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Aeros Weekly Report

February 12, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Coming Attractions - Home games Saturday, Sunday

SAT, vs. CHI, 7:35 p.m.

Hockey Newcomer Night/Thundersticks (3K)/Boy Scout Night

One of the largest crowds in Toyota Center history is expected, but it's not too late to get tickets. Season ticketholders - call 713.974.PUCK to get discounted tickets for friends and family as part of Hockey Newcomer Night. The night will be filled with Hockey 101 videos and brochures. In addition, hundreds of lucky fans will receive free skating passes to Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center, Willowbrook Aerodrome or Space City Ice Center.

The Aeros are 2-2-0-0 against first-place Chicago this season, one of just three West Division teams to record multiple wins against the Wolves. Milwaukee and Iowa have three apiece. Houston has won the last two meetings, after dropping the previous five. The Aeros are 40-29-14-4 all-time against Chicago, including a 24-10-8-2 home mark. Since moving to Toyota Center, Houston is 8-4-0-0 versus the Wolves.

Chicago (34-15-2-5) leads the West Division by 11 points over Omaha, which has six games in hand. The Wolves are unbeaten in regulation in their last five (3-0-1-1), and have just one regulation loss in their last 13 games (8-1-1-3). Chicago is in a stretch where it plays 12 of 13 games on the road, with the lone home game a 6-2 win over Syracuse on Sunday. Chicago leads the AHL in scoring at 4.43 goals per game, more than a half goal per game more than any other team.

SUN, vs. CHI, 5:05 p.m.

Family Day

The Aeros' popular Family Day returns. Get four tickets, four Aeros gifts, $20 in Toyota Bucks and free parking, all beginning at $67! Call 713.974.PUCK now to order!

It's the final Toyota Center matchup of the season between the Aeros and Wolves.

All Aeros games are broadcast live on KNTH 1070-AM and through Aeros.com. For $6, you can also watch the game live via B2 Networks. Visit Aeros.com 10 minutes prior to gametime to order.

Skate with the Pros is Tuesday in Sugar Land

Tuesday is the final "Skate with the Pros" event of the season at Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center. From 7:40 p.m.-8:10 p.m. skate for FREE with Aeros players. Then, get autographs in the SLICE lobby from 8:10-8:40. Refreshments are provided! Players scheduled to attend (subject to change) are Peter Ratchuk, Ben Thomson, Bryan Lundbohm, Roman Voloshenko, Benoit Pouliot, Josh Olson, Peter Olvecky, Clayton Stoner, Dieter Kochan and Miroslav Kopriva.

Meet Aeros at Blood Drive Tuesday

Come give blood at "The Hangar" inside the Park Shops (next to Otto's) and meet Aeros rookies John Scott and Ryan Hamilton between 12:30-1:30 p.m.! (Players subject to change).

Spring into Hockey Charities Auction at Saturday's game

On Saturday, Aeros Charities will host a one night only, "Spring Into Hockey" in-arena auction. Autographed items from many NHL and AHL teams will be auctioned, including an autographed photo of Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, a picture and autographed puck from three-time NHL All-Star goalie Curtis Joseph, a team autographed Minnesota Wild jersey and an autographed Erik Westrum Toronto Marlies' jersey. Click here for a list of all auction items.

Player of the Week RW Matt Foy

Aeros RW Matt Foy

2/6 vs. OMA 0-1=1, -1

2/8 vs. OMA 2-0=2, +1

2/10 at PEO 1-1=2, -1

2/11 at MIL 1-0=1, E

Totals - 4gp, 4-2=6, -1

Posted at least one point in each of the Aeros' four games, with six points (4-2=6) total...Ran his point streak to five games (4-3=7), his second such streak of the season and tying his career-high...In his last 13 games, has 13 points (7-6=13)...Leads Aeros with five multiple-game games and nine multiple-point games...Has career-high 22 goals, and established new career-high with 41st point Sunday in Milwaukee...Ranks tied for 13th in AHL in goals with 22 and tied for 15th in PPG with nine.

Notables -

The Aeros have played a franchise-record 10 straight one-goal games, bettering the old mark by two games. Houston is 2-5-3-0 in its last 10. Houston is 8-11-3-5 in one-goal games, but just 2-8-3-1 in its last 14 such games. The Aeros have only two non shootout one-goal wins, the last coming 3-2 at Iowa on November 9. Houston's 11 regulation losses and 19 total non-wins in one-goal games are the most in the AHL.

Houston has played 14 overtime/shootout games, tied for the fourth most in the AHL. The Aeros are 0-3 in OT and 6-5 in shootouts. The Aeros' 11 shootout games are the most in the AHL.

The Aeros' eight-game road winless streak (0-5-2-1) is their longest since an 0-6-1-1 mark from March 17-April 15, 2006. The Aeros' franchise record is nine (0-7-2-0), set January 31-February 26, 2004.

Houston is 2-10-2-1 in games where G Josh Harding doesn't play. Harding remains on recall to NHL Minnesota. Dating back to Harding's first lengthy call-up to Minnesota last March, the Aeros are 7-18-4-2 in the last 31 games in which Harding doesn't appear.

D Erik Reitz tallied the Aeros' 11th shorthanded goal of the season Sunday in Milwaukee. Houston is tied for fifth in the AHL with 11 SHG. The team record for most SHG in a season is 15, set in 1994-95.

Affiliation News

The National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild (31-22-4) is in a three-way tie for first place in the Northwest Division with 62 points after winning two of three games last week...The Wild sits tied for sixth overall in the Western Conference, but is tied for first in the Northwest with Vancouver and Calgary - those two teams each have a game in hand on the Wild...Minnesota hosts Vancouver on Wednesday before traveling to Nashville on Saturday and St. Louis on Sunday...C Wyatt Smith has two assists in 42 games and is averaging 9:06 TOI.

The ECHL's Texas Wildcatters split the first four games of a five-game road trip last week, and finish the trek Tuesday in Columbia...Texas returns home for three games against Pensacola Friday-Sunday...The Wildcatters are 27-14-4-4 for 62 points, tied with Gwinnett for first place in the South Division...The Gladiators have a game in hand...D Mike Madill (3-30=33), and D Paul Albers (10-21=31), both Minnesota Wild contracts and ECHL All-Stars, rank sixth and eighth, respectively, among all ECHL defensemen despite their rookie status...F Mark Rooneem has 15 points (7-8=15)... C Alex Leavitt has 18 points (7-11=18) in 22 games...F/D Riley Emmerson has three points (2-1=3) and 81 PIM's... G Matt Yeats, who attended Aeros camp, is 19-12-4-2 with a 3.25 gaa and a .907 save pct.

The Central Hockey League's Austin Ice Bats are 18-18-10 and are in third place in the Southeast Division...New coach and former Aero Brent Hughes led the Ice Bats to two wins in three games last week...G Tony Quesada is 2-5-2 with a 2.80 gaa and a .916 save pct.

Aeros go 1-3-0-0 last week

HOU 2, OMA 1 (SO); OMA 4, HOU 3; PEO 4, HOU 3; MIL 4, HOU 3

Tuesday: Miroslav Kopriva made 36 saves and stopped all four shootout attempts, and Mattias Weinhandl scored a power play goal and the deciding shootout tally, as the Houston Aeros defeated the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights for the first time this season, 2-1 at Toyota Center.

Thursday: Dustin Boyd posted a goal and two assists and Tim Hambly added a goal and a helper, as the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights sprinted to a three goal lead and held on for a 4-3 victory over the Houston Aeros at Toyota Center. Justin Taylor and Carsen Germyn scored a goal apiece and Curtis McElhinney made 28 saves for Omaha.

Matt Foy scored two goals, Bryan Lundbohm added one and Miroslav Kopriva made 16 saves before being lifted for the Aeros.

Saturday: Michal Birner scored a pair of third-period goals, including the game-winner on the power play with 1:12 remaining, and Jason Bacashihua turned aside rookie Danny Irmen's penalty shot with 2.2 ticks left, as the Peoria Rivermen defeated the Houston Aeros 4-3 at Carver Arena.

Jason Morgan and Matt Foy each tallied a goal and an assist, Ryan Hamilton also scored and Dieter Kochan made 29 saves for the Aeros.

Sunday: Budding Aeros-killer Nicolas Corbeil registered a hat trick and Chris Durno's third-period goal went down as the game-winner, as the Milwaukee Admirals outlasted Houston 4-3 at Bradley Center. Pekka Rinne stopped 35 shots for Milwaukee.

Matt Foy, Erik Reitz and Roman Voloshenko scored a goal apiece for Houston.



American Hockey League Stories from February 12, 2007


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.

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