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Aeros Game Day

December 13, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Rampage at Aeros (Aeros lead all-time series 8-3-1-1, 5-1-0-0 at Houston)

Tonight is the 14th all-time meeting between the teams – seventh in Houston.

Aeros are winless in the last two meetings (0-1-0-1) for the second time in series history, having gone 0-1-1 versus the Rampage January 4 and March 3, 2003.

Aeros were 8-3-1-0 against San Antonio in 2002-03, the Rampage's first year, including a 5-1-0 home mark.

Houston won the first five home meetings with the Rampage prior to a 5-4 San Antonio win April 4.

The Aeros have scored at least four goals in six straight meetings with the Rampage

San Antonio rallied late for a 5-4 overtime win in season's only meeting, November 23 at the SBC Center. Denis Shvidki scored with 1:16 left in regulation, then Michel Periard won it 1:20 into overtime. Josh Olson had two goals for the Rampage, while four players scored for Houston.

Second of 12 meetings this season.

The teams play a home-and-home December 26 (Houston) and 27 (San Antonio).

2003-04 meetings (Second of 12 meetings, Aeros trail 0-0-0-1 overall, first meeting in Houston)

November 23 – Houston 4 at San Antonio 5 (OT)

February 27 – Houston at San Antonio

TONIGHT – San Antonio at Houston

February 28 – San Antonio at Houston

December 26 – San Antonio at Houston

March 12 – San Antonio at Houston

December 27 – Houston at San Antonio

March 13 – Houston at San Antonio

January 16 – San Antonio at Houston

March 26 – Houston at San Antonio

January 17 – Houston at San Antonio

March 27 – San Antonio at Houston

Last game – Dan Cavanaugh and Eric Reitz scored 1:18 apart midway through the first period and Johan Holmqvist finished with 26 saves and helped stave off a five-minute Grand Rapids power play in the third period, as the Houston Aeros beat the Griffins 2-1 at Van Andel Arena for their season-best third straight win. Houston now has 20 points, two behind sixth-place Utah, which tied Manchester 2-2 last night. Nathan Robinson scored and Marc Lamothe stopped 19 shots for Grand Rapids, which has lost two straight after an eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1).

Scouting the Aeros – Houston is a hot team after three straight wins, outscoring their opponents 8-3 in the process. Houston is led in scoring by Rickard Wallin (8g, 10a) and Dan Cavanaugh (7g, 11a), both with 18 points. Kyle Wanvig (6g, 6a) and Stephane Veilleux are tied for third with 12 points, and Veilleux snapped a 12-game streak without a goal with his shorthanded, game-winning tally last Sunday. Houston's leading defenseman is long-time NHL'er Jason Marshall, who is the Aeros captain. Marshall has posted nine points (3g, 6a) in 20 games. Fellow blueliner Erik Reitz has eight points (2g, 6a) in 24 games, with both of his goals power-play game-winners. Last year's Calder Cup Most Valuable Player, goalie Johan Holmqvist, has started 22 of the team's first 25 games, going 8-12-2 with a 2.92 goals against average. Holmqvist has been in net for the team's recent three-game winning streak. His backup is second-year netminder Kyle Kettles, who is 0-3-0 with a 3.65 goals against average.

Looking for four straight – An Aeros victory tonight would give them a four-game winning streak for the first time since a five-game span from January 18-25 of last season. Houston has won three straight for the first time since that same streak. The Aeros' three games without a loss has tied a season-high. Houston had picked up points in back-to-back games three times 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) were the other two times.

Cavanaugh has career-best five-game point streak – The Aeros' Dan Cavanaugh has a career-best five-game point streak, and he also has a hand in seven of the Aeros' last 10 goals. He assisted on Chris Bala's shorthanded score December 1, then tallied on a helper from newcomer Ed McGrane December 3. Cavanaugh assisted on third-period goals by both Bala and Matt Foy December 5, then picked up two more assists in Sunday's win over Chicago. Last night, Cavanaugh scored the game's first goal after a hustling play erased a Grand Rapids power play. Cavanaugh's 18 points (7g, 11a) are tied for first on the team with Rickard Wallin. Just 25 games into the season, Cavanaugh is only eight points shy of last season's career-best total of 26. Cavanaugh previously had a pair of three-game point streaks.

Scouting the Rampage – San Antonio has lost four of six, after having a brief two-game winning streak snapped last night with a 4-3 loss at slumping Cincinnati, which snapped a five-game losing streak. The Rampage are led by high-scoring winger Eric Beaudoin, who has 27 points (9g, 18a) in 22 games. Beaudoin's nine goals are tied with Lee Goran for the team lead. Mike Green is second in the team with 21 points (7g, 14a), while Goran (9g, 8a) and Denis Shvidki (6g, 11a) are tied for third with 17 apiece. Michel Periard mans the San Antonio blueline. The 24-year-old defenseman has 12 points (3g, 9a) in 21 games. Travis Scott has been the workhorse in net for the Rampage, playing 19 of the team's first 22 games. Scott sports an impressive 12-4-3 mark and a 2.03 goals against average. His backup is Simon Lajeunesse, who is 0-3-0 with a 5.01 gaa. Lajeunesse took the loss last night.

Better starts needed – Houston had been outscored 28-17 in the first period this season, tied with Portland for the second worst differential of any AHL team. Only the St. John's Maple Leafs (31-18) have been outscored by more goals in the first period this season.

Get these guys on the scoresheet – Rickard Wallin has a point in seven of the team's eight wins, and Stephane Veilleux has at least one point in five of the team's eight victories.

Penalty kill update –

Houston killed off its first 31 shorthanded chances this season. Since then, opponents are 16-for-100 (16.0 percent) on the power play.

The Aeros' overall 87.8 percent penalty kill rate ranks seventh in the AHL. Home kill of 92.9 percent is second.

Opponents are just 4-for-31 (12.9 percent) on the power play in the last five games.

Houston has yielded a power-play goal in four straight games, the first time this season the Aeros have allowed a man-advantage goal in more than two straight games.

Power play update –

Houston enters tonight's game 15 of 162 on the power play (9.3 percent), 27th out of 28 AHL teams.

The Aeros are beginning to heat up on the man advantage, going 3-for-18 since Matt Foy snapped a steak of 37 straight unsuccessful power plays December 5.

Houston has a power-play goal in three straight games for the first time this season.

The Aeros are 6-for-82 on the power play (7.3 percent) in the last 12 games.

Houston's 162 power plays are the most in the AHL (St. John's, 154)

Home sweet home – The Aeros open up a three-game homestand tonight, with games Tuesday and Wednesday against Norfolk. Then, Houston goes on a three-game road trip, tied for the second longest road trip the Aeros have had so far this season. Houston is in Cincinnati on December 19 and 20 then in Utah on the 23rd. The Aeros are finishing up a stretch where they play six of eight games at Toyota Center.

Holmqvist 1-3-1 against San Antonio – Aeros netminder Johan Holmqvist has one win in five career games against San Antonio, going 1-3-1 with a 3.63 goals against average and a .877 save percentage. The 3.63 goals against average is his highest against any AHL opponent with at least three games played (Grand Rapids, 3.70 entering last night). Holmqvist has faced the Rampage once this season, stopping 23 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss in San Antonio on November 23.

Rampage netminders unbeaten versus Aeros – If Houston is to win tonight, it must do something it never has before – beat Travis Scott or Simon Lajeunesse. Scott has faced the Aeros just once, making 31 saves in a 5-4 overtime win on November 23. Lajeunesse, meanwhile, has just one win in four tries but is unbeaten (1-0-3) against the Aeros with a 2.35 goals against average and a .907 save percentage.

Swedish connection - Aeros head coach Todd McLellan has experimented with Sweden natives Mika Hannula and Rickard Wallin on the same line this season. The duo has been paired together permanently since December 3 in Utah, and the combination is working out. Wallin fed Hannula for a first-period goal both December 5 against Cincinnati and Sunday versus Chicago. Hannula also helped out on a Wallin goal earlier this season. Hannula and Wallin each have points in their last three games Wallin is tied for the team lead with 18 points (8g, 10a), while Hannula is fifth with 10 points (5g, 5a). Hannula has been red-hot of late, with four goals and two assists in his last 10 games.

One continues to be the magic number - The Aeros are a perfect 8-0-0-0 when allowing one goal this season, and 0-13-2-2 when yielding two or more. By allowing just one goal in each of the last three games, the Aeros have climbed out of the basement and into a tie for 26th in the AHL by yielding 3.08 goals per game.

Aeros have scored first at home twice – Houston has scored first at home just twice this season, and not since November 2 against Manitoba. The Aeros have won both of their home games when scoring first and leading after the first period – that game against the Moose and a 5-1 win October 28 versus Cleveland. Last night, Houston scored first overall for the first time in six games, since surrendering a four-goal lead in a 5-4 loss in Syracuse November 28.

Trying for three straight at Toyota Center – Tonight the Aeros look for three straight wins at Toyota Center for the first time in 2003-04, their first season in their new arena. Houston last won three straight at home January 10-19 of last season, beating Cleveland once and Manitoba twice.

Back-to-back – Houston is trying to win the second game of a back-to-back situation for the first time this season, having gone 0-4-0-1 in such situations. The Aeros did, however, cap off a three-in-three with a victory – November 8 in Utah. Houston is 2-3-0-0 in the first night of back-to-backs. San Antonio is capping off its first three-in-three set of the season, all on the road.

Aeros tied for fourth most AHL points since 01-02 – Since entering the American Hockey League prior to the 2001-02 season, Houston has 217 standings points, tied for the fourth most in the league. Grand Rapids leads with 235 points in the last three seasons, while Hamilton is second with 233. The Aeros entered the 2003-04 campaign with 197 points, tied for second with Hamilton, just four points behind Grand Rapids.

Houston approaching 400-win mark – The Aeros' win last night in Grand Rapids was the 395th in franchise history, which dates back to the 1994-95 season. Houston is only five wins shy of the 400-win mark. The Aeros sport a 395-270-73-10 mark. They have 208 wins at home and 187 on the road.

Aeros/Rampage connections –

Houston defenseman Eric Reitz played alongside the Rampage's Matt Dzieduszycki for two seasons with OHL Barrie (1999-2001). In the 1999-2000 season, San Antonio's Denis Shvidki was also on the team.

San Antonio's Paul Elliott was a teammate of Houston netminder Kyle Kettles in Medicine Hat in 1999-2000. Kettles also played with the Rampage's Scott Kelman and Sean O'Connor in Moose Jaw in the 2001-02 season.

Houston's Stephane Veilleux played with San Antonio backup netminder Simon Lajeunesse in 2000-01 with QMJHL Val d'Or.

San Antonio's Simon Lajeunesse was a teammate of Houston's Chris Bala in 2001-02 with Grand Rapids and 2002-03 in Binghamton. Both were Ottawa Senators prospects.

Quick hits

Houston goalie Johan Holmqvist is 15-8-6 all-time in December. His 15 wins in the month are second to only the 16 he has in March. His .621 December winning percentage ranks behind March (.630), February and April (both .625). Holmqvist is also two wins shy of 75 wins in his North American pro career, and three short of 75 in his AHL career.

Stephane Veilleux and Jason Marshall each have three goals this season. They have scored in the same game each for each of their three goals – October 17, November 8 and Sunday.

Of Houston's 23 fighting majors, just eight have come at home.

Houston is 1-4-0-1 on Saturdays this season. Last night was the Aeros' second win when scoring two or fewer goals (2-11-2), including a 1-6-1 road mark.

Houston has just one regulation loss in eight games when Jeff Hoggan has a point (5-1-0-2). The Aeros' Chris Bala will play in his 150th pro game tonight.

San Antonio has played just seven road games, fewest in the AHL. The Rampage is 3-2-2-0 in those games.

Last season, Aeros centerman Marc Cavosie scored five goals and had 19 points. Two of the goals (40 percent) and six of his points (32 percent) came against San Antonio. Both of his goals were game-winners.

In 2002-03, Houston defenseman Erik Reitz notched seven of his 13 assists versus the Rampage.

Fellow blueliner Travis Roche posted nine helpers against San Antonio.

The Aeros' Stephane Veilleux has five goals in six career games versus San Antonio.

Houston enters tonight's game with 162 power plays, most in the AHL. San Antonio, meanwhile, has had just 95 man advantages, the fewest in the league by seven (Lowell, 102).

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