Fan Appreciation Night tonight; Playoff seeding on line

April 17, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Five things you need to know
• It's the final day of the AHL's regular season, and the Aeros are still tied with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks for third place in the West Division. Both teams are in the 2005 Calder Cup Playoffs, along with Chicago and Milwaukee from the West. Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker and plays host to Grand Rapids today, after the Griffins were knocked out last night 6-2 by San Antonio. The Ducks hold the tiebreaker (wins) with the Aeros, meaning Houston must get more standings points today than Cincinnati in order to be the No. 3 seed. Being the third seed would match the Aeros up with Milwaukee, and the Aeros are 3-6-1-0 versus the Ads. A No. 4 seed would see a West Division Semifinals matchup with Chicago, and the Aeros went 5-3-2-0 versus the Wolves this season.
• Aeros rookie goalie Josh Harding is 6-0-0 with a 1.33 gaa in his last six appearances. He has made 29 or more saves four times during the run, which has seen him allow only one goal five times. Harding is fourth in the AHL with a 1.99 gaa, a number that is tops in the entire Western Conference and among rookies. Johan Holmqvist won six straight starts 12/5-12/17/03, while Derek Gustafson was the last with seven straight wins, to open the 2002-03 season. Harding is 11-3-1 with a 1.68 gaa at Toyota Center. Harding is on pace to better Houston's franchise-records in goals against (2.13 by Frederic Chabot in 1999-2000) and save percentage (.921 by Chabot in 1997-98). At 20, Harding can become the youngest netminder to post a sub 2.00 gaa if he allows two goals or less in a possible outing today. He'd be the 17th AHL goalie overall, depending on action today, to accomplish the feat - and one of four this season. If he blanks the Grizzlies, Harding will end with a 1.94 gaa - tied for the 11th best in AHL history. One goal allowed will yield a 1.96 gaa, and two will keep it at 1.99. Harding hasn't been going at it alone, however. In Mike Smith's last five Toyota Center appearances, including a no decision in relief, Smith is 4-0-0 with a 1.29 gaa. Smith ranks 17th in the AHL with a 2.42 gaa. Houston is one of only three AHL teams with two goalies in the top 20 in gaa.
• Special teams should play a large part in tonight's game. Houston is 14-for-46 (30.4 percent) on the man advantage against a Grizzlies' penalty kill unit that ranks 27th in the AHL at 79.6 percent. The Aeros have scored two or more PPG in five of the nine meetings. The Grizzlies are only 4-for-39 (10.3 percent) with the man advantage versus the Aeros this season.
• The Aeros are seventh in the AHL, allowing 2.42 goals per game (191 goals total), and they need to allow five goals or fewer today to break the team record for fewest goals allowed (197 in 1999-2000). Houston allows 2.21 goals at home (86 total goals), on pace to beat the team record of 92, set in 1998-99. The Aeros allowed 105 road goals, one off the team record set in 1999-2000.
• Houston is third in the league on the penalty kill at 87.8 percent. The Aeros have yielded 43 PPG, just one off the league lead. Both of those numbers are currently ahead of team record pace. The Aeros' record for PK percentage is 87.3 percent, set twice and most recently in 1999-2000. That was also the season the Aeros set their franchise mark allowing only 47 PPG. The AHL record for fewest home PPG allowed in one season is 12 - set last season by Portland - and the Aeros are at that mark with one game left.

Grizzlies at Aeros (Aeros are 51-39-4-3 overall, Aeros are 26-16-3-1 at Houston)
• Tonight marks the 98th all-time meeting between Houston and the Utah franchise, the most between the Aeros and any opponent.
• Houston's eight-game unbeaten in regulation streak (6-0-0-2) versus Utah is the longest in the history of the series.
• Since dropping the first game of the season 5-3 on 11/26, Houston has outscored Utah 30-14.
• Houston is 11-3-1-2 after losing three straight 3/20-11/7/03.
• The Aeros are 20-8-1-2 in the last 31 meetings and 23-14-2-2 versus the Grizzlies since joining the AHL.
• At least one team has scored five goals in each of the last six Toyota Center meetings.
• The Aeros are 11-3-1-0 in the last 15 meetings in Houston.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros have won five straight at Toyota Center, are 6-0-0-1 in their last seven at home and 10-1-0-1 in their last 12...A victory tonight would match their second longest home winning streak in team history...The Aeros have won six straight on five other occasions, including once in 2003-04...The longest run was eight, set in the 1998-99 campaign.Pierre-Marc Bouchard (12-42=54) leads the Aeros in scoring and has 35 points (7-28=35) in his last 39 games...Kirby Law has a team-best 25 goals and is second on the Aeros with 49 points...Mikko Koivu has 48 points (20-28=48) in his first season in North America...Veteran Ray Giroux (13-20=33) anchors a well-balanced blueline along with 20-year-old prospect Brent Burns (11-15=26)...Josh Harding is 21-16-2 with four shutouts and a 1.99 gaa...Harding has allowed two goals or less in 12 of his last 15 starts...Mike Smith is 19-17-3 with a 2.42 gaa and five shutouts.

Scouting the Grizzlies
Utah, the AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes, has split its last four games heading into today's season finale...Peter White is the Grizzlies' leading scorer with 37 points (12-25=37) with the team and 45 overall (14-31=45)...Jamie Storr was acquired on loan from Springfield and is 6-7-1 with a 2.44 gaa since the transaction and 14-27-3 with a 2.95 gaa overall...David LeNeveu, a 2004 AHL All-Star, is 10-32-3 with a 2.93 gaa and leads the AHL in losses.

2004-05 meetings (10th of 10 meetings, Aeros are 6-1-0-2 overall, Aeros are 3-1-0-0 at Houston)
November 26: Utah 5 at Houston 3
November 28: Utah 2 at Houston 5
February 2: Utah 2 at Houston 5
February 21: Houston 1 at Utah 2 (SO)
February 23: Houston 3 at Utah 0
March 16: Houston 5 at Utah 1
March 18: Houston 1 at Utah 2 (SO)
March 23: Utah 2 at Houston 5
April 6: Houston 5 at Utah 3
Today: Utah at Houston

Quick Hits
• Aeros captain Kirby Law is set to become the second player in the team's four years in the AHL to play in all 80 regular-season games. Curtis Murphy turned the trick in both 2001-02 and 2002-03. Las has come on strong late in the season, totaling 12 points (6-6=12) in the last 12 games, including an assist in each of the last three games.
• Through the season's first 65 games, the Aeros allowed only 41 third-period goals, but in the last 14 games, they've given up 15 while scoring 13. Houston is second in the AHL with 56 third-period goals allowed. Hartford leads the way with 47. In its 40 wins, Houston has allowed just 18 third-period goals, but in the remainder of its 39 games, it has yielded 38.
• The Aeros have scored 48 goals in their last 10 wins, but just five goals in their last nine losses (0-7-0-2).
• Goalies Josh Harding and Mike Smith have 21 and 19 wins, respectively, marking just the second time in Aeros history two goalies have won at least 19. Frederic Chabot (23) and Jason Elliott (19) accomplished the feat in 2000-01.
• The Aeros are 14-24-4-4 when allowing the first goal, but 26-4-2-1 when scoring it.
• Friday, the Aeros improved to 26-9-1-3 when having less PIM's than their opponent.
• Houston is 18-6-1-2 at home versus the West Division, but 5-7-0-0 against other opponents.
• Utah has scored a league-worst 45 first-period goals and is minus-33 (78-45) in the first period. The Grizzlies have also allowed an AHL-high 93 third-period goals, while scoring 48 - tied for last in the AHL.
• The Grizzlies rank 28th and last in the AHL in goals scored per game (1.92) and in goals allowed (3.32).
• Utah is 15-13-2-5 in one-goal games, but 6-37-0-0 in games decided by two or more.

Last Game
Mike Smith celebrated his own bobblehead night by making 36 saves and notching two assists, Brent Burns scored twice in the third period, and Mark Cullen returned from a 15-game absence to tally a goal and an assist, as the Houston Aeros clinched a playoff berth and a 40-win season with a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Wolves in front of 7,824 at Toyota Center.

Harding back in a big way
• Aeros 20-year-old rookie goalie Josh Harding missed 17 games due to a concussion, but he has returned strong, going 15-9-1.
• Harding is fourth in the league in gaa (1.99), but he leads the Western Conference and all AHL rookies.
• Harding, 6-0-0 with a 1.33 gaa in his last six starts, is the second youngest goalie in the AHL behind WBS' Marc-Andre Fleury, has four shutouts. No other Aeros rookie goalie had more than one shutout.
• Harding has allowed 30 goals in the first period, but only 21 in the second and 23 in the third. He's allowed only five third-period goals in 16 Toyota Center appearances.
• Harding is 11-3-1 with a 1.68 gaa at home, but 10-13-1 with a 2.18 gaa on the road.

Smith establishes franchise mark
• 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 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 is 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 have come at home.
• In his last five Toyota Center appearances, including a no decision in relief, Smith is 4-0-0 with a 1.29 gaa.
• Smith notched two assists Friday against Chicago, the first Aeros goalie ever to accomplish that in one game. He has four helpers overall, two more than any other Aero netminder had in any one season. Frederic Chabot had five in his Aeros career, but it took him 224 games to get there.

PP unit eighth
• The Aeros are eighth in the AHL on the power play at 16.5 percent.
• Houston is 4-for-31 (12.9 percent) over its last six games.
• The Aeros have outscored their opponents 65-43 on the power play.
• Houston is 26-13-5-2 when scoring a PPG and 14-15-1-3 when not scoring a PPG.
• Utah is 28th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 79.6 percent.

Houston third on PK
• Houston is third in the league on the penalty kill at 87.8 percent. The Aeros have yielded 43 PPG, just one off the league lead. Both of those numbers are currently ahead of team record pace. The Aeros' record for PK percentage is 87.3 percent, set twice and most recently in 1999-2000. That was also the season the Aeros set their franchise mark allowing only 47 PPG. The AHL record for fewest home PPG allowed in one season is 12 - set last season by Portland - and the Aeros are at that mark with one game left.
• The Aeros have killed off 27-of-30 shorthanded chances (90.0 percent) over their last six games. They've got two SHG in the last three games.
• Houston is 27-15-2-3 when not allowing a PPG and 13-13-4-2 when allowing a PPG.
• Utah ranks 25th in the league on the power play at 13.5 percent.



American Hockey League Stories from April 17, 2005


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