Aeros Gameday

Published on February 10, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Nine things you need to know

- The Aeros have played eight straight one-goal games to match a franchise record, going 2-3-3-0 in that span. The record was originally set 2/28-3/17/95. Houston is 8-9-3-5 in one-goal games, but just 2-6-3-1 in its last 12 such games. The Aeros have only two non shootout one-goal wins, the last coming 3-2 at Iowa 11/9. Houston's 17 non-wins in one-goal games are the most in the AHL. Peoria is 12-5-1-2 in one-goal games.

- Houston is 0-3-2-1 in its last six road games since defeating Iowa 3-1 on 1/12. This marks the Aeros' second road winless streak of five or more games, having lost five in a row in regulation 11/18-12/3 to establish a new franchise record. The current six-game slide is the longest since an 0-6-1-1 mark from 3/17-4/15/06. Houston's winless slide is tied with Springfield for the longest current run in the AHL, after Portland snapped an AHL season-high 11-game winless streak with a 2-1 win at Wilkes-Barre Scranton last night. If the Aeros don't win tonight, they would tie the second longest road winless streak in the AHL this season - both San Antonio and Syracuse have gone seven straight without a win away from home.

- Houston didn't go to OT or a shootout Thursday for the first time in five games. The Aeros' four-game streak of extra time games had matched a franchise record. Houston is 0-3 in OT and 6-5 in shootouts. The Aeros' 11 shootouts are two more than any other AHL team has played. Peoria has played a league-low seven OT/SO games. The Rivermen are 3-1 in OT and 1-2 in shootouts.

- Aeros RW Matt Foy has a team-best and career-high 20 goals, after scoring twice late in the second period Thursday for his team-leading fifth multiple-goal game of the season. Seventeen of Foy's 20 goals have come at Toyota Center. Foy has scored both of the Aeros' extra attacker goals this season, including his first career shorthanded goal, 1/23 against Milwaukee. Foy's 38 points are just two behind his career-high, set last season (15-25=40).

- The Aeros unleashed several shootout specialists Tuesday against Omaha, including D Shawn Belle, who improved to 4-for-4 in shootouts this season. Only two other AHL defensemen have more than one shootout goal. LW Mattias Weinhandl, who earned the deciding shootout goal, is 4-for-6. G Miroslav Kopriva, meanwhile, stopped four-of-four shots for a second straight shootout, improving to 2-1 in the tiebreaker this season. Kopriva has stopped 10-of-12 shootout attempts (83.3 percent) this season.

- The Aeros have scored first in three of four games, after going eight in a row allowing the first goal. Houston has scored first in just 19 of its 51 games.

- Houston fell 4-3 to Omaha on Thursday to drop to 2-8-2-1 in games where G Josh Harding doesn't play. Harding remains on recall to NHL Minnesota. G Miroslav Kopriva started and allowed three goals, and was relieved by G Dieter Kochan.

- The Aeros hit their magic number - three - Thursday against Omaha, but they still lost. Houston is just 2-17-2-1 when scoring two or fewer goals. The Aeros are 18-7-1-4 when scoring three or more times.

- Houston has had to come from behind in half of its 20 victories. The Aeros have trailed in 12 of their last 13 games, and in 18 of 20.

Aeros at Rivermen (Aeros are 7-5-0-1 all-time, Aeros are 2-4-0-0 at Peoria)

- The Aeros won six of 10 meetings in the 2005-06 regular season before sweeping Peoria in four games in the West Division Semifinals.

- Peoria defeated Houston 4-3 in a shootout at Toyota Center 1/4. Rivermen G Marek Schwarz made 35 saves, and he stopped all four shots he saw in the shootout. That game marked the first OT/SO meeting in 13 games between the teams.

- In its only trip to Carver Arena this season, Houston fell 4-1 on 12/3. LW Peter Sejna posted a goal and three assists, while linemates RW Mike Glumac and LW Charles Linglet each had a goal and two helpers.

- The Aeros and Rivermen meet five times total in March and April.

- Houston is winless in the last two meetings (0-1-0-1), the first time in the two year history of the series the Aeros have failed to win over a two-game stretch.

- The Aeros have been shut out in two of their six regular season trips to Carver Arena.

- Houston is 1-4-0-0 in its last five regular season games in Peoria.

Scouting the Aeros

The sixth-place Aeros (20-23-3-5) have 48 points and are three points behind fifth-place Peoria and five behind fourth-place Iowa...Houston finishes off a four-game week tomorrow in Milwaukee...Team scoring leader RW Matt Foy has 38 points (20-18=38)...Next are rookie LW Benoit Pouliot (17-10=27) and veteran D Curtis Murphy (6-21=27)...G Josh Harding is 17-16-4 with a 2.48 gaa and a .920 save pct., but is on recall to NHL Minnesota...D Dieter Kochan is 1-4-0 with a 3.52 gaa and a .893 save pct....G Miroslav Kopriva is 2-2-1 with a 2.61 gaa and a .923 save pct.

Scouting the Rivermen

Peoria (24-19-1-2), AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, defeated San Antonio 3-2 at home on Wednesday, for the Rivermen's second win in seven games (2-5-0-0) since 1/12...The victory also snapped a four-game home losing streak...The Rivermen are two points behind fourth-place Iowa with four games in hand...Veteran C Trent Whitfield paces the Rivermen with 45 points (19-26=45)...D Tomas Mojzis (0-13=13) leads the active blueline corps...G Marek Schwarz is 15-8-0 with a 2.75 gaa and a .903 save pct., but is out due to injury...G Jason Bacashihua is 2-7-1 with a 3.60 gaa and a .868 save pct...G Chris Beckford-Tseu, recalled this week from ECHL Alaska, is 6-4-1 with a 2.27 gaa and a .908 save pct. in 12 games for the Rivermen.

2006-07 meetings (4th of 10 meetings, Aeros are 1-1-0-1 overall, Aeros are 0-1-0-0 at Peoria)

October 28 Peoria 1 at Houston 7

December 3 Houston 1 at Peoria 4

January 4 Peoria 4 at Houston 3 (SO)

Tonight Houston at Peoria

March 3 Houston at Peoria

March 4 Houston at Peoria

March 10 Peoria at Houston

March 30 Peoria at Houston

April 3 Peoria at Houston

April 6 Houston at Peoria

Quick Hits

- Ten of the Aeros' 20 victories have been in come-from-behind fashion, including five of their last seven. On 2/1 against Milwaukee, the Aeros trailed 2-1 with seven minutes remaining, but won 3-2 in a shootout.

- The Aeros are 6-2-1-2 this season when allowing 40 or more shots.

- The Aeros have 10 SHG this season - tied for the fifth-most in the AHL. Houston's team record for most SHG in a season is 15, set in 1994-95. RW Danny Irmen and D Curtis Murphy have two apiece - halfway to the team record set in 1994-95 by Mario Chitaroni and matched in 2003-04 by Stephane Veilleux. C Bryan Lundbohm has a hand in four of the Aeros' 10 SHG (1-3=4).

- Peoria ranks 26th out of 27 AHL teams, scoring 2.65 gpg.

Thursday's game

Dustin Boyd posted a goal and two assists and Tim Hambly added a goal and a helper, as the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights sprinted to a three goal lead and held on for a 4-3 victory over the Houston Aeros at Toyota Center. Justin Taylor and Carsen Germyn scored a goal apiece and Curtis McElhinney made 28 saves for Omaha. Matt Foy scored two goals, Bryan Lundbohm added one and Miroslav Kopriva made 16 saves before being lifted for the Aeros.

Power play update

- Houston is tied for 23rd in the AHL with the man advantage at 14.5 percent.

- The Aeros are just 4-for-39 (10.3 percent) on the power play in their last seven games.

- Peoria is sixth in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.3 percent.

- The Rivermen have killed off 20-of-22 shorthanded chances (90.9 percent) in their last three games.

- The Aeros are 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) on the power play against Peoria..

Penalty kill update

- Houston is fourth in the AHL on the PK at 86.1 percent.

- Opponents are only 5-for-47 (10.6 percent) with the man advantage in the last seven games.

- Peoria is ninth in the AHL on the power play at 18.3 percent.

- After going 1-for-19 with the man advantage over a four-game stretch, the Rivermen scored three times on six chances against San Antonio on Wednesday.

- Peoria is 1-for-19 (5.3 percent) on the power play against Houston.

Aeros/Rivermen connections

- Houston LW Joey Tetarenko and Peoria RW Rocky Thompson spent much of the 2000-01 season together at AHL Louisville, and also the 2002-03 campaign with AHL San Antonio.

- Aeros D Ryan Stokes spent the 2004-05 season with ECHL Pensacola, along with Peoria LW Cam Keith.



American Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2007


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