Aeros blank Wolves 1-0, move closer to fourth place in West
March 20, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release
HOUSTON, Texas - Anton Khudobin stopped all 26 shots faced and earned his first professional shutout in the Houston Aeros 1-0 win over the Chicago Wolves Thursday night at Toyota Center. The Aeros (36-25-2-3) moved to within two points of fourth place Milwaukee in the West Division standings and beat the Wolves (46-17-2-2) for the first time in four tries this season. The teams will square off again tomorrow night at Toyota Center at 7:35 p.m. Tickets are available at center ice for just $22 by calling (713) 974-PUCK.
Box Score
Peter Olvecky scored the lone goal in the contest 11:08 mark of the second period, a power play goal, for his team-leading 16th of the season. That was all the support Khudobin needed as he and the Aeros shut down the American Hockey League's highest scoring offense. Houston killed all eight of the Wolves power plays and converted on one of their six chances. The shutout was the Aeros' ninth of the season tying the team record for shutouts in a season.
Olvecky had a golden opportunity to put the Aeros up in the first period when received a penalty shot at 9:53 after he was hooked from behind on a breakaway. Wolves' goaltender Ondrej Pavelec was up to the task and kept the game scoreless after one period.
At the 11:08 mark of the second period, Olvecky gave the Aeros the first goal and only goal of the night when he tipped a Jon Awe slap shot over the shoulder Pavelec. The goal came with the Aeros on the man-advantage and also marked Olvecky's team leading ninth power play goal of the season. Houston has scored a total of four goals in four games against the Wolves and three of those goals have come on the power play.
Chicago did not go quietly into the night as they totaled 15 shots in the third period, more than the first two periods combined (11). They earned a five-on-three power play that lasted 1:33 when Brandon Rogers and John Scott were each sent to the box, but the Aeros defense and the goaltending of Khudobin stood strong.
Another flurry of shots by the Wolves in the waning moments of the game was blocked and the Aeros earned their first victory over the West Division-leaders this season.
Notes: - The ninth shutout of the season ties a team-high accomplished in the 2004-05 season by Josh Harding (4) and Mike Smith (5), both now playing in the NHL. Aeros goaltender Nolan Schaefer leads the team with five, Barry Brust has three and Khudobin one. - Peter Olvecky scored his team leading 16th goal of the season, his ninth power-play marker. His 14 total power-play points ranks him second on the team behind Erik Reitz with 16 PP-points (5-11=16). - Goaltender Anton Khudobin recorded his first professional shutout in his fourth start saving all 26 Wolves' shots. The win boosts his record to 2-2 on the season. - Prior to Thursday's 1-0 Aeros victory, the last 20 match-ups between the clubs were decided with a winning score of 4 or more goals dating back to April 15, 2005 when the Aeros won 5-2 in Houston. The Aeros had a 9-11 record in that 20 game stretch. - Chicago had been shutout three previous times this season, but they had not been shutout in the previous 27 games prior to the Aeros 1-0 blanking Thursday night. The last shutout dated back to January 16th in a 4-0 loss to Milwaukee.
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