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Aeros Game Day

December 7, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Wolves at Aeros (Aeros lead all-time series 27-16-9-4, 15-6-6-2 at Houston)

Tonight is the 57th all-time meeting between the Wolves and Aeros

Since joining the AHL, Houston is 9-7-4-4 versus Chicago, including a 5-4-3-2 home mark Aeros have just two wins but also only two regulation losses in the last eight matchups (2-2-1-3)

Six of the last 10 meetings have gone into overtime

Aeros were 4-2-1-3 against Chicago in 2002-03, including a 3-0-2 mark at home.

Teams meet 10 times this season, seven more after tonight. The next matchup is December 28 in Houston.

The season series sees the first five games in Houston, the last five in Chicago

Last game – Chris Bala snapped an early third-period tie and Matt Foy added a power-play tally later in the period, as the Houston Aeros snapped a franchise-record eight-game winless streak with a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks at Toyota Center. Mika Hannula also scored and Johan Holmqvist made 22 saves for Houston, which stopped a four-game losing streak and had been 0-6-1-1 in its last eight. Casey Hankinson scored and Ilya Bryzgalov made 34 saves for Cincinnati, which is 1-6-0 in its last seven.

Scouting the Aeros – Houston snapped out of an eight-game winless skid with an impressive 3-1 home victory over Cincinnati on Friday night. Chris Bala snapped an early third period tie and Matt Foy and Mika Hannula also scored for the Aeros, who got 22 saves from Johan Holmqvist. Rickard Wallin has 16 points (8g, 6a) to lead the Aeros, but has gone without a point in four straight games. Dan Cavanaugh's three-game point streak has moved him into second place on the scoring list with 15 points (6g, 9a). Kyle Wanvig (6g, 6a) is third on the team with 12 points, but is pointless in five straight games. Houston's leading defenseman is Jason Marshall, returned to the team by the Minnesota Wild a week ago. Marshall has eight points (2g, 6a) in 19 games. Fellow blueliner Erik Reitz has seven points (1g, 6a) in 22 games. Travis Roche has pitched in four points (2g, 2a) in 10 games since being reassigned from Minnesota in mid-November. All of Roche's points came during a four-game point streak November 22-28. Last year's Calder Cup Most Valuable Player, goalie Johan Holmqvist, has started 19 of the team's first 22 games, going 6-12-2 with a 3.12 goals against average. His backup is second-year netminder Kyle Kettles, who is 0-3-0 with a 3.65 goals against average.

Cavanaugh has points in three straight – The Aeros' Dan Cavanaugh has a hand in four of the Aeros' last five goals. He assisted on Chris Bala's shorthanded score Monday, then tallied on a helper from newcomer Ed McGrane Wednesday. Cavanaugh also assisted on third-period goals by both Bala and Matt Foy on Friday. Cavanaugh's 15 points (6g, 9a) are second on the team, trailing Rickard Wallin's total of 16 (8g, 8a). Cavanaugh is already more than halfway to last year's career-best total of 26 points.

Scouting the Wolves – Chicago enters tonight's game having split a pair of games in San Antonio the past two nights. The Wolves, who will be playing their fourth road game in five days, beat the Rampage 4-3 Friday night before San Antonio evened the slate with a 4-1 victory last night. Second-place Chicago, which has 29 points, five behind division-leading Grand Rapids, is just 2-4-0 in its last six games. Even without promising youngster Simon Gamache (dealt away by the parent Thrashers to Nashville), the Wolves have plenty of offensive firepower. Mainstay Steve Maltais, in his 10th season with Chicago, leads the way with 20 points (9g, 11a), including a team-best four power-play goals. Wingers Eric Healey (10g, 8a, 18 pts) and Zdenek Blatny (4g, 12a, 16 pts) add to the offensive threat. The Wolves blueline is manned by former Aero Greg Hawgood (2g, 7a, 9 pts) and Kurtis Foster (3g, 5a, 8 pts).Both of Chicago's netminders are strong Atlanta prospects. Kari Lehtonen is 8-5-0 with a 2.76 goals against average. He's split time with Frederic Cassivi, who sports a 4-4-3 mark and a 2.76 goals against average.

Better starts needed – Houston had been outscored 27-15 in the first period this season, the second worst differential of any AHL team. Only the St. John's Maple Leafs (29-14) have a worse first-period differential.

Get these guys on the scoresheet – Rickard Wallin has a point in five of the team's six wins, and, Stephane Veilleux and Kyle Wanvig each have at least one point in four of the team's six victories.

Penalty kill update –

Houston killed off its first 31 shorthanded chances this season. Since then, opponents are 14-for-89 (15.7 percent) on the power play. Opponents are 5-for-36 (13.9 percent) over the past five games and 2-for-20 (10.0 percent) in the last three, including a 10-for-10 penalty kill effort Monday against Milwaukee.

Four of Houston's six victories have come when the team hasn't allowed a power play goal.

The Aeros have allowed just three power play goals in 49 chances at Toyota Center (93.9 percent kill rate), tops in the AHL. Power play update –

Houston enters tonight's game 13 of 146 on the power play (8.9 percent), last among 28 AHL teams.

The Aeros are 4-for-67 on the power play (6.0 percent) in the last 10 games.

Matt Foy's goal Friday snapped a span of 37 straight power-play attempts without a goal.

The Aeros are two for their last 49 power-play attempts. Houston hasn't scored on its last 30 man-advantage attempts, and has one goal in its last 40 attempts.

Houston's 146 power plays are 15 more than any other team in the league has (Philadelphia, 131).

Home sweet home – The Aeros are in a stretch where they play just two of eight games away from Toyota Center. The only road game from now until December 19 is Friday at division-leading Grand Rapids. Houston entertains in-state rival San Antonio next Saturday.

Boogaard at 299 career penalty minutes – Houston's Derek Boogaard picked up four penalty minutes on Wednesday against Utah, moving him to 299 career penalty minutes in just 50 games. Boogaard, who had 240 penalty minutes in 33 games with ECHL Louisiana in 2002-03, is averaging 5.9 PIM per game in his two-year pro career. Boogaard leads the Aeros with 60 penalty minutes in 17 games.

Holmqvist 1-2-1 against Chicago – Aeros netminder Johan Holmqvist sports a 1-2-1 mark with a 3.69 goals against average and a .893 save percentage against Chicago. This season, Holmqvist is 0-1-1 with a 2.91 goals against average and a .900 save percentage versus the Wolves.

Wolves netminders vs. Aeros – Chicago's Frederic Cassivi is 3-3-1 with a 2.84 goals against average in nine career games against Houston. Cassivi allowed just two goals in a 2-2 tie versus the Aeros on October 31, his only game against Houston this season. Kari Lehtonen is 1-0-0 with a 3.00 goals against average against the Aeros, with the victory coming in a 32-save performance at Toyota Center on November 22. The Wolves won that game 4-3.

Aeros/Wolves connections –

Wolves defenseman Greg Hawgood played two full seasons for the Aeros from 1997-99. Hawgood totaled 145 points (36g, 109a) in 157 games with Houston.

Chicago centerman Brendan Yarema had 31 points (18g, 13a) in 77 games with the Aeros in 2001-02.

Houston's Matt Foy played one season at Merrimack College, alongside the Wolves' Anthony Aquino.

Chicago's Brian Swanson was a senior at Colorado College when the Aeros' Mark Cullen was a freshman.

Chicago's Brad Tapper was the leading scorer at RPI (51 points) during Marc Cavosie's freshman year of 1999-2000.

Going for two in a row – An Aeros victory tonight would give them back-to-back wins for the first time since sweeping two games in Utah last March 28 and 29. Houston's last set of back-to-back home wins came March 7-9 of last season against Chicago and San Antonio. The Aeros have picked up points in back-to-back games twice this season – a three-game stretch from October 28-November 2 (2-0-1) and a two-game span from November 23-26 (0-0-1-1).

Swedish connection – Aeros head coach Todd McLellan has experimented with Sweden natives Mika Hannula and Rickard Wallin on the same line this season. The combination worked Friday, with Wallin feeding Hannula for a first-period goal. Hannula also helped out on a Wallin goal earlier this season.

Fort Bala Bala – Houston's Chris Bala has a goal in each of his last two games, including the game-winner in Friday's 3-1 victory over Cincinnati. With a goal tonight, Bala would tie his career-high, three-game goal streak, set from February 23-27, 2002, with Grand Rapids. Bala missed Wednesday's game in Utah, but had his team's lone goal Monday versus Milwaukee.

Quick hits

The Aeros are a perfect 6-0-0-0 when allowing one goal this season, and 0-13-2-2 when yielding two or more.

Houston has led in five of their last 16 games. The Aeros are 3-1-0-1 in those five contests.

Houston added center Ed McGrane prior to Wednesday's game. McGrane, a four-year standout at UMass-Lowell, has played 19 games with CHL Corpus Christi this season, totaling 21 points (14g, 7a). McGrane assisted on Dan Cavanaugh's goal Wednesday.

Houston goalie Johan Holmqvist is 13-8-6 all-time in December. His 13 wins in the month are second to only the 16 he has in March. His .593 December winning percentage ranks behind March (.630), February and April (both .625).

The Wolves are 7-4-3-1 away from home this season. They have played just nine home games, tied for the second lowest total in the league (Milwaukee). Toronto has played only six home games.

Chicago has allowed just four power play goals on 71 chances (94.4 percent kill percentage) on the road, good for second in the AHL.

The Wolves rank 25th in the league allowing 33.00 shots per game. Houston, meanwhile ranks first with 33.48 shots on offense.

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