Harding's 40 stops push Houston's first-place lead to four points
Published on February 25, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release
MILWAUKEE, Wisc. - Josh Harding made 40 saves for his third shutout of Milwaukee in five career games - Houston's first shutout at Bradley Center in more than four seasons and just the second in 36 games there - and Patrick O'Sullivan scored two third-period goals to establish a new team record with his 33rd goal as a rookie, as the Aeros knocked off the Admirals 3-0 at Bradley Center to extend their West Division lead to four points. Kirby Law chipped in three assists in his 600th professional game while moving ahead of teammate Erik Westrum (one assist) for the AHL's scoring lead with 81 points. Rookie Roman Voloshenko added a power play goal for Houston.
The Aeros (40-14-1-2) have reached 40 wins in just 57 games - the fastest start in team history by three games - and have won five straight to equal their 2004-05 total (40-28-6-6), with 23 games left. Houston has one game in hand on Milwaukee, which plays host to the Aeros again Sunday at 2 p.m.
All-Star Pekka Rinne made 23 stops for Milwaukee, which fell to 14-4-3-1 in its last 22 and 3-1-1-1 in its last six. The Admirals had won the last five home games in the series by a whopping 18-2 margin as Houston won for just the second time in its last 11 trips (2-7-2-0) to Bradley Center. The Aeros have won two straight against Milwaukee overall, the first time that's happened in one season since February 11-March 1, 2003.
Harding, who has faced 35 or more shots in each of his last seven complete games overall, improved to 3-2-0 with a 1.00 gaa against the Admirals, with each victory coming via the shutout. Houston has scored just one goal in those two losses - that goal coming in an overtime loss. Harding has stopped 169-of-174 shots (97.1 percent) versus Milwaukee, while handing Houston its first shutout at Bradley Center since Jamie McLennan did it January 30, 2002. Harding the first Aeros goalie to shut out the same team twice in one season since Johan Holmqvist blanked San Antonio twice in 2003-04. Harding improved to 25-7-0 with a 2.55 gaa - ninth best in the AHL - with his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career.
Milwaukee outshot Houston 17-6 in the first period, but Harding was outstanding. The Admirals got 1:40 of 5-on-3 team but couldn't find the net.
Heavyweights Bill Kinkel and Zack Stortini battled to a draw 2:19 into the second.
Houston got back-to-back power plays, including 14 seconds of a 5-on-3 midway through the second period, and connected on the second advantage. Seconds after Westrum deked Rinne far out of the cage but was denied by a pair of defensemen, Voloshenko scored his 26th of the season - team-best 15th on the power play, at 9:45. Westrum one-timed a feed from Law from the top of the right circle, and Voloshenko - at the left post - chipped the puck over a fallen Rinne for the game's first goal. It marked Voloshenko's second goal in three games after going a season-high eight contests without scoring.
Harding stopped Scottie Upshall on a shorthanded breakaway with five minutes left in the second.
The Aeros' goalie then made one his nicest saves of the season, ranging right-to-left to keep Kris Beech out of the net on a 3-on-1 from Aeros nemesis Simon Gamache.
Houston allowed 30 shots through two periods, but just 10 in the third to help secure the victory, while getting a pair of goals from O'Sullivan.
O'Sullivan finished off a 2-on-1 with Law with 7:59 left after Upshall fell down at the blueline. Law made the left-to-right feed to O'Sullivan, who went top shelf for his 32nd goal - tying Cory Larose's Aeros' rookie record.
After Houston killed off a Milwaukee power play late in regulation, O'Sullivan ended another odd-man rush with Law for his new team rookie record 33rd goal, also moving into a tie with Larose's rookie record with his 64th point. The goal came with 3:31 remaining and capped off the rookie's team-best eighth multiple-goal game of the season.
Stortini challenged Harding with less than a minute left, after Milwaukee failed to score on its second power play of the final five minutes.
Houston finished 1-for-6 on the power play, while Milwaukee went 0-for-5. The Admirals are 2-for-33 (6.1 percent) with the man advantage versus the Aeros this season. In the last 13 games against Houston dating back to last season, the Admirals are 3-for-64 (4.7 percent) with the man advantage.
American Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2006
- Aeros Top Admirals 3-1 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Harding's 40 stops push Houston's first-place lead to four points - Houston Aeros
- Barons Winning Streak Ends at Two - Cleveland Barons
- Griffins defeat Crunch - Grand Rapids Griffins
- P-Bruins Fall in Shootout to Monarchs 4-3 - Providence Bruins
- Phantoms score late, down Bears in a shootout 2-1 - Hershey Bears
- 'Dogs Down Sens in Shootout - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Manchester Prevails In Shootout At Providence - Manchester Monarchs
- Rookie Makes 37 Saves; Phantoms Win Third Straight - Adirondack Phantoms
- Admirals Prey on Springfield Penalties - Norfolk Admirals
- First-place showdown in Milwaukee - Houston Aeros
- Falcons Host Norfolk Tonight - Springfield Falcons
- Knights Sneak Past Americans, 3-2 - Abbotsford Heat
- Barons fly away from Rivermen with 4-2 win - Peoria Rivermen
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