1:05 p.m. start for road trip finale

Published on February 18, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Six things you need to know
- Aeros C Erik Westrum (27-52=79) and RW Kirby Law (32-44=76) rank first and second in the AHL in scoring. They are trying to become the first duo from the same team to finish 1-2 in the league's scoring race Paul Gardner (112 points) and Jody Gage (99) turned the trick for Rochester exactly 20 seasons ago - in 1985-86. No two teammates have reached the 100-point plateau since a trio of Carolina Monarchs did it in 1995-96. Westrum has already posted the second-highest point and assist total for an Aero since the the team joined the AHL in 2001-02. Jean-Guy Trudel notched 85 points, including 54 helpers, in 2002-03. Rookie C/LW Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring with 59 points (31-28=59), a total that places him tied for seventh overall. O'Sullivan is closing in on Aeros rookie team records in goals (32), assists (32) and points (64) - all set in 2001-02 by Cory Larose. LW Roman Voloshenko (25-16=41) is second among first-year players in goals and 10th in overall rookie scoring. Veteran D Curtis Murphy, meanwhile, is second among AHL defensemen scoring with 45 points (7-38=45).
- Earlier this week, a pair of Aeros veterans picked up major milestones. RW Kirby Law has posted three points in each of his last two games, giving him 404 points (189-215=404) in 520 career American Hockey League games. Law has career-highs in assists and points, and his 32 have tied his career-best, set in 2003-04 with Philadelphia. D Curtis Murphy, meanwhile, had his third three assist-game of the season Wednesday to become the Aeros' all-time leading scorer from the blueline (42-104=146). Murphy, a two-time Eddie Shore Award winner as AHL defenseman of the year, enters tonight's game with 199 career AHL points (59-140=199) in 293 games.
- Reports of the demise of the Aeros power play were extremely premature. After going without a PPG for two straight games 2/10-2/11, the first time all season that's happened, Houston has roared back with seven PPG on 22 chances (31.8 percent) in the last three games. The Aeros, who are third in the AHL on the power play at 20.8 percent, face an Iowa PK unit that has struggled mightily recently. Iowa is tied for 22nd in the AHL at 80.5 percent, and the Stars have allowed 12 goals on just 32 shorthanded chances (62.5 percent) in the last six games.
- The Aeros' first-period success, best in the AHL, has been well-documented. But their third period play has been equally important to the win column in 2005-06. Houston has held its opponent without a third-period goal in 23 games this season, and it hasn't lost in regulation (21-0-1-1). The Aeros have won their last 19 games when not allowing a goal in the final 20 minutes. But Houston has only outscored its opponents by a slim 64-60 in the third period this season. The Aeros have held their opponents scoreless, though, in each of the last two games - both victories.
- Tonight's game is the second of three straight meetings between the teams. This marks the ninth time in the Aeros' five seasons in the AHL that they've played the same team three straight times in the regular season. Since joining the league in 2001-02, the Aeros are 6-2-1 in game one, 5-2-1 in game two and 2-5-1 in game three when playing a team three straight times. Since joining the AHL, Houston has never swept a three-game regular-season set from the same opponent. Four times, the Aeros won the first two games but lost the third, including twice last season (Chicago, San Antonio). Houston and Iowa were set to play four straight games, if not for a Bon Jovi concert at Toyota Center on Tuesday.
- Aeros fourth-year D Erik Reitz is in the midst of one of the best stretches of his career. He has points in four of the last five games (1-3=4), but he had his four-game point streak snapped last night. In his first three pro seasons, Reitz had posted points in three straight games just once. However, his recent run is his third four-game point streak of the season. Reitz is second among Aeros blueliners with 23 points (5-18=23). He is one off his career-high in goals, assists and points.

Aeros at Stars (Aeros are 4-2-0-0 overall, Aeros are 1-1-0-0 at Iowa)
- Tonight is the seventh meeting between the Aeros and Stars, and the third in Des Moines.
- Houston's high-powered trio of C Erik Westrum (6-6=12), RW Kirby Law (5-5=10) and C/LW Patrick O'Sullivan (3-6=9) have combined to post 31 points (14-17=31) in just six games against the Stars.
- The Aeros had a partial affiliation deal with the Dallas Stars in 2004-05. Goalie Mike Smith and forwards Junior Lessard and Marius Holtet all suited up for the Aeros last season. Smith went 19-17-3 with a 2.42 gaa and won Houston's lone playoff game. Lessard, the 2004 Hobey Baker winner, tied for 12th on the Aeros' roster with 22 points (11-11=22) in 71 games. Holtet notched 12 points (7-5=12) in 54 games. Iowa also features the injured David Oliver, a member of the Aeros' 1999 Turner Cup winning team.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (37-14-1-2) have the AHL's third-best winning percentage (.713), trailing only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (.764 pct) and Grand Rapids (.714)...The Aeros' West Division lead is two points over Milwaukee, which hosts Peoria this afternoon and is in Peoria tomorrow..The Aeros 2-2-0-0 on a five-game road trip that ends tonight, and they play 19 of their final 30 games away from Toyota Center...C Erik Westrum has 79 points (27-52=79), three up on RW Kirby Law (32-44=76) for the top spot in the AHL...C/LW Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring with with 59 points (31-28=59)...LW Roman Voloshenko (25-16=41) is second in goals and 10th in points among rookies...D Curtis Murphy is second among AHL defensemen with 45 points (7-38=45)...G Josh Harding is 23-7-0 with a 2.62 gaa to rank tied for first in wins, second in save pct. (.924) and 10th in gaa...G Seamus Kotyk is 10-6-2 with a 2.93 gaa - 20th-best in the AHL, while G Miroslav Kopriva is 4-2-0 with a 2.86 gaa.

Scouting the Stars
Iowa (24-23-1-4), AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers, is winless in a season-high four straight games (0-2-0-2)...Iowa, 1-4-0-2 in its last seven games, is tied with Omaha for fourth place in the West Division with 53 points, but the Stars have two games in hand...C Toby Petersen leads the Stars with 43 points (16-27=43), while former Aero RW Junior Lessard is second with 32 points (16-16=32)...D Dan Jancevski paces the blueline with 21 points (5-16=21)...Former Aero G Mike Smith is 13-13-3 with a 2.76 gaa, while G Dan Ellis has posted a 11-11-1 mark with a 2.78 gaa.

2005-06 meetings (7th of 10 meetings, Aeros are 4-2-0-0 overall, Aeros are 1-1-0-0 at Iowa)
November 3 Iowa 3 at Houston 5
December 28 Iowa 2 at Houston 3
January 12 Iowa 1 at Houston 6
January 13 Iowa 3 at Houston 2
January 26 Houston 4 at Iowa 6
Last Night Houston 4 at Iowa 1
Today Houston at Iowa
Thursday Iowa at Houston
March 25 Houston at Iowa
April 16 Houston at Iowa

Quick Hits
- In Wednesday's 6-4 win at Cleveland, Houston C Erik Westrum and LW Roman Voloshenko each scored their 25th goals of the season. That gives Houston a quartet of 25-goal scorers for the first time in team history. There are only 11, 25-goal scorers in the AHL this season, and the Aeros have four of them. Other than the Aeros, only Grand Rapids has as many as two. Westrum added goals 26 and 27 last night.
- Houston is second in the AHL in scoring at 3.74 gpg, trailing only Grand Rapids' 4.04 gpg. Since getting shut out 3-0 by Milwaukee 11/27, the Aeros have scored 126 goals in 30 games for a 4.20 gpg average. Houston is trying to score 300 goals for just the second time in team history. The Aeros scored a franchise-record 307 goals in 1998-99, but that came in an 82-game season. This season Houston is on pace for 299 goals.
- The Aeros are 15-5-1-2 in one-goal games, and an impressive 22-8-1-2 in games decided by two goals or less. Houston has seen seven of its last eight games be decided by one or two goals, going 4-2-0-1.
- In their last eight victories, the Aeros have outscored their opponents 18-5 in the first period. In the last 19 games overall, Houston has a 31-14 goal margin in the opening 20 minutes, and overall on the season the Aeros are an AHL-best plus-28 (66-38). Houston has trailed after one period just once in its last 134games.
- Aeros D Curtis Murphy, an All-Star for the seventh time in as many North American seasons, became the team's all-time point scorer from the blueline Wednesday with his three-assist performance. Murphy now has 146 points (42-104=146) in 213 games with the Aeros. Murphy is tied with Jeff Tory for the top spot among blueliners with 42 tallies, and he trails only Greg Hawgood in assists among blueliners (109). Murphy, a two-time Eddie Shore Winner as AHL Defenseman of the Year, is second among all AHL blueliners in points this season (7-38=45).
- Houston has trailed at some point in 15 of its 37 victories, with five of the wins coming when trailing by two goals. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05. They are an impressive 12-8-0-0 when allowing the game's first goal, including wins in each of the last two games.
- The Aeros are 35-4-0-1 when scoring three goals or more, but they are 2-10-1-1 when scoring two or fewer. Three is also the magic number defensively, as Houston is 32-4-1-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 5-10-0-1 when yielding four or more.
- Houston is 13-1-0-0 when allowing 29 or fewer shots this season, but also an impressive 8-1-1-0 when yielding 40 or more.
- Houston has been tied at some point of the third period in each of its last four non wins (0-3-0-1).
- A Stars victory tonight would make them just the second AHL team with three victories against Houston this season. Milwaukee is 3-2-0-0 versus the Aeros.
- Four of the Stars' last nine games have gone into a shootout.

Power play update
- Houston is third in the league on the power play at 20.8 percent.
- The Aeros are 46-for-193 (23.8 percent) with the man advantage in the last 30 games.
- Houston is 7-for-22 (31.8 percent) on the power play in its last three games after going without a PPG in two straight games for the first time this season.
- The Aeros are 21-4-0-1 when scoring at least two PPG. Houston has scored two or more PPG in 16 of its last 29 games.
- Houston has been outscored on the power play just four times in its last 32 games.
- Iowa is tied for 22nd in the AHL on the penalty kill at 80.5 percent.
- The Stars have allowed 12 goals on just 32 shorthanded chances (62.5 percent kill rate) in the last six games.
- Houston is 8-for-38 (21.1 percent) on the power play against Iowa this season, scoring two or more PPG in three of the six games.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is third in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.6 percent.
- In the last 16 games, Houston is 89-of-99 (89.9 percent) on the PK.
- Houston is 18-3-0-2 when not allowing a power play goal and 29-7-1-1 when allowing one power play goal or fewer.
- Iowa ranks 24th in the AHL on the power play at 14.4 percent.
- The Stars are a much improved 10-for-45 (22.2 percent) on the man advantage in the last six games.
- Iowa is 6-for-41 (14.6 percent) on the power play against Houston this season, going 3-for-8 in its 6-4 win last month.

Aeros/Stars connections
- Houston D Clayton Stoner and Iowa D Shawn Belle were defensive partners for three full seasons at WHL Tri City.
- Aeros D Erik Reitz spent the 2001-02 season at OHL Barrie along with Iowa RW B.J. Crombeen.
- Houston C Erik Westrum and Iowa C Toby Petersen each hail from Minneapolis, Minn.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 18, 2006


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