Aeros Gameday

Published on March 23, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Ten things you need to know

- Houston has won two in a row for the first time since 1/7-1/12. A victory tonight would give the Aeros three straight victories for the first time since a season-high five-game winning streak 11/4-11/17. Houston is, however, just 1-3-1-0 in its last five games at Toyota Center.

- Houston G Dieter Kochan keyed the Aeros' sweep in Manitoba, stopping 66 of 67 shots. In the two games, Kochan had a 0.50 gaa and a .985 save pct., including his 12th career AHL shutout Wednesday. That came on the heels of a 44-save performance in Tuesday's 3-1 win. Kochan was also strong in Sunday's game in Rochester, which the Aeros lost 3-1. Kochan, who allowed two goals in that game, is 2-1-0 with a 1.00 gaa and a .971 save pct. in this last three games.

- Aeros D Erik Reitz has a goal in each of his last two games - a PPG Tuesday in Manitoba, followed by his team-best third SHG of the season Wednesday in Manitoba. Reitz' goal Wednesday was his seventh - establishing a new career-best, while his 30 points are also a new career-watermark, bettering the 28 he had last season. Reitz has 10 points (4-6=10) in 17 games since 2/8. Reitz is one SHG off the team record - matched most recently by Stephane Veilleux in 2003-04. The Aeros have 14 SHG as a team - one off the 1994-95 franchise record.

- Aeros rookie LW Benoit Pouliot tallied a goal and an assist Tuesday in Winnipeg. Since going nine games without a point 2/18-3/10, and 13 games without a goal 2/6-3/10, Pouliot has posted five points (2-3=5) in his last five games. Pouliot ranks second on the Aeros roster in scoring with 34 points (19-15=34).

- Aeros C Bryan Lundbohm also had a goal and a helper Tuesday. In his last 13 games, Lundbohm has eight points (3-5=8), while recording a minus rating just twice in that span.With 12 games left in the regular season, Lundbohm has 25 points (7-18=25) - closing in on his numbers from the 2005-06 season (9-21=30).

- Houston's veteran C Jason Morgan picked up his 300th career point Wednesday in Winnipeg. Morgan has 300 points (97-203=300) in 620 career games in the NHL, AHL and IHL. Morgan is also closing in on 500 career AHL games. He has 272 points (90-182=272) in 494 career AHL contests.

- Friday, Aeros D Curtis Murphy missed his first game ever as an Aero - 348 games counting the regular- and post-seasons. Murphy also missed Saturday and Sunday's games. He had played in 282 straight regular-season games overall since missing the 2003-04 season opener to attend former teammate Dan Snyder's funeral. Murphy, has missed five straight games now, had missed just one of his prior 521 games.

- Houston is 9-13-3-6 in one-goal games, and just 3-10-3-2 in its last 18 such games. The Aeros have only two non shootout one-goal wins, the last coming 3-2 at Iowa 11/9. Rochester is a sparkling 18-4-1-0 in one-goal contests. Only Manitoba (three) has fewer regulation losses in one-goal games, but the Moose has dropped 11 in OT/SO. One of the reasons for the Americans' gaudy one-goal mark is an 8-1 record in games decided in OT/SO.

- Slow starts are one of the main causes of the Aeros' recent woes. The Aeros have allowed the game's first goal in 11 of their last 14 games, although they have led after one period in each of the last two games after not having done so in 12 straight. The Aeros have failed to even score a first-period goal in seven of their last 10 games.

- The Aeros have not held a scoring advantage in the third period in 17 of their last 21 games. In their last 10 games, the Aeros have been outscored 11-3 in the final 20 minutes, and in their last 17 games, it has been a 21-6 deficit. Houston has been outscored 70-53 in the third period this season. The Aeros have scored the third fewest third-period goals in the AHL

Americans at Aeros (Aeros are 6-2-3-0 all-time, Aeros are 3-1-1-0 at Houston)

- Houston swept both games last season, but Rochester earned a 3-1 home win over the Aeros in this season's only previous meeting - last Sunday in Rochester. In that game, Janis Sprukts and Drew Larman scored a goal apiece and Adam Dennis made 24 saves for Rochester. Joey Tetarenko scored his first goal of the season and Dieter Kochan stopped 31 shots for Houston.

- The Aeros have just two regulation losses in 12 all-time meetings (6-2-3-0) - the first came 12/2/04, a 3-2 home decision.

Scouting the Aeros

The Aeros (24-35-3-6) begin a five-game homestand that continues tomorrow versus Omaha...Houston plays eight of its final 12 games at Toyota Center....Team scoring leader RW Matt Foy has 47 points (24-23=47)...Next are veteran rookie LW Benoit Pouliot (19-15=34), D Curtis Murphy (7-26=33), rookie RW Danny Irmen (16-16=32) and LW Mattias Weinhandl (14-18=32)...G Josh Harding is 17-16-4 with a 2.48 gaa and a .920 save pct., but is on recall to NHL Minnesota...The Aeros are 6-20-2-2 this season in games in which Harding does not appear...D Dieter Kochan is 5-13-1 with a 2.89 gaa and a .912 save pct...G Tony Quesada is 0-5-0 with a 4.50 gaa and a .874 save pct.

Scouting the Americans

Rochester (40-26-1-0), AHL affiliate of the Rochester Americans, has won two in a row since dropping 10 of 12...The Amerks' 4-3 win in Hamilton on Wednesday drew them even with the Bulldogs for second place in the North Division with 81 points...Hamilton has a game in hand...Rookie C Janis Sprukts leads all active Rochester scorers with 51 points (17-34=51)...D Brandon Smith paces the blueliners with 39 points (9-30=39)...Rookie G Adam Dennis is 14-14-0 with a 3.34 gaa and a .893 save pct...G Adam Berkhoel is 1-3-0 with a 3.74 gaa and a .881 save pct.

2006-07 meetings (2nd of 2 meetings, Aeros are 0-1-0-0 overall, First meeting at Houston)

March 18 Houston 1 at Rochester 3

Tonight Rochester at Houston

Wednesday's game

Dieter Kochan made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season, Erik Reitz posted a goal and an assist and Mattias Weinhandl also scored, as the Houston Aeros completed a two-game sweep of North Division-leading Manitoba, 2-0 at MTS Centre. Julien Ellis stopped 16 shots for Manitoba.

Quick Hits

- Ten of the Aeros' 24 victories have been in come-from-behind fashion. On 2/1 against Milwaukee, the Aeros trailed 2-1 with seven minutes remaining, but won 3-2 in a shootout. The Aeros have trailed in 24 of their last 28 games.

- The Aeros are winless (0-22-1-4) when allowing four goals or more.

- Houston is 0-3 in OT and 7-6 in shootouts. The Aeros' 13 shootouts are a league-high. Rochester is tied for the league low having played nine extra session games - and it has won eight. The Amerks are 4-1 in OT and 4-0 in shootouts.

- The Aeros are 21-10-1-4 when scoring three or more times, but just 3-25-2-2 when scoring two or fewer goals.

- C Bryan Lundbohm has a hand in six (2-4=6) of the Aeros' 14 SHG, while D Erik Reitz leads the team with three SHG. Lundbohm, RW Joel Ward, RW Danny Irmen and D Curtis Murphy each have two SHG this season. This is the first time since 2000-01 that the Aeros have five players with at least two SHG. The Aeros' 14 SHG are one shy of the team record, set in 1994-95. Reitz, meanwhile, is one off the team's individual SHG mark, set three times - most recently by Stephane Veilleux in 2003-04.

- Houston has allowed 213 goals in 68 games for a 3.13 team gaa. The Aeros are on pace to allow 251 goals - the most since yielding a franchise-record 328 in 1995-96, the only season in team history they didn't make the playoffs.

- The Aeros have scored 175 goals in 68 games for an average of 2.57 gpg. That's on pace for 206 goals scored, which would trail only the 2003-04 campaign (197) for the fewest in team history.

- Wednesday's win in Manitoba was the Aeros' first road victory when scoring two goals or fewer since 1/27/06 at Peoria, a 2-1 win.

Power play update

- Houston is 26th in the AHL with the man advantage at 13.7 percent.

- The Aeros are 5-for-66 (7.6 percent) on the power play in their last 14 games.

- Rochester is 26th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 78.8 percent.

- Despite their low ranking, the Americans have killed off 16-of-17 (94.1 percent) of their shorthanded chances in the last four games.

Penalty kill update

- Houston is seventh in the AHL on the PK at 84.9 percent.

- The Aeros are 18-for-18 on the PK in the last three games, after allowing a PPG in 11 consecutive outings.

- Rochester is 14th in the AHL on the power play at 17.4 percent.

- The Americans are 6-for-24 (25.0 percent) with the man advantage in their last five games.

Aeros/Americans connections

- Aeros assistant coach Cam Stewart and Amerks D Mike Card both hail from Kitchener, Ont.

- Aeros RW Joel Ward and Amerks G Adam Dennis are both from Toronto, Ont.

- Houston D Curtis Murphy and Rochester D Timo Helbling were teammates in 2003-04 with AHL Milwaukee.

- Aeros LW Josh Olson was a member of the Florida Panthers organization from 2002-05. He was teammates with Rochester RW Greg Jacina, C Kamil Kreps and D Jeremy Swanson.

- Houston RW Matt Foy was Amerks RW Mark Mancari's teammate in 2002-03 in OHL Ottawa.

- Aeros D Erik Reitz and Rochester D Jeremy Swanson were teammates in OHL Barrie in 2001-02.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2007


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