Aeros Looking for Holiday Cheer

December 16, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Houston plays three games this week looking to break their five-game winless streak. The team is 1-4-1 in the month of December with seven games remaining.

THE WEEK THAT WAS: Houston went winless in three games at 0-2-1. DECEMBER 12: Houston hosted the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and fell 4-1. Bridgeport scored two first period goals. In the second, the Sound Tigers took a 3-0 lead. With just 19 seconds left in the middle period, Houston scored. Kyle Wanvig collected the goal with assists by Cory Larose and Travis Roche. However, that was all Houston could get and Bridgeport iced the game with an empty-net goal. Derek Gustafson lost his third straight decision for Houston, stopping 22 of the 25 shots he faced.

DECEMBER 13: The next night, the teams battled to a 1-1 tie. After a scoreless first period, Bridgeport struck first, just over two minutes in, on the power play. Shortly after the power play goal, Houston's penalty killers came up big as they stoned Bridgeport on a five-minute power play. Finally at 13:50 of the third, Jean-Guy Trudel tied the game, scoring his 200th career goal. Cory Larose collected the lone assist. For the night, Houston doubled up Bridgeport on shots, 46-23. G Dieter Kochan made 22 saves on 23 shots for Houston.

DECEMBER 14: The Aeros wrapped up their three-in-three weekend with a loss to the Utah Grizzlies by a score of 5-2. Utah scored twice in the first period, one a breakaway out of the penalty box. In the second, Houston drew within one when Kyle Wanvig scored. Newcomer Tomas Hradecky and Rastislav Pavlikovsky collected the assists. Utah regained a two-goal lead midway through the period. Late in the frame, Houston finally got a power play goal by Mark Cullen. It was the Aeros' first goal with the man advantage in four games. Tony Virta and Jeremy Stevenson registered the assists. In the third, Utah took another two-goal lead, on the power play and then got an empty netter. Dieter Kochan was in net for Houston and stopped 22 of 26 shots.

A MILESTONE GOAL: Friday night, LW Jean-Guy Trudel scored the Aeros' lone goal and it was the 200th of his pro career. Trudel has registered two three-game point streaks this season and had another stretch of three goals in four games as part of a four game point streak in being the Aeros leading scorer. After scoring the memorable goal, Trudel was recalled by Minnesota and played in Nashville Saturday night. He collected two penalty minutes in his fifth NHL game.

ROAD WARRIORS: Houston is 9-5 on the road through 14 games this season, thanks in part to the effort of three players. LW Jean-Guy Trudel leads the club in scoring with 26 points and the majority has come away from Compaq Center. He has 9-10-19 on the road to lead the team. RW Kyle Wanvig also has most of his points on the road with 8-8-16. He has 10-9-19 overall. C Cory Larose is slightly more balanced. Of his 23 points, 2-12-14 have come on the road. On the flip side, D Curtis Murphy is Houston's leading scorer at home with 5-9-14. He has six goals on the road.

STARK COMPARISON: Twenty-seven games into the season, Houston has had two distinct styles. The team started with a club record eight game-winning streak. After losing their first of the year, the Aeros rebounded and went undefeated in the next five. However, in the past 13 games, the team is 4-8-1. The statistics reflect the trend also.

Through the first 14 games, Houston scored 54 goals and allowed 32 (3.9 goals per game average vs. 2.3). In the past 13, the Aeros have scored 32 while allowing 46 (2.5 to 3.5). Lack of production on the power play attributes to the scoring decline. The power play converted 20 of 108 chances during the first 14 games (18.5%). In the last 13, it's been a powerless 8 of 76 (10.5%).

FIRST IS IMPORTANT: Scoring first is very important to the Aeros. The team is 7-1-1 when striking first. In the 18 games this season, the opponent has scored first, and Houston is 9-8-1. The Aeros have not scored the first goal of the game since Nov. 29 at Norfolk (a 5-4 loss). The first period also has been very rough on the Aeros as they have been outscored 19-29 in the first and have not collected a first period goal since Nov. 29 (seven games).

TRANSACTIONS: 12/11 - C Rickard Wallin recalled by Minnesota (NHL), D Remi Royer assigned to the Reading Royals (ECHL); 12/14 - LW Jean-Guy Trudel recalled by Minnesota, C Tomas Hradecky signed to PTO, 12/15 - LW Jean-Guy Trudel reassigned by Minnesota, C Tomas Hradecky released from PTO, RW Kyle Wanvig and D Curtis Murphy recalled by Minnesota.

NEWS AND NOTES: * LW Jean-Guy Trudel continues to lead the team in goals and points with 12-14-26, ranks 20th (tied) in AHL scoring;

* C Cory Larose is second in points and first in assists on the Aeros with 4-19-23

* D Curtis Murphy leads all AHL defensemen with 11 goals and is fourth in scoring with 11-9-20. His 20 points ranks third on the Aeros. He made his NHL debut on Sunday in Minnesota's 2-1 win over Carolina;

* RW Kyle Wanvig is third on team with 10 goals and is tied for first with four power play goals;

* LW Hnat Domenichelli ranks fifth in points (18);

* D Travis Roche has 2-5-7 in his last nine games and is tied for first on the team with four power play goals;

* LW Rastislav Pavlikovsky collected an assist in Utah, his first as an Aero;

* G Derek Gustafson has reduced his goals against average to 2.67 and ranks 19th in the league;

* C Rickard Wallin was recalled to Minnesota and made his NHL debut on Thursday at the Detroit Red Wings. On his first shot on goal, he scored the game-winning goal;

* The Power Play has scored only two goals in the last seven games. For the season, it's 28 of 183/15.3%, ranking 18th;

* The Penalty Kill has allowed six goals in the last five games and now is 137 of 164 overall, 83.5%, ranking 15th.

WILD WATCH: Minnesota is tied for first in the Northwest Division with a record of 17-8-6-1, with Vancouver. Marian Gaborik is tied for second in the NHL with 19 goals. The Wild have three games this week. They host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday and the New York Islanders on Thursday. Saturday they travel to Colorado to take on the Avalanche.

ICEGATOR UPDATE: Louisiana is tied for first in the Southwest Division with a record of 16-7-6, 38 pts. Louisiana has four players in the top 18 in scoring: Bruce Richardson, Shawn McNeil, Daniel Goneau and Kevin Mitchell. This week, the IceGators play at the Pensacola Ice Pilots Tuesday, then visit the Mississippi Sea Wolves on Friday before hosting the Arkansas River Blades Saturday.

UPCOMING GAMES

THURSDAY 12/19 VS NORFOLK

The busy month at home continues as the Norfolk Admirals visit for a two-game set. The teams split an earlier pair in Norfolk on Thanksgiving weekend with Houston losing and recording an OT win.

SATURDAY 12/21 VS NORFOLK

Houston hosts Norfolk for the second and final time this season. One of the two teams have been at the top of the Western Conference this year.

SUNDAY 12/22 VS CHICAGO

The defending Calder Cup Champions make the first of five visits to Compaq Center. After an extremely slow start, Chicago has picked up the pace and is undefeated in regulation in their last 10.

THURSDAY 12/26 AT SAN ANTONIO

Houston begins its post-Christmas three-in-three at San Antonio. The Aeros have won all four match-ups this season. However, the Rampage are undefeated at home since losing the opener to Houston on Nov. 3.

FRIDAY 12/27 AT MILWAUKEE

The Aeros make their first trip to Milwaukee looking for revenge. The Admirals have won both games on Houston's "home" ice this season, one at Compaq Center and one in Minnesota.

ON THE AIR: Houston Aeros games can be heard on AM 700 "The Voice" KSEV this season. The games against Norfolk, Chicago and Milwaukee will be available on AM 700 and via the internet at www.aeros.com. December 26th will be televised on Fox Sports Net Southwest and will not be on the radio.



American Hockey League Stories from December 16, 2002


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