First-ever trip to Iowa tonight

Published on January 26, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Five things you need to know
- Aeros C Erik Westrum (22-46=68) and RW Kirby Law (27-37=64) have combined for 11 points in the last three games and rank first and second in the AHL in scoring. They are trying to become the first duo from the same team to finish 1-2 in the league's scoring race Paul Gardner (112 points) and Jody Gage (99) turned the trick for Rochester exactly 20 seasons ago - in 1985-86. No two teammates have reached the 100-point plateau since a trio of Carolina Monarchs did it in 1995-96. Law (16) and Westrum (eight) each had lengthy point streaks snapped in Tuesday's 3-0 loss in Peoria. Law's run was a franchise-record. He has 39 points (17-22=39) in his last 21 contests. Rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring with 46 points (23-23=46). He trails only fellow rookie LW Roman Voloshenko (24-13=37) for the lead in goals among first-year players. Voloshenko is ninth in overall rookie scoring. The line of Law, Westrum and Voloshenko has been held without at least a point in only six games this season, and the Aeros are 0-6-0-0 in those contests. Three of the games have been shutouts, while the trio has also been held off the scoresheet 10/25, 10/28 and 11/19. Tuesday marked the first time not one member of the line had a point in almost two full months, since a 3-0 shutout loss to Milwaukee at home 11/27.
- Aeros RW and captain Kirby Law's next goal will tie him with Aeros special assistant to hockey Cam Stewart for 10th place on the team's all-time goal list with 54. Law has played in 146 consecutive AHL games - 125 with Houston. Law's 27 goals are five off his 2003-04 career-high, and he's only nine points shy of his career-best total of 73.
- Aeros fifth-year G Seamus Kotyk, getting the bulk of work in place of injured G Josh Harding, is 6-2-0 with a 1.44 gaa in his last eight appearances. Kotyk has yielded just four goals over his last four starts, improving to 9-4-1 with a 2.43 gaa overall on the season. Kotyk now qualifies for the AHL gaa leaderboard, and he ranks sixth. His career high for victories in a season is 13, set in 2003-04 with Cleveland.
- Not only does Houston have the second-best power play unit in the AHL at 21.3 percent, but it strikes quickly. Over their last 19 games, the Aeros have scored on their first or second power play of the game 14 times. Twice in that span, Houston has scored on both its first and second opportunities. In each of their last four victories, the Aeros scored on either their first or second power play.
- The Aeros are coming off a 3-0 loss in Peoria on Tuesday. The good news for Houston is that it hasn't dropped back-to-back road games on any occasion this season. The Aeros have lost back-to-back games overall just once - 10/25-10/28. Getting shut out has also sparked Houston on two long winning runs this season. After losing 4-0 in Peoria 10/30, the Aeros went 6-0-0-1 in their next seven games. After Milwaukee blanked the Aeros 3-0 at Toyota Center 11/27, Houston won 11 of its next 12 games.

Aeros at Stars (Aeros are 3-1-0-0 overall, First meeting at Iowa)
- Tonight is the fifth meeting between the Aeros and Stars, who are in their first season as the Dallas Stars' AHL affiliate. But its the first of five trips to Des Moines for the Aeros, who play five of their last 21 road games there.
- In the last meeting 1/13, former Aero Patrick Traverse tallied a goal and an assist and Dan Ellis made 24 saves in a 3-2 Iowa win at Toyota Center. Curtis Murphy matched the veteran defenseman with a goal and a helper for Houston. Iowa opened up a 2-0 lead and held on late for the victory.
- The Aeros had a partial affiliation deal with the Dallas Stars in 2004-05. Goalie Mike Smith, defenseman Patrick Traverse and forwards Junior Lessard and Marius Holtet all suited up for the Aeros last season. Smith went 19-17-3 with a 2.42 gaa and won Houston's lone playoff game. Traverse tallied 15 points (6-9=15) in 72 games. Lessard, the 2004 Hobey Baker winner, tied for 12th on the Aeros' roster with 22 points (11-11=22) in 71 games. Holtet notched 12 points (7-5=12) in 54 games. Iowa also features the injured David Oliver, a member of the Aeros' 1999 Turner Cup winning team.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (32-11-1-1) have the AHL's second-best winning percentage (.733), trailing only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (32-6-3-1=68, .810 pct)...The Aeros' West Division lead is six points over Milwaukee, which has a game in hand...Houston has won 14 of 17 and 17 of 21 overall...The Aeros play game five of a stretch of seven games in nine nights in four cities...C Erik Westrum has 68 points (21-46=68), four up on RW Kirby Law (27-37=64) for the top spot in the AHL...C Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring with with 46 points (23-23=46)...LW Roman Voloshenko (24-13=37) has the league lead in goals among rookies...D Curtis Murphy is second among AHL defensemen with 38 points (8-31=38)...G Josh Harding is 21-7-0 with a 2.63 gaa to rank first in the league in wins, tied for fourth in save pct. (.923) and tied for 11th in gaa...G Seamus Kotyk is 9-4-1 with a 2.43 gaa, ranking sixth in gaa and tied for sixth in save pct. (.919), while G Miroslav Kopriva is 2-1-0 with a 3.23 gaa.

Scouting the Stars
Iowa (21-19-1-1), AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers, snapped a three-game skid Saturday with a 4-2 home win over Manchester...Iowa is in fourth place in the West Division with 44 points...C Toby Peterson leads Iowa in scoring with 33 points (12-21=33)...Former Aero RW Junior Lessard is second with 27 points (14-13=27)...Former Aero D Patrick Traverse paces the blueline with 19 points (3-16=19), but he was recalled by the Dallas Stars on Tuesday...Former Aero G Mike Smith is 10-11-1 with a 2.42 gaa, while G Dan Ellis has posted a 11-9-0 mark with a 2.71 gaa.

2005-06 meetings (5th of 10 meetings, Aeros are 3-1-0-0 overall, First meeting at Iowa)
November 3 Iowa 3 at Houston 5
December 28 Iowa 2 at Houston 3
January 12 Iowa 1 at Houston 6
January 13 Iowa 3 at Houston 2
Tonight Houston at Iowa
February 17 Houston at Iowa
February 18 Houston at Iowa
February 23 Iowa at Houston
March 25 Houston at Iowa
April 16 Houston at Iowa

Quick Hits
- Houston is third in the AHL in scoring at 3.73 gpg, trailing only Grand Rapids' 3.96 gpg and Portland's 3.77 gpg. Since getting shut out 3-0 by Milwaukee 11/27, the Aeros have scored 92 goals in 21 games for a 4.38 gpg average. Just three times since the shutout have the Aeros been held to fewer than three goals. Houston is trying to score 300 goals for just the second time in team history. The Aeros scored a franchise-record 307 goals in 1998-99, but that came in an 82-game season. This season Houston is on pace for 298 goals through 44 games.
- In their last four victories, the Aeros have outscored their opponents 10-1 in the first period. In the last 10 games overall, Houston has a 19-6 goal margin in the opening 20 minutes, and overall on the season the Aeros are an AHL-best plus-23 (54-31). Iowa has allowed only 30 first-period goals - second in the AHL.
- Houston rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan has six GWG - already one off the single-season franchise-record. Four different Aeros have posted seven GWG, with Kyle Wanvig the last to do it in 2003-04. O'Sullivan also has a pair of shootout GWG, but those don't count in the statistics.
- Aeros D Curtis Murphy, named an All-Star earlier this month for the seventh time in as many North American seasons, is on the verge of becoming the Aeros' all-time goal leader among defensemen. Murphy is tied with Jeff Tory for the top spot among blueliners with 42 tallies. Murphy's 139 points trail only Greg Hawgood's total of 145 for the most in team history among defensemen. Murphy has 21 points (4-17=21) in his last 21 games, including 12 points (4-8=12) in the last 10 games. Murphy ranks second among all AHL defensemen in points this season (7-31=38). Murphy is tied for fifth among all AHL players at plus-17.
- The Aeros are 12-4-1-1 in one-goal games, and an impressive 18-5-1-1 in games decided by two goals or less. Thirteen of the Aeros' first 21 games were decided by one goal. Since then, however, just five of the last 24 games has been of the one-goal variety.
- Houston has trailed at some point in 13 of its 32 victories, with four of the wins coming when trailing by two goals. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05. They are an impressive 11-6-0-0 when allowing the game's first goal.
- The Aeros are 31-2-0-0 when scoring three goals or more, but 1-9-1-1 when scoring two or fewer. Three is also the magic number defensively, as Houston is 29-4-1-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 3-7-0-0 when yielding four or more.
- Houston is 15-2-0-0 when outshooting an opponent, but it has been outshot in eight of its last 10 games. The Aeros are 11-1-0-0 when allowing 29 shots or fewer.
- The Aeros already have four 20-goal scorers. No other AHL team has more than two. Houston has had more than four 20-goal scorers just twice in team history - it had five in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

Power play update
- Houston is second in the league on the power play at 21.3 percent.
- The Aeros are 34-for-129 (26.4 percent) with the man advantage in the last 21 games.
- Houston is 15-for-64 (23.4 percent) in the last 11 games, scoring at least two PPG in seven of the games.
- The Aeros are 20-2-0-0 when scoring at least two PPG. Houston has scored two or more PPG in 12 of its last 20 games.
- Houston has been outscored on the power play just twice in its last 23 games.
- Houston has a trio of players with at least 10 power play goals - including C Erik Westrum's league-leading total of 14. There are only 13 AHL players who have reached double digits in that category. Only Grand Rapids and Peoria have as many as two. The Aeros have had more than two players with 10 power play markers just once in team history, when four accomplished the feat in 1998-99, including Jeff Christian's franchise-record 20.
- Iowa is 18th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 82.7 percent.
- The Stars are an improved 23-of-26 (88.5 percent) on the PK over their last five games.
- Houston is 5-for-26 (19.2 percent) with the man advantage against Iowa this season. The Aeros' lone loss was when being held without a PPG.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is third in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.9 percent.
- The Aeros are 44-of-45 (97.8 percent) on the PK in the last eight games since Grand Rapids went 5-for-10 on 1/6, and they've held their opponent without a PPG in nine of the last 11 games.
- Houston has killed off all 23 shorthanded chances over its last four road games.
- Houston is 15-3-0-1 when not allowing a power play goal and 25-5-1-1 when allowing one power play goal or fewer.
- Iowa ranks 24th in the AHL on the power play at 13.0 percent.
- The Stars are 4-for-24 (16.7 percent) with the man advantage in the last five games.
- Iowa is 3-for-26 (11.5 percent) on the power play against Houston.

Last Game (Tuesday)
Former NHL All-Star Patrick Lalime posted 33 saves and Ryan Ramsay's goal 12 seconds into the second period gave him all the support he'd need, as the Peoria Rivermen defeated the Houston Aeros 3-0 at Carver Arena. Seamus Kotyk made 24 stops for Houston, which has been blanked in each of its last two trips to Peoria.

Aeros/Stars connections
- Houston D Clayton Stoner and Iowa D Shawn Belle were defensive partners for three full seasons at WHL Tri City.
- Aeros defenseman D Erik Reitz spent the 2001-02 season at OHL Barrie along with Iowa RW B.J. Crombeen.
- Houston C Erik Westrum and Iowa C Toby Peterson each hail from Minneapolis, Minn.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from January 26, 2006


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.

OurSports Central