Aeros Gameday

Published on November 1, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Seven things you need to know
- Thirteen of Houston's 26 goals have been scored by rookies. Aeros LW Benoit Pouliot (five) and RW Danny Irmen (four) rank first and tied for second, respectively, among AHL rookies in goals. No other AHL team has more goals from rookies.
- The Aeros have followed a six or more game winless slide up with three straight wins just four other times in franchise history - December 5-17, 2003 (six straight wins); December 21, 2002-January 3, 2003 (seven-game winning streak and 11-0-2 unbeaten streak); January 26-February 1, 2000 (three straight wins); and January 5-17, 1996 (three straight wins).
- Aeros third-year G Josh Harding ranks first in the AHL in games played (nine), minutes (524), shots faced (255) and saves (233), while ranking tied for 17th in gaa (2.52) and 17th in save pct (.914). Harding's nine consecutive games played are the most for an Aeros goalie since Mike Smith's franchise record of 19, set from November 26, 2004, to January 25, 2005, while Harding was injured. Harding has had his struggles against the Wolves, however. He is 4-6-0 with a 3.28 gaa and a .879 save pct. in his career against Chicago - and 48-23-4 with a 2.23 gaa and a .929 save pct. versus the rest of the AHL.
- Wolves G Michael Garnett has also not fared that well against tonight's opponent in his career. He is 3-4-1 with a 3.74 gaa versus Houston. The 3.74 gaa is second highest among any active AHL netminder, trailing only Rochester's Jean-Marc Pelletier (4.66).
- Aeros RW Matt Foy needs three more points to become the 24th player in Aeros history to reach the 100-point plateau. Foy has 97 points (41-56=97) in 178 games with Houston, and tonight Foy is set to play in his 200th pro game, counting 21 with NHL Minnesota. Game No. 199 was memorable for Foy, who recorded two goals and two assists in Saturday's 7-1 win over Peoria. Foy matched career-highs in goals and points while scoring two of Houston's three PPG's.
- Chicago features former Aeros C Cory Larose, who tallied 120 points (50-70=120) in 136 games from 2001-03, and former Aeros RW Kyle Wanvig, who netted 113 points (57-56=113) in 239 games from 2001-05. Larose was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for Jay Henderson late in the 2002-2003 season, while Wanvig spent last season in Minnesota before signing a free agent deal with Atlanta. Larose's 50 goals place him 13th on the Aeros' all-time (IHL/AHL) list, while he is tied for 13th in points. Wanvig's 57 goals put him seventh on the team's all-time ledgers, while he ranks 17th with 103 points. Wanvig, a key cog in the Aeros' 2003 Calder Cup title team, is also fifth on the team's all-time PIM list with 485.
- All but two of Houston's nine games have been decided by one or two goals. That includes five one-goal games, and a pair of two-goal games that were essentially one goal games, plus an empty net tally.

Wolves at Aeros (Aeros are 38-26-14-4 all-time, Aeros are 23-8-8-2 at Houston)
- Tonight is the 83rd all-time meeting between the Wolves and Aeros - 42nd in Houston.
- Houston went 5-3-0-0 against Chicago last season, including a 3-1-0-0 home mark. After dropping the first meeting at Toyota Center 5-1, the Aeros won the next three games - all by one goal.
- Thirteen of the last 18 meetings in Houston have been decided by one goal or finished in a tie. Five of the last six meetings overall have been one-goal games, with the other decided by two goals.
- Since joining the AHL in 2001-02, Houston is 13-5-5-2 at home and 20-17-9-4 overall versus the Wolves in the regular season.
- Chicago earned a five-game win over the Aeros in the 2005 West Division Semifinals en route to the Calder Cup Finals.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (3-5-0-1) play game three of a four-game homestand that finishes Friday against Toronto...RW Matt Foy leads the Aeros in scoring with eight points (3-5=8), ahead of rookie LW Benoit Pouliot (5-1=6) and rookie RW Danny Irmen (4-2=6)...D Curtis Murphy paces the blueline with five points (2-3=5)...G Josh Harding is 2-5-1 with a 2.52 gaa and a .914 save pct. this season...G Dieter Kochan was signed to a 2006-07 AHL contract last month and earned the shootout win in relief of Harding in his only appearance, in Grand Rapids, on 10/21...Kochan made two saves in regulation and OT, then stopped four-of-seven shots in the shootout...The veteran netminder was a member of the Aeros' 2003 Calder Cup title team...Rookie G Tony Quesada, a Holy Cross product, has backed up Harding in the last two games.

Scouting the Wolves
Chicago (5-3-1-0), AHL affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers, is 1-1-1-0 following a two-game win streak...The Wolves lost 5-4 in OT to Iowa on Saturday, despite taking a lead into the final five seconds...Chicago RW Darren Haydar and C Jason Krog each posted a goal and two assists...The pair ranks 1-2 in the AHL in scoring (Haydar 8-8=16, Krog 6-9=15), and each forward has a point in all of the Wolves' first nine games...G Michael Garnett is 3-3-0 with a 3.52 gaa and a .879 save pct...Veteran G Fred Brathwaite is 2-1-0 with a 2.01 gaa but is nursing an injury...G Dave Caruso is looking to make his first appearance.

2006-07 meetings (1st of 8 meetings)
Tonight Chicago at Houston
November 25 Houston at Chicago
December 22 Chicago at Houston
December 27 Houston at Chicago
January 3 Houston at Chicago
February 17 Chicago at Houston
February 18 Chicago at Houston
March 7 Houston at Chicago

Saturday's game
Matt Foy scored two of Houston's three power play goals and added two assists, and Danny Irmen tallied two goals, as the Houston Aeros routed the Peoria Rivermen 7-1 on Breast Cancer Awareness Night at Toyota Center. Curtis Murphy (goal) and Josh Harding (27 saves) used their pink-taped sticks to their full advantage, and defensemen Clayton Stoner and Ryan Stokes also scored for Houston (3-5-0-1), which has won three straight.

Quick Hits
- The road team has won eight of Chicago's first nine games. The Wolves themselves are 4-0-0-0 on the road.
- The Wolves have led after one period in six of nine games, and after two periods in seven of nine. The Aeros, on the other hand, have led after 20 minutes just twice, and after 40 minutes three times.
- Houston has scored at least one goal in nine of its last 10 periods.
- Aeros D Ryan Stokes has two points (1-1=2) in his last three games. He posted five points (2-3=5) in 75 games last season.
- Houston D Erik Reitz has yet to record a point this season, but he is plus-four in the last three games. Veteran C Bryan Lundbohm and rookie LW Benoit Pouliot are also plus-four in the last three games.
- Aeros rookie LW Ryan Hamilton has three points (1-2=3) in his last three games.
- Houston rookie RW Danny Irmen has four points (2-2=4), including his first pro two goal game, and is a plus-four in his last three games.
- One of the most recognizable faces in team history reached an important milestone 10/27, as Aeros veteran D Curtis Murphy played in his 600th regular season game as a professional. Murphy has posted 395 points (123-272=395) and 497 PIM's in 601 games in the American Hockey League, International Hockey League, the Russian Super League, and one National Hockey League game with the Minnesota Wild. Murphy is perhaps the most durable player in the AHL in the last 10 seasons. Counting the post-season, Murphy has played in 228 consecutive games since missing the 2003-04 season opener to attend Dan Snyder's funeral. He has played in 464 of a possible 465 games, counting both the regular and post-seasons, since the 2001-02 season. Murphy is the Aeros' all-time leader amongst defensemen in goals (51), assists (122) and points (173).
- The Aeros currently place sixth in the 27-team AHL in average attendance, drawing 6,966 fans per game.

Power play update
- Houston is 24th in the AHL with the man advantage at 10.6 percent.
- Houston scored just four PPG in its first eight games, but erupted for three Saturday against a Peoria team that entered the game with the top PK unit in the league.
- Chicago is 11th on the PK this season at 84.6 percent.
- The Wolves have allowed five PPG on just 17 chances in the last two games for a 70.6 percent PK rate.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is tied for 13th this season on the PK at 83.6 percent.
- The Aeros have killed off 12 straight shorthanded chances in the last two games - both at home - and are 19-for-21 (90.5 percent) on the PK in the last four games.
- Houston has allowed two or more PPG in three of its nine games.
- Chicago is tied for 20th on the power play at 13.9 percent.
- The Wolves have scored a PPG in five straight games, going 9-for-45 (20.0 percent) in that span.

Draft Notes
- The Aeros featured 16 draft picks on their 25-man, Opening Night roster, including three first-rounders, a pair of second-rounders and three third-rounders.
- Houston's first-round picks are LW Benoit Pouliot (No. 4 overall by Minnesota in 2005), D Peter Ratchuk (No. 25 overall by Colorado in 1996) and D Shawn Belle (No. 30 overall by Dallas in 2003).

Aeros/Wolves connections
- Chicago features former Aeros C Cory Larose, who tallied 120 points (50-70=120) in 136 games from 2001-03, and former Aeros RW Kyle Wanvig, who netted 113 points (57-56=113) in 239 games from 2001-05. Larose was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for Jay Henderson late in the 2002-2003 season, while Wanvig spent last season in Minnesota before signing a free agent deal with Atlanta. Larose's 50 goals place him 13th on the Aeros' all-time (IHL/AHL) list, while he is tied for 13th in points. Wanvig's 57 goals put him seventh on the team's all-time ledgers, while he ranks 17th with 103 points. Wanvig is also fifth on the team's PIM list with 485.
- Aeros assistant coach Matt Shaw was an assistant coach under John Anderson in Chicago in 1998-99.
- Aeros G Dieter Kochan was released from a PTO last month by Chicago, a day before signing with Houston. Kochan spent parts of two seasons in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization alongside Chicago C Steve Martins.
- Houston C Alex Leavitt was Chicago D Jim Fahey's teammate at the University of Wisconsin from 2001-03. Fahey played alongside Aeros D Shawn Belle last season in AHL Iowa.
- Wolves RW Darren Haydar played in Milwaukee from 2002-06. He was teammates with Aeros D Curtis Murphy, Aeros C Bryan Lundbohm and Aeros C Wyatt Smith. The Admirals were Calder Cup champs in 2004. Haydar and Aeros RW Joel Ward each hail from Toronto, Ont.
- Aeros LW Josh Olson was Chicago D Troy Milam's teammate in San Antonio in 2003-04.
- Aeros G Josh Harding and Chicago D Nathan Oystrick each hail from Regina, Sask. Oystrick and Aeros G Dieter Kochan each attended Northern Michigan University, albeit six years apart.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2006


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