Aeros Game Day

Published on January 18, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Ken Double brings you all today's play-by-play action on KBME 790 AM and www.aeros.com. Make sure to check the website throughout the game for complete period-by-period recaps.

Houston Aeros at Chicago Wolves, 1/18

Aeros at Wolves (Aeros lead all-time series 28-17-11-4, Aeros are 12-11-3-2 at Chicago)

· Tonight is the 61st all-time meeting between the Wolves and Aeros.

· Since joining the AHL, Houston is 10-8-6-4 versus Chicago, including a 4-5-1-2 road mark.

· Aeros have just three wins but only three regulation losses in the last 12 matchups (3-3-3-3).

· Amazingly, nine of the last 14 meetings have gone into overtime.

· Aeros were 4-2-1-3 against Chicago in 2002-03, including a 1-2-0-2 mark on the road.

· Houston had outscored the Wolves 7-3 in the third period of their first five meetings this season, before Chicago tallied three times for a 4-2 win January 3 at Allstate Arena.

· Tonight marks the second of Houston's five trips to Chicago this season. The teams have wrapped up their season series in Houston.

2003-04 meetings (Seventh of 10 meetings, Aeros are 1-2-3-0 overall, 0-1-0-0 in Chicago) October 31: Chicago 2 at Houston 2 (OT) November 22: Chicago 4 at Houston 3 December 7: Chicago 1 at Houston 3 December 28: Chicago 3 at Houston 3 (OT) December 30: Chicago 2 at Houston 2 (OT) January 3: Houston 2 at Chicago 4 Tonight: Houston at Chicago February 7: Houston at Chicago February 11: Houston at Chicago February 21: Houston at Chicago

Last game – Travis Roche scored shorthanded to knot the score with 8:17 gone in the third period and Kyle Kettles made 23 saves, and the Houston Aeros skated to a 1-1 tie with the San Antonio Rampage at SBC Center. Travis Scott turned aside 44 shots and Eric Beaudoin scored his third goal in two games for San Antonio. Houston again played without head coach Todd McLellan, who also missed last night's 6-3 loss to San Antonio due to illness. The Aeros are winless in a franchise-record 10 straight games (0-2-7-1), but have picked up points in an astounding eight of those games. Houston stayed in a fourth-place tie with San Antonio with 40 points. The Aeros played without Zbynek Michalek, Jason Marshall and Kyle Wanvig, all up in Minnesota, although Wanvig was reassigned to the Aeros prior to last night's game.

Scouting the Aeros – The Aeros play game two of a four-game road trip tonight, one shy of their season-high. Houston has just three regulation losses in 20 games (9-3-7-1) but is winless in a franchise-record 10 games (0-2-7-1). The Aeros are expected to again play tonight without head coach Todd McLellan, who is back in Houston with a severe case of the flu. Assistant coach Matt Shaw will lead the team in McLellan's stead. Kyle Wanvig (15g, 8a) and Rickard Wallin (10g, 13a) are tied for the team lead for 23 points. Stephane Veilleux (6g, 16a) is third on the team in points, one better than Dan Cavanaugh (7g, 14a). Houston's blueline is really chipping in lately. Jason Marshall, who took over the Aeros' captaincy in December, has 15 points, including a team-best five goals from the blueline. Marshall was recalled to Minnesota yesterday to help fill in for the ailing Brad Bombardir. Erik Reitz had a goal and an assist Friday night and has 15 points (3g, 12a), and Travis Roche (2g, 12a) has a goal and six assists in the last eight games. Roche missed Friday's game with the flu, but scored the shorthanded game-tying goal in last night's 1-1 tie with San Antonio. Last year's Calder Cup Most Valuable Player, goalie Johan Holmqvist, has started 33 of the team's first 42 games, going 12-15-5 with a 2.67 goals against average Holmqvist is winless (0-3-2) in his last six starts with a no decision, one shy of his longest streak of the season and three shy of his career mark. His backup is second-year netminder Kyle Kettles, who is 2-4-4 with a 2.19 goals against average. Kettles has stopped 145 of 151 shots (96.0 percent) while going 2-0-4 in his last six starts. Kettles did allow three goals on 11 shots in relief Friday night. Kettles has just 10 goals of support in nine starts this season, and he has ties in each of his last four starts.

Scouting the Wolves – Chicago is unbeaten in regulation in four straight (2-0-1-1) and is an impressive 7-2-3-1 in its last 13 games. Last night, the Wolves warmed up for this afternoon's showdown by whipping Manitoba 5-1 after falling behind 1-0 after one. Brian Swanson was in on all five goals for Chicago, notching a goal and four assists. Eric Healey scored twice, while Stephen Baby added a goal and two assists. Michael Garnett picked up his first AHL win, making 19 saves as he watched his team outshoot the Moose 41-19. Healey's two-point night moved him into a tie with Steve Maltais for the team lead with 30 points. Healey has a team-best 17 goals and 13 assists, while Maltais has 12 goals and 18 helpers. Swanson is third on the team with 28 points (10g, 18a). The Wolves blueline is manned by former Aero Greg Hawgood, with 21 points (3g, 18a) and Kurtis Foster with 18, including a team-best nine goals from the blueline. With No. 2 overall pick Kari Lehtonen hurt, Frederic Cassivi has taken over the reins as the No. 1 goalie. Cassivi is 5-7-5 with a 3.03 goals against average. Garnett's start last night was his first in the AHL this season. Garnett has spent much of the season in ECHL Gwinnett.

Quite the crowd – The Aeros' crowd Friday night was their biggest in nearly five full seasons, since Game 7 of the 1999 IHL Turner Cup Finals against Chicago, on June 5 (15,242). It was also the biggest crowd in the AHL this season, bettering Chicago's 12,818, versus Grand Rapids on November 1. Houston jumped from averaging 4,359 fans per game to 4,767 fans per game, moving from 17th in the league to 13th.

Welcome back ‘Cully' – Houston may not have picked up a win in the last two nights, but the Aeros were happy to see Mark Cullen back in the lineup. The second-year center had missed the last 22 games with a separated shoulder, after missing the first three games of the season due to having a cancerous mole removed in September, and the ensuing treatments. Cullen has two shots and two penalty minutes in his first two games back. He also was the starting center Friday, meaning he was greeted at the ceremonial puck drop by future Hall of Fame major leaguer Roger Clemens. Cullen has also fought back from a broken vertebrae at college, in addition to a broken ankle in last season's Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Scoreless streak over – The Aeros have scored just 26 goals in 14 games (1.86 goals per game) since beating Norfolk 5-3 December 17. Houston has scored three or more goals three times during the last 13 games. Christoph Brandner's goal with 1:01 left in the opening period Friday night snapped the Aeros' home and overall scoreless streak at 178 minutes, 52 seconds. Houston hadn't scored a goal since Darby Hendrickson's power play tally with 4:05 left in the second period against Rochester January 4. The Aeros were shut out in back-to-back home games for the first time since March 2 (Providence) and March 6 (Grand Rapids), 2002. The Aeros were in their longest home scoreless streak in team history, besting the previous mark of 151 minutes, 51 seconds, set from March 1-7, 2002. Houston's longest ever scoreless streak if 185 minutes, 29 seconds, from March 19-24, 1995, when the Aeros were shut out in three straight games - the only time in franchise history that has happened. Offensively in the AHL, the Aeros have slipped to 24th at 2.26 goals per game.

Home points streak stopped at 11 – Houston's loss to San Antonio Friday night ended the team's 11-game home points streak (6-0-4-1). Houston's nine-game home unbeaten streak, snapped January 8 in a 1-0 overtime loss to Hartford, was the second longest in the AHL this season, trailing only Bridgeport's 10-game run from October 25-December 17. Houston started off its first season in Toyota Center just 2-6-1-1 but prior to last night hadn't lost in regulation since a 3-1 decision to Milwaukee December 1, improving to 8-7-5-2. Prior to Friday night, each of Houston's last five home games have gone to overtime (0-1-4), a franchise record. The Aeros' current six-game home winless streak is their season high and two short of the franchise record, set from December 5-31, 1995.

My kingdom for a regulation game – The Aeros have gone into overtime in eight of their last 10 games. The Aeros, winless at 0-3-9 in overtime, are one of just three AHL teams without an extra session win. Houston's 12 OT non-wins are the most of those three teams. The Aeros went 8-3-7 in overtime last season, second in the league in extra session wins (Chicago, 11). Houston's 12 overtime games this season are still not even halfway to the franchise record of 26 shootout games in the 1998-99 season. The AHL record for overtime games is also 26, set in 2001-02 by both Albany and Rochester. The Aeros' nine ties are still nine short of the AHL/overtime era record, set in 1997-98 by St. John's. New Haven played to 20 ties in 1972-73, but that was before the AHL played overtime periods.

Like father, like son – Houston's penchant for overtime and tie games is remarkably similar to parent club Minnesota. The Wild, 3-3-9 in the last 15, and the Aeros, 9-3-7-1 in the last 20, have combined for only six regulation losses but also only 12 wins in their last 35 games (12-6-16-1). Both teams are winless in overtime – Minnesota is 0-0-14, while Houston sports an 0-3-9 extra session mark. Both teams tied last night, meaning they are a combined 0-3-22 in overtime in 2003-04.

Aeros and Rampage tied for fourth – The Aeros (40 points) are tied with San Antonio for fourth place in the West Division, and Houston could move within a point of third-place Milwaukee with a win tonight. Milwaukee tied 3-3 versus Cincinnati last night. Houston's highest position this season was tied for third on December 28-29. The Admirals do have four games in hand on the Aeros. Chicago has 49 points and is in second place in the West, seven points behind Grand Rapids, which is tied with Bridgeport for the overall AHL points lead with 56.

Aeros tied for league's best record since December 5 – Houston entered its December 5 home game with Cincinnati with an eight game-winless streak and a league-low 14 points. Since that game, which the Aeros won 3-1, Houston has 26 points, tied with Bridgeport, Grand Rapids and Hartford for the most in the AHL. The run has helped the Aeros climb out of last place and into a tie for fourth. Chicago has 22 points since December 5.

Aeros 9-3-7-1 in last 20 – Houston is 9-3-7-1 in its last 20 games, but is also winless in a franchise-record 10 games (0-2-7-1), although the Aeros have picked up points in eight of those 10 games. The Aeros began this 18-game streak by snapping a then franchise-record eight-game winless streak with a 3-1 win over Cincinnati December 5.

· Houston ran off seven straight games without a loss (3-0-4) December 20-January 2, including four straight ties December 27-January 2.

· The Aeros are currently winless in 10 games (0-2-7-1), two more than their previous franchise record eight-game streak (0-6-1-1) November 20-December 3 of this season. Houston picked up points in just two of those games. The Aeros' 10-game winless streak is the longest in the AHL this season.

· Kyle Wanvig, currently in Minnesota, has recorded four of the team's last nine game-winning goals.

· The Aeros' six-game winning streak was tied for the second-longest in the AHL this season.

· In the season's first 22 games, Houston allowed a league-worst 3.36 goals per game. In the last 20 games, the Aeros are yielding just 1.85 goals per game. That has helped Houston move out of the basement to 2.64 goals against per game, 18th in the AHL.

Hoggan enjoys new linemates – Aeros right winger Jeff Hoggan played mostly a checking line role in his rookie campaign of 2002-03, but he has already set his career-high in points this season with 18, including career-bests in goals (10) and assists (eight). Hoggan has been particularly hot lately, especially since he has been paired with a pair of Swedes – Rickard Wallin and Mika Hannula. Hoggan has 11 points (6g, 5a) in the last 17 games. Getting Hoggan on the scoresheet is very important to the Aeros, who have just one loss in regulation when he has a point. Houston is 9-1-3-2 when Hoggan has a point, including a 5-1-2-2 mark when he has a goal and an unbeaten 6-0-2-0 record when he notches an assist. Hoggan has a trio of two-point games this season. Wallin has nine points (3g, 6a) and Hannula seven (3g, 4a) since the pairing.

Kettles unbeaten in last six starts – It took goalie Kyle Kettles just more than two months to pick up his first AHL win December 20, but he wasted little time with win No. 2. He made 26 saves at Utah December 23, his second straight gutsy 2-1 road victory. Kettles has earned ties in each of his last four starts, including a season-high 33 saves in a 2-2 game versus Cincinnati January 2, and a 20-save shutout – his first in the AHL – January 9 versus Worcester. Kettles had lowered his goals against average from 3.65 to 2.09 before it jumped up to 2.34 after Friday night. Kettles has turned aside 145 of 151 shots (96.0 percent) in going unbeaten (2-0-4) his last six starts. His team, though, has supported Kettles with just 10 goals in the netminder's nine starts this season. Friday night, Kettles was tagged with his first loss since a 3-1 decision to Milwaukee on December 1. Kettles, though, rebounded last night with a 23-save performance in a 1-1 tie in San Antonio to run his unbeaten start streak to six games.

Penalty kill update –

· Houston killed off its first 31 shorthanded chances this season. Since then, opponents are 22-for-157 (14.0 percent) on the power play.

· The Aeros' overall 88.3 percent penalty kill rate ranks fourth in the AHL.

· The Aeros have allowed four power plays or fewer in 15 of their last 18 games.

· Houston has killed off 25 of 28 shorthanded chances (89.3 percent) over the past eight games.

· Chicago's power play is 10th in the AHL at 15.5 percent, including 11th at home at 17.1 percent.

· Houston allowed two power play goals Friday night and is winless (0-5-1-0) when yielding two or more PPG.

· The Aeros have yielded no power play goals in 27 of their 42 games, and have points in all but seven of those games (9-7-8-3).

Power play update –

· Houston enters tonight's game 29 of 248 on the power play (11.7 percent), 25th among 28 AHL teams.

· The Aeros have gone 17-for-104 (16.3 percent) since Matt Foy snapped a streak of 37 straight unsuccessful power plays December 5, raising their percentage from 8.3 to 11.7.

· Houston had at least one power play goal in 13 of 16 games from December 5-January 4, before going 0-for-9 in two games January 8-9.

· Houston's 248 power plays are the most in the AHL, although Manitoba has nearly caught up (247). In order to put the Aeros' power-play totals in perspective, realize that they have an astounding 93 more power plays than in-state rival San Antonio, which has the fewest in the league.

· Tonight, the Aeros face a penalty kill unit tied for 12th in the AHL at 86.6 percent. At home, the Wolves kill at just an 84.0 rate, 19th in the AHL.

Hendrickson plays in 600th pro game, closing in on other milestones – Aeros centerman Darby Hendrickson played in his 600th professional game December 30. Hendrickson, who spent eight full seasons in the NHL, has 192 points (96g, 96a) in his pro career after two goals December 4. Hendrickson is four goals and four assists shy of 100 in his pro career in both those categories. Hendrickson played in his 100th AHL game December 27. He has 67 points (32g, 35a) in 109 career AHL contests.

Houston has one win when allowing more than one goal - The Aeros are an unbeaten in regulation 13-0-3-1 when allowing one goal or fewer this season, and December 17 was their only win (1-16-6-2) when yielding two or more, a 5-3 home win over Norfolk.

Aeros have first goal in 13 of 18 games – Houston has scored first in 13 of its last 18 games, but the Aeros haven't won any of the last six games when scoring first (0-2-4). Houston is 6-2-5-0 in the last 13 when scoring first and 11-3-5-1 overall when scoring first. Friday night marked the Aeros' first home loss when scoring first (5-1-3-0).

But when not scoring first... - The Aeros are 3-13-3-2 when allowing the game's first goal, including an 0-7-2-0 mark on the road. Last night was just Houston's second point on the road when not scoring the first goal of the game.

Aeros notch point when trailing after two – Houston rallied in the third period last night to force a 1-1 tie, marking the Aeros sixth point – third on the road – when trailing after two. The Aeros, who have yet to win when trailing after 40 minutes, are 0-13-5-1 overall in such situations and 0-6-3-0 away from Toyota Center.

Hoggan, Veilleux ironmen – Houston sports just two players who have played in each of the team's first 42 games – Stephane Veilleux and Jeff Hoggan. Veilleux's consecutive game streak is at 48 games dating back to last season, while Hoggan has played in 45 straight games.

McLellan gets No. 100 – December 26 (also the Aeros last victory), Houston head coach Todd McLellan joined current Dallas Stars coach Dave Tippett as the only coaches in team history with 100 victories. McClellan is now 100-65-26-11 in his 2 ½-season reign with the club. McLellan will have to keep at it to top Tippett's 165-win total. Tippett coached the Aeros for 3 ½ seasons and - like McLellan - led his team to a championship, the 1999 Turner Cup. McLellan's overall pro coaching record is 143-97-33-11 in 3 ½ seasons. He coached IHL Cleveland in 2000-01 before coming to Houston. McLellan picked up his 100th victory in his 192nd game with the team, just five more games than it took Tippett to reach the plateau. McLellan coached his 200th game with the Aeros last Friday.

Houston just past halfway point – The Aeros are just past the official midway point of the season with a 14-15-8-3 mark. Below is a breakdown of Houston's season so far in 10-game segments. Games 1-10 3-6-1-0, 7 points GF: 23 GA: 33 PP: 6-62 (9.7%) PK: 37-40 (92.5%) Games 11-20 2-5-1-2, 7 points GF: 26 GA: 35 PP: 6-60 (10.0%) PK: 51-60 (85.0%) Games 21-30 7-3-0-0, 14 points GF: 24 GA: 17 PP: 8-69 (11.6%) PK: 43-47 (91.5%) Games 31-40 2-1-6-1, 11 points GF: 18 GA: 19 PP: 7-49 (14.3%) PK: 29-33 (87.9%) Games 41-42 0-1-1-0, 1 point GF: 4 GA: 7 PP: 2-8 (25.0%) PK: 6-8 (75.0%)

Houston wraps up three-in-three – The Aeros wrap up their fourth set of three games in three nights situations tonight, having gone unbeaten (1-0-2-0) in the finale the first three occasions. Tonight's a bit different, considering an overtime game last night in San Antonio and an early flight out of there this morning for today's 3 p.m. faceoff – some 17 hours since the Aeros got off the ice last night in San Antonio.

Roche nearing milestones – Houston defenseman Travis Roche, who has a goal and six assists in the last eight games, is approaching a pair of milestones – his 100th point as an Aero and also his 100th pro point. Roche has 98 points (30g, 68a) in 163 pro games, while he has 97 points (30g, 67a) in 153 Aeros games. Roche has one point in 10 career games with the Minnesota Wild.

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.

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

· Wolves assistant coach Marty Howe won a pair of AVCO Cups with the WHA Houston Aeros in 1974-75.

Quick hits

· The Aeros, 0-3-9 in overtime, are one of three AHL teams without an extra session win. Houston's 12 OT non-wins are the most of those three teams. The Aeros went 8-3-7 in overtime last season, second in the league in extra session wins (Chicago, 11).

· Houston's 12-game overtime ties the franchise-record streak (0-4-8) from December 29, 2001, to March 29, 2002. Chicago is 2-3-6 in overtime.

· Houston has just one win this season when allowing a goal in the third period. The Aeros are 13-2-6-2 when keeping their opponents off the board in the third, including an unbeaten in regulation 12-0-6-2 the last 20 times.

· Houston's last game-winning goal from a player other than the called-up Kyle Wanvig was Chris Bala, in a 2-1 victory in Cincinnati December 20. Prior to that, Jeff Hoggan's GWG December 13 against San Antonio was the last goal of its kind scored by an Aero other than Wanvig.

· Travis Roche's overtime penalty shot January 9 was the first of its kind in the AHL since Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Ross Lupaschuk was stopped by Syracuse's J. F. Labbe February 22, 2002.

· Chicago ranks fourth in the AHL averaging 2.86 goals per game.

· Houston leads the AHL in shots per game 33.76 by just .03 over Milwaukee. The Wolves though yield 33.02 shots per game, ranked just 23rd in the league.

· The Wolves are an impressive 9-4-0-3 in one-goal games, while Houston is 6-3-0-3.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 18, 2004


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