Aeros try to even series today

April 24, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Five things you need to know
• The West Division Semifinals mark the fourth post-season meeting between the Aeros and Wolves since 1999. Each of the previous three occasions came in a conference final, and the winning team went on to claim the league championship. Houston, which played its first playoff series in 1995, has not faced any other opponent more than two times. The Aeros defeated Chicago in seven games in the 1999 IHL Western Conference Finals, but the Wolves have won the last two meetings - a 4-2 series win in the 2000 Western Conference Finals, and a five-game decision in the AHL's 2002 Western Conference Finals. Houston is 8-13 all-time in the post-season against Chicago, including a just a 3-7 home mark and a 5-6 road record. Despite the Wolves holding the advantage, they have outscored Houston just 58-54 in their post-season meetings. Houston is 1-2 in overtime versus Chicago, losing two straight games before Thursday's thrilling 2-1 victory.
• The Aeros have split four best-of-seven series when trailing two games to one. Game 4 has been important, as both series that Houston has won in that situation, it has won Game 4. In the two series the Aeros have lost, they've gotten beat to go down 3-1 in the series. Looking ahead, Houston is 2-1 in best-of-seven series that are tied 2-2, and 0-2 when trailing 3-1.
• The Aeros and Wolves have combined to go 1-for-37 on the power play (2.7 percent) n the first three games of the series, and it shouldn't come as a surprise based on recent history. The Wolves have gone without a goal on 38 straight PP opportunities in the last seven meetings this season, and they are only 1-for-54 (1.9 percent) on the power play in their last eight games overall. The Aeros, meanwhile snapped an 0-for-39 post-season power play streak versus the Wolves with Mark Cullen's PPG Thursday. Houston is now 1-for-51 (2.0 percent) against Chicago dating back to the 2002 Western Conference Finals, and 1-for-27 (3.7 percent) in the last five meetings with the Wolves this season. Houston's perfect 18-for-18 on the PK in this series has the Aeros tied with Rochester for the top spot in the AHL, although the Americans have had to kill off just seven Hamilton opportunities. The Aeros have killed off 50-of-53 shorthanded chances (94.3 percent) over their last 10 games, while the Wolves are 46-of-48 (95.8 percent) over their last eight games.
• Chicago netminder Kari Lehtonen and Houston's Mike Smith are tied for second in the post-season in goals against average at 0.98. Lehtonen is also 6-2-1 with a nifty 2.19 gaa versus the Aeros in the regular season. Smith was perfect in three starts versus the Wolves this season heading into play last night. The Aeros have been shut out in each of Smith's last four regulation losses. He hasn't lost a game in which Houston has scored a goal since Milwaukee beat him 5-3 on 2/4. Smith, who ranks second in the league in post-season save percentage (.970), has allowed two goals or less in eight of his last nine starts. Counterpart Josh Harding is 3-6-0 with a 3.15 gaa against Chicago, but 18-11-2 with a sparkling 1.74 gaa versus the remainder of the AHL., and is 2-0-0 with a 2.44 gaa against the Wolves at Toyota Center. In Smith's last five Toyota Center appearances, including a no decision in relief, he is 4-0-0 with a 1.29 gaa. The Aeros finished seventh in the AHL in the regular season allowing a franchise-record 195 goals, and they did it behind a 20-year-old (Harding) and a 23-year-old (Smith).
• The Aeros ranked sixth in the AHL during the regular season with 32.80 shots per game, less than one shot from the top spot, held by Lowell. But in this series, Houston is averaging 27.00 shots per game, 15th among 16 teams. The Aeros were ninth in regular-season play yielding only 28.86 shots per game, but they have allowed the Wolves 35.33 chances per game, which ranks Houston 13th in the AHL.

Wolves at Aeros (Aeros are 33-23-14-4 overall, Aeros are 20-7-8-2 at Houston in regular season; Aeros are 8-13 overall, 3-7 at Houston in post-season play)
• The teams each registered 12 points in 10 regular season meetings, with Houston going 5-3-0-2 and Chicago tallying a 5-3-1-1 mark.
• The Aeros outshot Chicago by an average of 35-28 in their 10 regular-season meetings and held the shot edge in eight of those contests, but the Wolves have outshot the Aeros in each of the first three games of the series.
• Fifteen of the last 31 meetings between Houston and Chicago have gone into overtime, including five of 13 this season. Nine of the 13 games this season have been decided by one goal, including five of six Toyota Center meetings.
• In an oddity that truly defines the Aeros/Wolves series, the team to score first won just four of the 10 meetings this regular season. In three games, the losing team has coughed up a two- or three-goal lead. Chicago has outscored Houston 15-10 in the first period this season, counting the post-season.

Chi-shutout
Last night marked the sixth time in 100 post-season games that the Aeros have been shut out, and four of those occasions have come versus the Wolves. Houston is 2-2 in games following playoff shutouts. Pasi Nurminen's 30-save shutout in Game 5 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals eliminated the Aeros. The Aeros also dropped to 2-2 all-time in 1-0 playoff games last night, and their mark after overtime wins was evened at 5-5.

Quick Hits
• Since joining the AHL in 2001-02, the Aeros hold a 1-3 record after a home post-season loss. The victory was a 3-2 overtime decision over Hamilton in Game 4 of the 2003 Calder Cup finals, after losing 4-2 in Game 3. Houston has dropped back-to-back games versus the Wolves just once this season - 2/19 and 3/9.
• Second-year winger Matt Foy has assisted on two of Houston's three goals in the series, including Mikko Koivu's OT game-winner Thursday.
• Through the season's first 65 games, the Aeros allowed only 41 third-period goals, but in the last 18 games, they gave up 18. Houston finished second in the AHL with 57 third-period goals allowed. Hartford led the way with 49. In its 41 wins, Houston has allowed just 19 third-period goals, but in the remainder of its 42 games, counting the post-season, it has yielded 40. The Wolves have outscored the Aeros 3-0 in the third period of this series and have outshot them 33-16.
• The Aeros have scored 50 goals in their last 11 wins, but just nine goals in their last 12 losses (0-9-0-3).
• The Aeros are 14-26-4-4 when allowing the first goal, but 27-4-2-2 when scoring it.
• Houston dropped its first regulation home game since 3/14 last night, after an eight-game unbeaten run (6-0-0-2). Houston is 10-2-0-2 in the last 14 at home since dropping a 2-1 decision to Chicago 2/19, and the Aeros are 13-3-0-2 in their last 18 since falling 5-3 to Milwaukee 2/4.

Harding unbeaten in last eight of regular season
• Aeros 20-year-old rookie goalie Josh Harding missed 17 games due to a concussion, but he returned strong, going 15-9-2 to close the regular season
• Harding, who finished fifth in the league in gaa (2.01), was 6-0-2 with a 1.59 gaa in his last eight regular-season decisions.
• Harding went 11-3-2 with a 1.76 gaa at home, but 10-13-1 with a 2.18 gaa on the road.

Smith strong too
• Aeros goalie Mike Smith appeared in 19 straight games - 17 of the appearances starts - from 11/26-1/25. Smith's 19-game run was a new franchise record, eclipsing Frederic Chabot's old mark of 15, set 12/8/99-1/21/00.
• Smith finished 17th in the AHL with a 2.42 gaa.
• Smith joins Frederic Chabot (seven) and Ryan Bach (five) as the lone Aeros netminders with five shutouts in a season, and his five overall trail only Chabot (18) and Derek Gustafson (six) for the most in team history.
• The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder went 7-6-2 with a 2.58 gaa on the road but 12-11-1 with a better 2.30 gaa at Toyota Center. Each of Smith's five shutouts came at home.
• In his last six Toyota Center appearances, including a no decision in relief, Smith is 4-1-0 with a 1.24 gaa.

PP unit eighth
• The Aeros finished the regular season eighth in the AHL on the power play at 16.6 percent.
• Houston is 6-for-54 (11.1 percent) over its last 10 games.
• The Aeros outscored their opponents 66-43 on the power play in the regular season and 1-0 in the post-season.
• Houston is 27-13-5-3 when scoring a PPG and 14-17-1-3 when not scoring a PPG.
• Chicago ranked 14th in the league on the penalty kill at 84.5 percent.
• The Wolves have killed off 46-of-48 (95.8 percent) shorthanded chances over their last eight games.
• Houston is 9-for-67 (13.4 percent) on the power play against Chicago in 13 games, with Kyle Wanvig registering two goals. At home, the Aeros are 6-for-38 (15.8 percent).

Houston third on PK, ties AHL record for fewest home PPG allowed
• Houston finished third in the league on the penalty kill at a franchise-record 88.0 percent, allowing only 43 goals, tied for the league lead and another club mark. The Aeros were 92.5 percent at home (149-161), tying an AHL record for fewest home PPG allowed with 12. Portland also allowed 12 in 2003-04.
• The Aeros have killed off 50-of-53 shorthanded chances (94.3 percent) over their last 10 games.
• Houston is 28-17-2-4 when not allowing a PPG and 13-13-4-2 when allowing a PPG.
• Chicago ranked 10th in the AHL on the power play at 16.1 percent, but a much improved 19.5 percent at home - sixth in the league.
• The Wolves are only 1-for-54 (1.9 percent) on the power play in their last eight games.
• Chicago is 6-for-69 (8.7 percent) with the man advantage against the Aeros this season, including a 4-for-43 home mark (9.3 percent) and 2-for-26 (7.7 percent) on the road. The Wolves have gone without a goal on 38 straight PP opportunities in the last seven meetings. Steve Maltais and Kip Brennan each have two PPG in the series. Chicago and Cleveland are the only two AHL teams with more than one PPG at Toyota Center this season.



American Hockey League Stories from April 24, 2005


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central