First-place Chicago tops Houston

Published on November 25, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


ROSEMONT, Ill. - Rookie Brett Sterling tallied two goals and two assists, and veteran linemates Jason Krog and Darren Haydar each posted a goal and two helpers, as the first-place Chicago Wolves used four power play goals to defeat the Houston Aeros 7-3 at Allstate Arena. Jared Ross scored twice, Colin Stuart added a goal and Fred Brathwaite stopped 39 stops for Chicago (14-5-1-0), which leads Omaha by four points in the West.

Alex Leavitt and Curtis Murphy each tallied a special teams goal, Peter Ratchuk also scored and Tony Quesada made 42 saves for Houston (9-11-0-1), which returns home to face Grand Rapids on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Get center ice tickets for $20, or corner tickets for $15, only by calling the Aeros' office at 713.974.PUCK, beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday. It's also an Aeros Family Day!

Houston is 5-16-3-2 in its last 26 trips to Allstate Arena, including losses in each of its last three visits. Tonight marked the Aeros' worst loss in Rosemont since a 6-1 defeat on November 23, 2002. The Aeros have lost four straight meetings overall.

Krog, who missed the Wolves' loss Friday in Grand Rapids due to a recall to NHL Atlanta, was back in time to push his league-leading point total to 42 (16-26=42). Haydar, who has points in all 20 games this season, is second with 40 points (14-26=40). Sterling, a rookie out of Colorado College, is fifth in points with 30 (18-12=30), but he ranks second in the league in goals and first in rookie scoring.

The Wolves dominated the first period in most facets, outshooting Houston 23-10 and taking a 3-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes.

Ross broke through against Quesada with his second goal of the season at 11:12 of the first. Chicago kept the puck alive deep in the Aeros' zone, and Ross took a pass from former Aero Kyle Wanvig, faked Quesada to the ground and lifted the puck over the fallen netminder.

Sterling's first of the night, with Chicago on the power play, extended the lead to 2-0 with 3:05 left in the opening period. He beat Quesada high on a pass from Krog.

Stuart made it 3-0 with 1:42 left, again roofing a shot high over Quesada after the Aeros couldn't clear the zone. The tally was Stuart's third of the season.

The 23 shots allowed by Houston was a season-high. Chicago put up 21 in the second period of the November 1 game at Toyota Center.

The Aeros took awhile to get going in the second period too, going five minutes before being credited with a shot on goal.

Haydar netted his 14th goal, on an assist from Sterling, at 6:43 of the second. The power play marker extended Haydar's point streak to 20 games, and made it 4-0 Wolves.

Leavitt got the Aeros back within 4-1 at the 8:55 mark of the second period with his second goal of the season, a power play tally. Erik Reitz took a feed from Ratchuk and launched a shot from the point, and Leavitt deflected the puck by Brathwaite. Houston hadn't scored in its last 18 power play chances on the road in the last four games.

Murphy's shorthanded goal - his third tally of the season - got the Aeros back within two goals with 4:25 remaining in the second. Danny Irmen stole the puck, and alertly held up while 1-on-1. He left a drop pass to Murphy, who put a bomb by Brathwaite.

Ross' second of the night, Chicago's power play goal, extended the Wolves' lead back to three goals with 1:04 remaining in the second.

Aeros winger Joey Tetarenko then took a double minor for high-sticking and unsportsmanlike conduct, making his team play shorthanded for the opening 3:30 of the final period.

The Wolves scored on the second minor to Tetarenko, getting Sterling's 18th goal of the season. His changeup from Haydar and Krog eluded Quesada with 1:51 gone in the third.

Krog made it 7-2 with his 16th goal, from Haydar and Sterling, at exactly five minutes later.

The Aeros got four straight power plays in the third period, but failed to get anything more past Brathwaite until Ratchuk put a Marco Rosa feed under the goalie's legs with 3:06 left for the final margin.

Houston finished 1-for-7 on the power play, while Chicago went 4-for-8. The Aeros entered the game 32-of-33 on the penalty kill in the last seven games, and 75-of-79 in the last 13 games. The Wolves became the first team to score more than one man advantage goal versus the Aeros in 14 games, since Grand Rapids went 2-for-5 on October 21.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 25, 2006


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