Aeros fall 3-1, but stay five points up on Cincinnati

Published on March 28, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Houston, TX – Tony Hrkac and Simon Gamache each scored power play goals and Brian Finley turned aside 27 shots, as the Milwaukee Admirals beat the Houston Aeros 3-1 at Toyota Center. Vern Fiddler also scored for Milwaukee, which snapped a two-game skid to move to an AHL-best 96 points, six clear of second-place Grand Rapids in the West. The Admirals went 8-1-1-0 this season against the Aeros, including a perfect 5-0-0-0 mark at Toyota Center, and were unbeaten in the final nine meetings (8-0-1-0). Jeff Hoggan scored and Kyle Kettles made 23 saves for the Aeros, who fell for the first time in five games (3-1-1-0). Fourth-place Houston plays host to fifth-place Cincinnati (five points back) for two critical games Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. Thursday is an Aeros Happy Hour, as well as an appearance by WWE Champion Victoria.

Houston remained at 70 points and got help to remain five points ahead of the Ducks, who lost 2-0 in San Antonio. Utah is sixth with 63 points, while San Antonio moved to 60, and the Rampage still have 10 games remaining.

Milwaukee struck first on the power play 6:54 into the game. With Ed McGrane in the box for hooking, Hrkac took a pass from former Aero Curtis Murphy at the edge of the right circle and fired it blocker side by Kettles for his 19th of the season.

Finley kept the Admirals in front with a great glove save with Houston on a power play with 11:12 left in the first. With a crush of players scrambling in front of the goal, a loose puck trickled to Erik Reitz, who fired it from the right circle, but Finley flashed the leather.

Next it was Kettles' turn, and he was brilliant, stopping Fiddler on a breakaway after an Aeros turnover at center ice.

The Aeros got on the board just after a power play expired, with 6:32 left in the first. Mark Cullen slid a pass along the right wing boards across the blueline, and Matt Foy caught the puck in stride. Hoggan streaked in to make it a 2-on-1, and he buried a picture-perfect cross-ice pass short side past Finley for his 20th of the season. Hoggan, who had a five-game goal streak snapped last night, has 20 goals in 2003-04 after just six in his rookie season. Cullen's helper was worth another $50 to Sunshine Kids, raising the total raised to $750.

Finley stood his ground with three minutes remaining in the first, sticking out his right pad to turn away Foy on a mini breakaway.

Houston, which outshot Milwaukee 13-8 in the first, continued the pressure in the second. Finley stoned Billy Tibbetts on a 3-on-2 seven minutes into the frame.

The Admirals scored their second power play goal to build a 2-1 lead with 8:41 left in the second. With Jason Beckett in the box for slashing, Scottie Upshall centered the puck from behind the net to Gamache, camped out in the low slot. Gamache blasted one top shelf over Kettles for his 22nd of the season. The tally was Gamache's 12th, and 22nd point, in 20 career games against the Aeros.

Houston had 40 seconds of a 5-on-3 late in the second, and Finley lost his stick during that time. His defense was strong, and with Houston's advantage back to one man, Kevin Mitchell rattled a slapshot off Finley's mask and up into the netting with less than a second remaining in the period.

Milwaukee, which has scored a league-best 92 third period goals, scored once in the third to seal the game. Fiddler's ninth of the season, off a tip in front, made it 3-1 Milwaukee 7:06 into the third.

The Aeros had a shot to get back into the game with 5:39 left with a tripping call to Milwaukee captain Ray Schultz. It was the Admirals who had a chance right off the bat, as a Reitz turnover led to a 2-on-0, with Kettles stopping leading goal scorer Mathieu Darche.

Houston, which didn't get a shot on the advantage, went 0-for-8 on the power play and is 2-for-58 on the man advantage this season versus the Admirals. The Admirals finished 2-for-4 on the power play.

The Aeros pulled Kettles with 54 seconds left but didn't close the gap.

The Admirals remained perfect when leading after two periods (35-0-3-0).

Notes:

The Aeros skated with 16 players, one below the AHL limit. They recalled defenseman Chad Starling from ECHL Peoria late last night, but a mechanical malfunction on his plane kept him from arriving in time for the game.

Finley is 7-1-0 in his last seven games against the Aeros after beginning his career 0-3-1.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2004


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