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Aeros Weekly Report

December 20, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


This week on Aeros.com – Log on to aeros.com this week to vote for the subject of the site's next Q&A session. Voting ends Wednesday at noon. Also, visit www.houstonpress.com to vote for Aeros winger Derek Boogaard as the Houston athlete you'd most like to have as your designated driver this holiday season. Boogaard is up against the Astros' Brandon Backe, Rockets' Jim Jackson and the Comets' Cynthia Cooper. Finally, visit www.theahl.com to vote your favorite Aero into the AHL All Star Classic starting lineup.

Coming attractions:
THU, vs. SAN, 7:05 p.m.
Aeros Happy Hour
For Aeros Happy Hour, get a corner ticket plus free parking for just $15, and enjoy pre- and post-game drink specials ($1 well drinks and drafts) at The Bus II across from Toyota Center. Or, get a center ice seat, free parking, $10 in Toyota Bucks and pre- and post-game drink specials at The Bus II for $30. Call 713.974.PUCK to order, or order online at www.aeros.com/themenights. Username is Happy, password is Hour.
It's the penultimate game of the Aeros' season-long eight-game homestand, and also Houston's lone game this week. The Rampage will finish off a grueling stretch of six games in seven nights., including a contest Wednesday in Utah. Two of San Antonio's 11 victories this season have come versus Houston, including a 2-1 overtime decision December 3. That game marked just the third time in 13 home meetings with the Rampage that the Aeros haven't won (10-2-1-0). Houston is 15-5-4-2 all-time versus San Antonio, but its two-game winless streak (0-1-1-0) is one shy of the longest streak in the series, when the Aeros went 0-1-2-0 over a three-game span last season. Four of the last six meetings have been decided by one goal.

WED, 12/29, vs. MIL, 7:05 p.m.
The Aeros wrap up their eight-game homestand with the defending Calder Cup champions' first visit of the season to Toyota Center. The Aeros beat the Ads 5-2 November 13, handing Milwaukee its first regulation loss in 18 games and snapping a nine-game winless streak versus the Ads. Houston didn't win a home game last season against the Admirals (0-4-0-1), getting outscored 22-9.

Shootout fits just fine - The Aeros are tied for second in the AHL with three shootout wins. Houston is 3-1 in the shootout, with all three wins coming with Mike Smith in net. Smith has stopped 12-of-13 (92.3 percent) shootout attempts this season. Hartford is 4-2 in shootouts.

Fast starters - Houston's 32 first-period goals trail only Manchester's 36 for the AHL lead. The Aeros have scored a first-period goal in six straight games and nine of 10.

Comeback kids - The Aeros' three wins when trailing after two periods are three more than they had last season, and they are also one off the league-lead, held by Bridgeport, Hershey and Rochester.

PP unit keeps rolling - Houston, third in the league on the power play at 20.1 percent, has a power play goal in six straight games, outscoring the opponents 9-2 with the man advantage in that span.

Rally Aeros - Saturday marked Houston's second time this season winning a home game when it trailed at one point during the game. The Aeros are 2-5-1-0 when trailing at home, with the other win coming November 26 versus Utah.

An unusual occurence - The Aeros were outshot 41-32 by Norfolk on Saturday, the first time they've been outshot at Toyota Center since Opening Night versus Cincinnati. Houston has now outshot 10 of 12 opponents at home this season. The Admirals were just the second team to record 40 shots versus Houston at Toyota Center, the other being Utah (47) last March 23.

Down on the farm - The CHL's Austin Ice Bats are 11-10-2, in third place in the Southeast Division...F Dallas Anderson has three goals and three assists and 136 PIM's in 17 games...Anderson ranks fourth in the CHL in PIM's...The ECHL's Pensacola Ice Pilots are 14-5-2 and in second place in the South, three points ahead of the fourth-place Louisiana IceGators (12-9-3)...For Pensacola, LW Jordan Krestanovich has 17 points (8-9=17)...RW Jason Beckett has a goal and six assists and is plus-nine...LW Bill Kinkel has two goals and 47 PIM's in five games and is currently on injured reserve...D Ryan Stokes has one goal and three assists and 58 PIM's...IceGators LW David Bararuk (6-11=17) is second on the team in scoring while D Maxime Fortunus has seven points (1-6=7)...RW Mark Rooneem has five points (1-4=5) and 30 PIM's...G Kyle Kettles is 4-4-0 with a 2.96 gaa and a .905 save pct...UHL Quad City is 12-12-3, in fourth place in the West...G Robert Gherson is 4-4-1 with a 2.50 gaa and is currently in Houston...C Mike Kompon has a team-best 24 points (7-17=24)...Kompon is first in assists and third in points among UHL rookies.

Aeros sweep set from Norfolk Admirals
HOU 2, NOR 0; HOU 4, NOR 3 (SO)

The Aeros returned from an unusual 13-day break in the schedule to sweep a two-game home set from the Norfolk Admirals last week.
Saturday: Marius Holtet forced overtime with 6:38 left in regulation, and Mikko Koivu scored the deciding shootout goal, as the Aeros rallied to beat the Admirals 4-3 in the first ever shootout at Toyota Center. Junior Lessard and Matt Foy also scored and John Erskine contributed two assists for Houston, which is unbeaten in regulation in three straight (2-0-1-0).
Mike Smith made 38 saves plus four in the shootout for the Aeros.
Quintin Laing, Pavel Vorobiev and James Wisniewski each scored for Norfolk, while Adam Munro turned aside 27 shots.
The Aeros improved to 3-7-1-0 when trailing after two periods. Houston didn't win such a game at all in the 2003-04 campaign. Norfolk is 12-2-0-2 when leading after 40 minutes.
In overtime, the Admirals outshot Houston 4-0 but Smith was perfect, including a nifty save on Wisniewski's short-side attempt with 2:08 left.
Norfolk went on just its third power play of the game with 1:54 left in the extra session, when Erik Reitz' retaliation slash on Eric Nickulas was called a five-minute major by referee Justin St. Pierre.
In the shootout, Vorobiev's attempt was wide, and then Koivu decked and lifted a backhander over Munro.
Smith closed the pads on Matt Ellison, and Mark Cullen had the puck roll off his stick. Admirals captain Ajay Baines then shot the puck into Smith's pads, and Munro just got a piece of a Rickard Wallin offering.
Wisniewski's attempt just got a piece of Smith's glove, and with a chance to clinch, Lessard went five-hole on Munro.
Thursday: Smith made 33 saves for his second shutout, Stephane Veilleux extended his goal scoring streak to three games and Kirby Law tallied a goal and an assist, as the Houston Aeros returned from 13 days of pre-Christmas vacation with a workmanlike 2-0 win over the Norfolk Admirals at Toyota Center.
Michael Leighton turned aside 32 shots for Norfolk, which was shut out for the first time this season.

West Standings - The Aeros enter this week with 31 points, in fourth place in the West Division.
West Division Standings, 12/20
Milwaukee 17-6-2-1=37
Grand Rapids 18-9-1-0=37
Chicago 16-9-3-1=36
Houston 14-10-2-1=31
San Antonio 11-12-2-4=28
Cincinnati 11-17-0-2=24
Utah 8-18-0-2=18

Player of the week G Mike Smith -
Snapped career-high-tying three-game losing streak by going 2-0-0 with a 1.44 gaa and .960 save pct. last week...Began week by blanking Norfolk 2-0 on 33 saves for his second shutout of the season...Stopped 38 shots, plus all four in the shootout, in 4-3 win over Norfolk on Saturday...Didn't allow a goal in the final 25 minutes to set up the victory...Has turned aside 12 of 13 shots this season while going 3-0 in shootouts, tied with Philadelphia's Antero Niittymaki for the most shootout wins...Is 9-5-0 with a 2.65 gaa.

Smith this week...
12/16 vs. NOR W 33-33
12/18 vs. NOR W 38-41 (4 in SO)
Totals - 2gp, 2-0-0, 1.44 gaa, .960 save pct.

Aeros' Practice schedule:
Monday - 10-11:30, Sugar Land
Tuesday - 10-11:30, Sugar Land
Wednesday - 10-11:30, Sugar Land
Thursday - Pre-game skate, vs. SAN 7:05 p.m.
Friday - Off
Saturday - Off
Sunday - Off

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