Houston Aeros Weekly
March 31, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release
As the league enters the final two weeks of the regular season the Houston Aeros have one game in-hand over the rest of the West. Houston is tied for the second spot in the West Division with Peoria at 82 points. The Aeros (36-27-1-9) will try to rebound from the current 0-2-0-1 streak as they play home-and-home against Iowa before traveling to Peoria and Lake Erie, the last non-divisional opponent of the season. Houston has a magic number of eight points over Chicago and Iowa to start the week. Any combination of Aeros points won plus Chicago/Iowa points missed totaling eight would clinch a playoff spot for the Aeros.
The Aeros are 5-1-0 against the Iowa Chops through the first six games of the season and are on a four-game winning streak against the club. The home-and-home series starts in Iowa - where the Aeros are 2-1 - Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The teams head to Houston for a 7:05 p.m. game Thursday night at Toyota Center for the final meeting of the season. Thursday is Chilly's Pet Pals night which will help benefit Houston Humane Society and fans are invited to bring their dogs to the game! Click here for more details.
After the brief stop in Houston, the Aeros will head to Peoria for their eighth and final meeting of the season at 7:00 p.m. Friday night. Houston is 4-2-0-1 against the Rivermen with a total of three shootouts on the season - two in favor of the Aeros. Peoria has had the advantage on home ice this season, allowing only a record of 1-1-0-1 for the Aeros at Carver Arena.
The final non-divisional game of the season is against the Lake Erie Monsters on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CDT when the Aeros visit Quicken Loans Arena. The Aeros are 2-1-0-0 against the North Division foe this season and won the only other meeting in Cleveland. 30 days will have passed since the Aeros have seen an opponent outside the division and the Aeros haven't played the Monsters since January 18.
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Aeros earned three of a possible eight points last week yet remained ranked second in the West Division. The Aeros defeated the now West Division Champions Milwaukee Admirals Wednesday and came from behind to force a 13-round shootout against the Rockford IceHogs Friday for the three points over the week before back-to-back losses in regulation Saturday and Sunday.
The Aeros won their fourth straight game Wednesday night defeating the West Division-leading Milwaukee Admirals 4-1 at Bradley Center. Benoit Pouliot scored two goals and Nolan Schaefer stopped 15 of 16 shots for his 26th win of the season. Houston (36-25-1-8) had won 14 of their last 18 games but the stretch came to an end Friday.
Houston fell in a 3-2 contest against the Rockford IceHogs after 13 rounds of a shootout Friday night at Toyota Center. Aeros' goaltender Anton Khudobin stopped 33 shots faced in the first 65 minutes of action and 10-of-13 in his first shootout this season. Rockford netminder Antti Niemi blocked 24-of-26 prior to the shootout and knocked aside 11-of-13 in the shootout for the win.
The Rivermen scored five unanswered goals and defeated the Aeros 5-2 Saturday night at Carver Arena. Yan Stastny scored the game-tying and game-winning goals for the Rivermen (39-31-2-2) who are now tied with Houston (36-26-1-9) for second place in the West Division. Benoit Pouliot and Robbie Earl scored the opening two goals of the game for Houston, but Peoria answered with the final five goals in the contest.
Houston's late comeback attempt wasn't enough as the IceHogs held on for a 2-1 victory at the Rockford Metrocentre Sunday night. The IceHogs held Houston (36-27-1-9) scoreless until only 2:25 remained in the game and moved within two points of the Aeros and Peoria's tie for second place in the West Division.
Player of the Week
Aeros' left wing Benoit Pouliot tallied three goals in four games this past week and helped keep Houston alive during the 13-round shootout Friday night. In Houston's lone win last week, in Milwaukee, Pouliot netted the game's first goal and added the team's third of the night on a power play for a 3-0 lead. The Aeros won the contest 4-1 over the team who clinched the West Division title over the weekend.
American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2009
- Aeros score four unanswered goals to beat Chops 6-2 - Houston Aeros
- Aeros shoot down Chops on Tuesday, 6-2 - Iowa Chops
- Sound Tigers Chew Up River Rats 5-3 - Albany River Rats
- Sound Tigers Chew Up River Rats 5-3 - Albany River Rats
- Bentivoglio scores first hat-trick - clinch Sound Tigers' first playoff spot in two years - Bridgeport Islanders
- Wolves Ink Kozek - Chicago Wolves
- Flames At Home Three Times This Week - Abbotsford Heat
- Marlies Visit First Place Manitoba Friday, Saturday - Toronto Marlies
- Admirals Players, President to Shave their Heads for ACS - Milwaukee Admirals
- Kings 2007 First Round Pick Joins Monarchs - Manchester Monarchs
- Young Gun Getting it Done - Syracuse Crunch
- Whitmore Named Pirates 2008-09 Man of the Year - Portland Pirates
- Fredricks Released From ATO - Providence Bruins
- Admirals Set to Play Final Three Home Games of 2008-09 This Week - Norfolk Admirals
- Win Saturn Sky On Saturday - Rockford IceHogs
- Moose sign pair of Canucks Second Rounders to ATO's - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves Ink Kozek - Chicago Wolves
- B-Sens Weekly - Binghamton Senators
- Admirals Set First Two Playoff Dates - Milwaukee Admirals
- Houston Aeros visit Iowa Chops tonight - Houston Aeros
- Griffins Welcome Infusion of Youth - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Amerks Assign Micflikier To Florida Everblades - Rochester Americans
- Giroux Nets Record 54th Goal Saturday Night - Hershey Bears
- Crunch Sign Right Wing Matt Kennedy - Syracuse Crunch
- Houston Aeros Weekly - Houston Aeros
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