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March 25, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Oklahoma City Barons News Release


The Barons visit Houston for the first time since October in a crucial three-game set with the Aeros. The Barons enter tonight's game in the thick of the playoff race in the West Division. A string of wins can gain valuable points. The Barons start the weekend in fourth place in the Western Division, but just one point behind Texas for third place.

Check the Barons Playoff Primer each day for updates about playoff positioning.

Oklahoma City Barons (36-26-2-8) at Houston Aeros (41-26-1-5)

Game 73 | Road Game 35 | AHL Game 1065

Mar. 25, 2011, 7:35 pm CDT | Toyota Center, Houston, TX

Broadcast: KXY 96.1 FM

TONIGHT: The Barons visit Houston's Toyota Center for the first time since Oct. 17 to begin a 3-game series against the Aeros (Minnesota Wild). This is the seventh of 10 meetings between the clubs and the second in Houston. The Barons beat the Aeros Oct. 17 by an 8-2 final in the Oct. 17 matchup, but the Aeros won all 5 in OKC, one in overtime and one in a shootout. Houston is second in the West, 1 point behind Milwaukee. OKC is fourth, 2 points back of third-place Texas.

OFF THE TOP: The Barons own the AHL's third-best road point percentage at .647 behind Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (.721) and Hershey (.653). OKC is 20-10-0-4 on the road. Tonight's game is the seventh of the Barons' season-high 9-game trip. OKC is 2-1-0-3 so far. The Barons dropped a shootout in their most recent game on Tuesday, a 4-3 decision at Milwaukee.

GIROUX RETURNS: OKC's leading scorer, Alexandre Giroux, was returned on loan by Edmonton Wednesday. Giroux has spent 2 recent stints with the Oilers and in 8 NHL games this season has 1 goal and 1 assist. He's tied for second in the AHL with 67 points, 14 behind Binghamton's Corey Locke.

MCDONALD AMONG LEADERS: Right winger Colin McDonald recorded his first professional hat trick in Friday's 5-1 win at Rockford. With 32 goals, McDonald is tied for second in the league with Portland's Mark Mancari, 1 goal behind Hamilton's Nigel Dawes. McDonald also leads the league with 15 power play tallies. The AHL's regular-season goal champ receives the Willie Marshall Award, named after the league's all-time leader in goals, assists and games played. It's been won the past 2 years by Alex Giroux, who is tied for fourth in goals with 29.

ARC OF THE SHOOTER: Rookie Mark Arcobello fired 10 shots on the goal Tuesday at Milwaukee, joining Alex Giroux and Linus Omark as the only Barons with a double-digit shot total this season. Giroux had 10 vs. Chicago Jan. 29 and Omark a team-high 12 while scoring 5 goals on Nov. 7.

ATO ROUNDUP: Edmonton signed center Tanner House to a 2-year deal on Saturday. The contract takes effect in the fall, but House, captain of the University of Maine the past 2 seasons, is with the Barons on an Amateur Tryout. House debuted on Tuesday at Milwaukee. Defenseman Brandon Davidson signed an ATO on Wednesday. The 19-year-old was a sixth-round pick by Edmonton in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and just concluded his second WHL season with the Regina Pats.

GERBER REMAINS OUT: Goaltender Martin Gerber has missed 4 straight with an upper body injury sustained at Grand Rapids on Mar. 16. Bryan Pitton re-joined the Barons from ECHL Stockton last weekend. In 5 games over previous OKC stints, Pitton is 3-1-0 with a 2.53 GAA and .918 save percentage. Jeff Deslauriers started each of the last 4 games in Gerber's absence, going 2-1-0-1.

ODDS AND ENDS: Jesse Gimblett, promoted from ECHL Stockton Mar. 16 after Alex Giroux, Ryan O'Marra and Chris Vandevelde were recalled by Edmonton, scored his first AHL goal on Saturday at Chicago and it proved to be the winner in a 4-3 victory...Gimblett picked up his first AHL assist on Tuesday at Milwaukee...all 5 of defenseman Bryan Helmer's goals this season have come on the road...seven opening-day Barons are on recall to Edmonton: Linus Omark, Liam Reddox, Jeff Petry, Taylor Chorney (currently on IR), Teemu Hartikainen, O'Marra and Vandevelde...the Barons wrapped up the Illinois portion of their schedule during this trip, ending the season 9-1-0-1 in the Land of Lincoln with the only regulation loss in the final game at Chicago on Sunday.

Last 5 games:

Date Opp. Result OKC Goalie (GA,SV) Opp. Goalie Attn.

Mar. 16 @ GR L, 1-2 (SO) Deslauriers (0, 10) Pearce (1, 31) 7,125

Mar. 18 @ Rfd W, 5-1 Deslauriers (1, 40) Toivonen (5, 16) 3,668

Mar. 19 @ Chi W, 4-3 Deslauriers (3, 21) Pasquale (4, 22) 14,533

Mar. 20 @ Chi L, 0-4 Deslauriers (4, 35) Pasquale (0, 34) 8,310

Mar. 22 @ Mil L, 3-4 (SO) Deslauriers (3, 27) Smith (3, 35) 2,927

Next 5 games (all times Central):

Date Opp. Site Time Broadcast

Mar. 26 @ Houston Toyota Center 7:35 KXY 96.1 FM

Mar. 27 @ Houston Toyota Center 4:05 KXY 96.1 FM

Apr. 1 Rockford Cox Center 7:05 KXY 96.1 FM

Apr. 2 Texas Cox Center 7:05 KXY 96.1 FM

Apr. 8 @ San Antonio AT&T Center 7:00 KXY 96.1 FM

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