Toyota Center. Eric Manlow also scored for the Griffins.
Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored a power play goal from 100 feet out and Ray Giroux tallied a penalty shot goal for Houston. Josh Harding made 20 saves for the Aeros, who outshot Grand Rapids 49-23.
Sunday: Derek Boogaard scored his first career AHL goal in his 106th game, and Mike Smith made 30 saves, as the Houston Aeros moved into a third-place tie in the West Division by holding on for a 3-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins at Toyota Center. Kyle Wanvig scored 1:50 into the game and Kirby Law also had a goal for Houston.
Niklas Kronwall and Tomas Kopecky each scored and Joey MacDonald, making his 17th straight start and appearing in his 24th straight game, turned aside 13 shots in two periods for Grand Rapids, which had won five straight.

Player of the week C Pierre-Marc Bouchard -

Aeros’ leading scorer had four points (2-2=4) in leading team to a 2-0-0-1 mark last week...Had at least one point in each game...Tallied team-best 13th multiple point game, with goal and assist in 5-2 win over Utah on Wednesday...Scored seventh PPG in 3-2 SOL to Grand Rapids on Friday...Notched an assist in 3-2 win over Grand Rapids on Sunday...Went plus-two last week...Has team-best 48 points and 36 assists.
Bouchard this week...
3/23 vs. UTA 1-1=2, +1
3/25 vs. GR 1-0=1, E
3/27 vs. GR 0-1=1, +1
Totals - 3gp, 2-2=4, +2

Aeros’ Practice schedule:
Monday - 10-11:30 Sugar Land
Tuesday - 10-11:30 Sugar Land
Wednesday - vs. CIN 7:05 p.m.
Thursday - 10-11:30 Sugar Land
Friday - 10-11:30 Sugar Land
Saturday - vs. SAN 7:35 p.m.
Sunday - at SAN 4 p.m.


---HOUSTON AEROS, BE A FAN---