Aeros Weekly Report

January 5, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Week in review: HOU 2, CHI 2; HOU 2, CIN 2; CHI 4, HOU 2; HOU 4, ROC 4

The Aeros failed to win any games last week, but did pick up three of a possible eight points while finishing a grueling portion of their schedule 9-2-5. Houston played the final 14 of those games in just 23 nights, including three-in-three situations the past two weekends.

The week ended with a 4-4 home tie with Rochester on Sunday. Darby Hendrickson had two goals, and Jeff Hoggan and Mika Hannula each contributed a goal and an assist. The Aeros had a pair of 4-2 leads, but a high-powered Rochester offense - off since Friday night in San Antonio - outshot the Aeros, who were playing their third game in as many nights in three different cities, 20-6 over the final 25 minutes. Johan Holmqvist made 34 saves for Houston, while former Aero Tom Askey turned aside 32 for the Americans.

Saturday, the Aeros were handed just their second loss since December 3, 4-2 in Chicago. Steve Maltais broke a tie with 9:46 left in regulation, as the Wolves rallied from two goals down with the help of a 5-on-3 for two minutes in the final period.

Stephane Veilleux posted a goal and an assist and Kyle Wanvig also scored for Houston, which got 31 saves from Holmqvist.

The Aeros and Cincinnati Mighty Ducks battled to a 2-2 tie Friday night at Cincinnati Gardens, Houston's fourth straight deadlock. Veilleux scored the game-tying goal shorthanded early in the third and Kyle Kettles made a season-high 33 saves for the Aeros. Hoggan also scored for Houston, while Ilya Bryzgalov turned aside 31 saves for the Ducks.

The week began at home with a 2-2 tie with Chicago on Tuesday. Wanvig had a goal and an assist, but the Wolves' Tommi Santala robbed Houston of the extra point when he scored with 3:14 left in regulation to force OT.

Rickard Wallin also scored for the Aeros, who got 26 saves for Holmqvist.

Kari Lehtonen turned aside 32 saves for Chicago, while Kurtis Foster also scored for the Wolves.

Coming attractions:

The Aeros, who are tied for the fourth most games played in the AHL with 38, begin a light portion of their schedule with just two games in the next 11 days. Houston has three days off before Thursday's game, the team's first three-day stretch without a game since a four-game span December 8-11.

THU, HOU vs. HAR, 7:00 p.m. Aeros Happy Hour

The Aeros meet the Atlantic Division leading Wolf Pack and several old friends after suffering a 4-0 shutout loss at Hartford November 29. Aeros goalie Johan Holmqvist, who didn't play in that game, saw action in 126 games over three seasons for the Wolf Pack. He was acquired from Hartford last spring for defenseman Lawrence Nycholat, who has posted 19 points (2g, 17a) for the Wolf Pack. Cory Larose (6g, 17a) is the Wolfpack's second-leading scorer and was also an Aero for much of last season before a trade to the Rangers organization. Hartford has the league's second-best goalie tandem statistically with Jason Labarbera (1.74) and Phil Osaer (2.08) in net.

FRI, HOU vs. WOR, 7:00 p.m.

The IceCats come to town for the first of two meetings with Houston, which travels to Worcester March 17. The Ice Cats have 39 points, good for fourth in the Atlantic Division. Worcester enters the week an impressive 9-5-4 away from home. Jeff Panzer (9g, 16a) is the team's leading scorer. The IceCats also feature 2003 Hobey Baker winner Peter Sejna.

Running out of sisters to kiss - They say that a tie is like kissing your sister, in which case the Aeros may need to import some more sisters. Houston has tied five of its last six games, including four straight prior to a 4-2 loss in Chicago on Saturday. The Aeros' four straight OT games tied a franchise record, and they had never before tied four straight games. Hershey leads the AHL with 15 overtime games, while Providence is tops with eight ties. Houston is 0-2-7 in overtime, one of five AHL teams without an extra session win. The nine-game OT winless streak is the second longest in team history (0-4-8, 12/29/01-3/29/03).

Streaking at home - The Aeros are unbeaten in their last nine games at Toyota Center (6-0-3). That's the longest home streak since an 11-game run (9-0-2) from December 21-February 12 of last season. Houston could match that this week with two home games. Houston started off its first season in Toyota Center just 2-6-1-1 but hasn't lost since a 3-1 decision to Milwaukee December 1, improving to 8-6-4-1. The Aeros are one off the longest AHL home unbeaten streak his season. Bridgeport went 10 games without a loss at home October 25-December 17. Houston is tied with a Hamilton run in November and December for second.

Winless in six, but... - The Aeros are winless in their last six games (0-1-5), although they have picked up five of a possible 12 points in that span. Houston is two games shy of its franchise-record winless streak, set from November 20-December 3 of this season. That streak was much different though, as the Aeros managed just two points over those eight games (0-6-1-1).

Special teams update -

· lThe Aeros are 5-for-27 (18.5 percent) on the power play over the past five games, raising their man-advantage percentage to 11.7, 25th among 28 AHL teams.

· Houston continues to tower over the league in power-play opportunities. The Aeros, who led the circuit last season with 514 chances, have 231 this season - 28 more than second-place Manitoba. Houston has a startling 108 more chances on the power play than in-state rival San Antonio. The referees have taken it easy on Aeros' opponents recently, as Houston has three power plays in each of its last three games.

· The Aeros have killed off 13 of 14 (92.9 percent) of their shorthanded chances over the last four games, after yielding two power-play goals for just the fourth time this season December 28.

Community update - Half of the Aeros will visit Texas Children's Hospital Tuesday. Half the Aeros and coaches will visit Memorial Hermann hospital next Monday, Jan. 12.

Michalek still in Minnesota - Houston defenseman Zbynek Michalek was recalled to the Minnesota Wild prior to the Aeros' game in Cincinnati on Friday. Michalek has been a healthy scratch in the past two games for Minnesota, which plays at St. Louis tonight.

Tale of two goalies - Aeros netminder Johan Holmqvist is winless in his last four starts (0-2-2) with a 2.83 goals against average, although he has had to make 29 or more stops in three of those games. Kyle Kettles meanwhile is an unbeaten 2-0-2 in his last four with a miniscule 1.20 goals against average. Kettles is 2-3-2 this season with a 2.37 goals against average.

Houston has one win when allowing more than one goal - The Aeros are an unbeaten 13-0-1-0 when allowing one goal or fewer this season, and December 17 was their only win (1-15-6-2) when yielding two or more, a 5-3 home win over Norfolk.

Aeros have first goal in 12 of 14 games – Houston has scored first in 12 of its last 14 games, but the Aeros have failed to win the last five games (0-1-4) when scoring first. Overall this season, Houston is 11-2-5-1 when scoring first.

Hoggan hot - Aeros rugged winger Jeff Hoggan has 11 points (6g, 5a) in the past 14 games since being paired with Swedes Rickard Wallin and Mika Hannula. Hoggan has set career highs in all offensive categories, and Sunday picked up his third two-point game.

Player of the week C Rickard Wallin - Wallin didn't miss a step after sitting out three games with the flu 12/26, 12/27 and 12/28, recording four points (1g, 3a) in as many games last week as Aeros went 0-1-3...Scored 10th goal of season in 2-2 tie versus Chicago Tuesday...Posted an assist Saturday in 4-2 loss at Chicago...Tallied a pair of assists in Sunday's 4-4 tie against Rochester, his first two-helper game since November 19 at Grand Rapids...Ranks second on the Aeros with 23 points (10g, 13a), and is tied for second in goals.

Wallin this week...
12/30 vs. CHI 1-0-1, E
1/2 at CIN 0-0-0, +1
1/3 at CHI 0-1-1, -1
1/4 vs. ROC 0-2-2, +1
Totals - 4gp, 1g, 3a, 4pts, +1



American Hockey League Stories from January 5, 2004


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