Aeros Gameday

Published on March 24, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Ten things you need to know

- The series between Houston and Omaha - although just 18 games old - has turned into one of the most exciting rivalries in the AHL. Eleven of the 18 all-time meetings between the teams have gone into OT or a shootout, including five of the last six. Four of those five one-goal games were decided in a shootout.

- The Aeros have not held a scoring advantage in the third period in 18 of their last 22 games, including a 3-0 Rochester advantage last night. In their last 11 games, the Aeros have been outscored 14-3 in the final 20 minutes, and in their last 18 games, it has been a 24-6 deficit. Houston has been outscored 73-53 in the third period this season. The Aeros have scored the third fewest third-period goals in the AHL.

- Aeros D Erik Reitz has a goal in two of the last three 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 C Bryan Lundbohm had a goal and a helper Tuesday in Manitoba. In his last 14 games, Lundbohm has eight points (3-5=8), while recording a minus rating just three in that span.With 11 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).

- Aeros D Curtis Murphy made a fine return to the Aeros' lineup last night after missing five straight games - his first time being absent after 348 games with the Aeros, counting the regular- and post-season. Murphy scored his eighth goal of the season and the 57th of his career, tying him with 2003 Calder Cup champion teammate Kyle Wanvig for eighth on the team's all-time list. Murphy has goals in each of his last two games played, and his three-game point streak (2-1=3) is a season-high.

- 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. Omaha is 18-7-4-1 in one-goal games.

- Houston lost at home Friday 6-4 to Rochester in its attempt to put together its first three-game winning streak since a season-high five-game winning streak 11/4-11/17. The Aeros fell to 1-4-1-0 at home, and they are 13-15-1-4 at Toyota Center this season. Houston is on pace for its fewest home wins since a franchise-worst 14-24-3 mark in 1995-96.

- Houston was shut out in each of the first three meetings with Omaha this season. Knights G Curtis McElhinney will look to join Milwaukee G Brian Finley as the lone netminders to shut out the Aeros three times in a single season. Omaha G Brent Krahn also has one shutout versus Houston. This is the third time in team history the same team has shut out the Aeros three times in one season. Grand Rapids did it in 2002-03, and Milwaukee followed in 2004-05. No team has ever earned four shutouts versus the Aeros in a single campaign. McElhinney is 6-2-1 with a 1.91 gaa and a .931 save pct. in his career against Houston, including a 6-0-1 mark, a 1.64 gaa and a .938 save pct. this season. Only Finley and Allan Bester also have six or more wins against the Aeros in a single season. Finley posted seven victories in 2003-04 and 2004-05, and Bester was a perfect 6-0-0 for Orlando against the Aeros in 1995-96.

- Last night, the Aeros failed to hold a three-goal lead for the first time since January 6, 2006, at home against Grand Rapids. Like last night, Houston led 4-1 in that game, after 37:12. It also marked just Houston's second regulation loss this season when leading after two periods (20-2-1-2).

- Houston's veteran C Jason Morgan picked up his 300th career point Wednesday in Winnipeg. After posting a goal and an assist last night against Rochester, Morgan has 302 points (98-204=302) in 621 career games in the NHL, AHL and IHL. Morgan is also closing in on 500 career AHL games. He has 274 points (91-183=274) in 495 career AHL contests.

Knights at Aeros (Aeros are 8-5-1-4 overall, Aeros are 6-1-0-2 at Houston)

- Houston won the first five meetings of 2005-06, but the Aeros are just 3-4-2-4 since.

- The Aeros are 6-1-0-2 all-time at home versus the Knights, but just 1-1-0-2 this season after winning all five Toyota Center meetings last season.

- In the teams' last meeting, 3/2 in Nebraska, Cam Cunning and Warren Peters scored in the final four minutes to give Omaha a 3-1 win.

- Omaha earned its first ever regulation win at Toyota Center in its last trip, 2/8. Dustin Boyd posted a goal and two assists as the Knights raced to a three-goal lead and held on for a 4-3 victory.

Scouting the Aeros

The Aeros (24-36-3-6) play game two of a five-game homestand that continues Friday against Peoria...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), LW Mattias Weinhandl (15-19=34), D Curtis Murphy (8-26=34) and rookie RW Danny Irmen (16-17=33)...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 6-21-2-2 this season in games in which Harding does not appear...D Dieter Kochan is 5-14-1 with a 3.06 gaa and a .907 save pct...G Tony Quesada is 0-6-0 with a 4.50 gaa and a .874 save pct.

Scouting the Knights

Omaha (40-22-4-1), AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames, is two points back of first-place Chicago, but with three games in hand and 13 games remaining...The Knights snapped a two-game skid with a 2-0 home victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday...Omaha kicks off a four-game road trip tonight...Rookie C Andrei Taratukhin paces the Knights with 54 points (16-38=54)...D Brett Skinner has 23 points (6-17=23) between Portland and Omaha, and D Brad Ference has 21 points (2-19=21)...G Curtis McElhinney is 28-16-1 with a 2.24 gaa and a .916 save pct, while G Brent Krahn is 12-9-0 with a 2.49 gaa and a .900 save pct.

2006-07 meetings (9th of 10 meetings, Aeros are 1-4-0-3 overall, Aeros are 1-1-0-2 at Houston)

November 18 Houston 0 at Omaha 3

December 2 Houston 0 at Omaha 4

December 7 Omaha 1 at Houston 0 (SO)

December 9 Omaha 4 at Houston 3 (SO)

January 13 Houston 4 at Omaha 5 (SO)

February 6 Omaha 1 at Houston 2 (SO)

February 8 Omaha 4 at Houston 3

March 2 Houston 1 at Omaha 3

Tonight Omaha at Houston

April 7 Houston at Omaha

Friday's game

Marek Zagrapan scored two goals and Greg Jacina netted the third period game winner, as the Rochester Americans rallied from three goals down for a 6-4 victory over the Houston Aeros at Toyota Center. Jason Morgan, Curtis Murphy, Mattias Weinhandl and Roman Voloshenko each scored and Dieter Kochan made 28 saves for Houston.

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 25 of their last 29 games.

- The Aeros are winless (0-23-1-4) 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. Omaha is just 1-4 in OT, but 7-1 in shootouts.

- The Aeros are 21-11-1-4 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 219 goals in 69 games for a 3.17 team gaa. The Aeros are on pace to allow 254 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 179 goals in 69 games for an average of 2.59 gpg. That's on pace for 208 goals scored, which would trail only the 2003-04 campaign (197) for the fewest in team history.

Power play update

- Houston is 26th in the AHL with the man advantage at 13.9 percent.

- The Aeros are 6-for-67 (9.0 percent) on the power play in their last 15 games.

- Omaha is third in the AHL on the penalty kill at 86.3 percent.

- The Knights have killed off 17-of-21 (81.0 percent) of their shorthanded chances in the last five games.

- The Aeros are 5-for-43 (11.6 percent) on the power play against Omaha.

Penalty kill update

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

- The Aeros are 19-for-19 on the PK in the last four games, after allowing a PPG in 11 consecutive outings.

- Omaha is 23rd in the AHL on the power play at 14.5 percent.

- The Knights are 5-for-29 (17.2 percent) with the man advantage in their last five games.

- Omaha is 6-for-48 (12.5 percent) on the power play against Houston.

Aeros/Knights connections

- Aeros RW Danny Irmen played alongside Omaha RW Kris Chucko at the University of Minnesota from 2004-06.

- Houston RW Joey Tetarenko and Omaha D Brad Ference were both in the Florida Panthers organization together from 1999-2003. Godard was also Tetarenko's teammate briefly from 1999-2001 in the Panthers organization.

- Omaha assistant coach Scott Allen coached both Aeros RW Joey Tetarenko and LW Josh Olson in AHL San Antonio.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 24, 2007


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