Houston can clinch playoff berth tonight

March 17, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Six things you need to know
- The Aeros enter tonight's game with 93 points - one better than last season's total, and a magic number of four for clinching their 10th straight playoff appearance and 11th in 12 seasons. That means than an Aeros win tonight combined with a regulation loss by Iowa in Rochester will clinch a playoff berth. Iowa could then finish with 95 points, but Houston would win the first tiebreaker - wins. The Stars are in Toronto on Sunday. Houston holds a six-point lead (93-87) over second-place Milwaukee, and the teams meet for the eighth and final time tonight. Milwaukee travels to Omaha tomorrow, and then hosts the fourth-place Knights on Monday. Houston's magic number for clinching the division title is 23 points, a combination of its own points gained and points lost by the Admirals. The Aeros own two division titles in their first 11 seasons - 1998-99 and 2002-03 - both championship campaigns.
- Tonight's game not only pits the top two teams in the West Division, but also two of the top teams in the AHL in one-goal games. The Aeros have won their last six one-goal games to improve to an eye-popping 21-5-1-2 in such contests, and an impressive 28-9-1-2 in games decided by two goals or less. Houston has seen 14 of its last 18 games be decided by one or two goals, going 10-3-0-1. Houston's 21 one-goal wins are the most in the AHL. Milwaukee is 17-4-5-2 in one-goal games. Only Grand Rapids (18-3-1-4) has fewer regulation losses in one-goal games. On the road, Houston is one off the league-lead with nine one-goal wins, while Milwaukee's has suffered just one regulation loss at home in that situation (10-1-2-0).
- The Admirals rank sixth in the AHL on the power play at 19.7 percent, but without their games against the Aeros, they would be at 21.2 percent - third-best in the AHL. Milwaukee is just 2-for-41 (4.9 percent) with the man advantage against the Aeros this season. Milwaukee scored on two of its first six (of nine) chances in the first meeting 10/28. Since then, the Ads have failed to score on 35 straight chances.
- Houston LW Patrick O'Sullivan continues his push towards a possible Rookie of the Year title. O'Sullivan, who earlier this month became the first player ever to win back-to-back AHL Rookie of the Month Awards, is well on his way to another. O'Sullivan has at least one goal in seven of his last nine games, with 11 goals in that span. O'Sullivan owns rookie team records in all major offensive categories, and he leads all AHL rookies in goals (42) and points (78), while ranking tied for fourth overall in the league in points. His 42 goals place him third in the AHL. Many rookies go through peaks and valleys, but O'Sullivan has been the exception. The Winston-Salem, N.C., native hasn't gone back-to-back games without a point since 11/6 and 11/9. Since then, O'Sullivan has racked up 71 points (39-32=71) in just 49 games. O'Sullivan has points in 13 of his last 14 games, with 24 points (14-10=24) in that span. O'Sullivan has an eye-popping 23 goals in the last 24 games. His 42 goals are the second-most in a single season in team history, trailing only Jeff Christian's total of 45 in 1998-99. O'Sullivan is just the second rookie since 1991-92 to record 40 goals. Rochester's Thomas Vanek also potted 42 in 2004-05. O'Sullivan netted his seventh GWG 3/9 against Chicago, tying the Aeros' team record.
- Aeros RW Kirby Law (36-57=93) leads C Erik Westrum (31-60=91) for the top spot in the AHL's points race. They and are trying to become the first duo from the same team to finish 1-2 in the league's scoring race since 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. Brian Wiseman holds the top two single-season point totals in Aeros' history, notching a team-record 109 points in 1998-99 and 98 in 1997-98.
- Aeros LW Roman Voloshenko netted his 30th goal of the season Wednesday, giving the Aeros a team-record four players with 30 or more goals. Houston has four of the AHL's 11 30-goal scorers in 2005-06. Binghamton had four 30-goal scorers last season.

Aeros at Admirals (Aeros are 33-35-7-2 all-time, Aeros are 15-19-3-0 at Milwaukee)
- LW Patrick O'Sullivan (7-2=9), RW Kirby Law (3-6=9) and C Erik Westrum (0-5=5) have combined for 23 points (10-13=23) in just seven games against Milwaukee this season.
- Houston has won three straight against Milwaukee for the first time since 3/30-4/5/02, and it has won two in a row at Bradley Center for the first time since 12/27/02-1/12/03.
- The Aeros' last four-game winning streak versus the Admirals was the first four games after entering the AHL, from 10/6-12/14/01.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (45-17-1-2) have the AHL's second-best points percentage (.715)...Houston plays nine of its last 10 games in March on the road, with game three of that stretch tonight...RW Kirby Law has 93 points (36-57=93), two up on C Erik Westrum (31-60=91) for the top spot in the AHL...LW Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring and tied for fourth overall with 78 points (42-36=78)...LW Roman Voloshenko (30-19=49) is second in goals among rookies and tied for ninth in points...D Curtis Murphy is second among AHL defensemen with 57 points (10-47=57), tying his career-high...G Seamus Kotyk is 12-8-2 with a 3.08 gaa, while G Miroslav Kopriva is 6-2-0 with a 3.14 gaa.

Scouting the Admirals
Milwaukee (40-19-5-2), AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators, has lost three of four - all at home - and is playing for the first time since surrendering a three-goal lead in a 5-3 loss to Grand Rapids on Tuesday...Former AHL Rookie of the Year RW Darren Haydar leads Milwaukee with 72 points (24-48=72), ninth-best in the AHL...D Kevin Klein paces the blueliners with 38 points (9-29=38)...Rookie All-Star G Pekka Rinne is 25-15-2 with a 2.87 gaa, while G Brian Finley is 14-7-0 with a 2.99 gaa.

2005-06 meetings (8th of 8 meetings, Aeros are 4-2-0-1 overall, Aeros are 2-1-0-0 at Milwaukee)
October 28 Houston 1 at Milwaukee 6
November 25 Milwaukee 0 at Houston 3
November 27 Milwaukee 3 at Houston 0
February 4 Milwaukee 6 at Houston 5 (SO)
February 7 Milwaukee 2 at Houston 3
February 25 Houston 3 at Milwaukee 0
February 26 Houston 5 at Milwaukee 2
Tonight Houston at Milwaukee

Quick Hits
- The Aeros scored a team-record five PPG in Wednesday's 6-5 win in Chicago, while also establishing a new mark for PPG in a season with 15 games left. Houston is 98-for-451 for 21.7 percent - second in the 27-team AHL. The Aeros had 94 PPG in he Turner Cup-winning season of 1998-99. Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko has 18 PPG - just two off Jeff Christian's franchise-record from 1998-99. The Aeros have four players with 14 or more PPG.
- Aeros rookie D Shawn Belle posted three points (1-2=3) in 45 games with Iowa this season before being acquired at the NHL trade deadline last week. Belle has nearly eclipsed that point total already, with a goal and an assist Wednesday in Chicago, his second game with the Aeros.
- The Aeros have been outscored 12-2 in the third period over its last six games. They are just 3-3-0-0 in that stretch. Houston is minus-one (75-74) in the final 20 minutes this season.
- Houston is third in the AHL in scoring at 3.69 gpg. Since getting shut out 3-0 by Milwaukee 11/27, the Aeros have scored 164 goals in 41 games for a 4.00 gpg average. 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 295 goals.
- In their last 14 victories, the Aeros have outscored their opponents 28-11 in the first period. In the last 30 games overall, Houston has a 43-22 goal margin in the opening 20 minutes, and overall on the season the Aeros are an AHL-best plus-32 (78-46). Houston has trailed after one period just four times in its last 25 games. The Aeros are 27-1-1-1 when leading after one period this season.
- The Aeros are 43-4-0-1 when scoring three goals or more, but they are 2-13-1-1 when scoring two or fewer. Three is also the magic number defensively, as Houston is 38-4-1-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 7-13-0-1 when yielding four or more.
- Houston is 13-3-0-0 when allowing 29 or fewer shots this season, but also an impressive 10-1-1-0 when yielding 40 or more.
- The Aeros pulled off yet another come-from-behind win 3/7 against Chicago. Houston has trailed at some point in 19 of its 45 victories, with six of the wins coming when trailing by two goals. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05. They are an impressive 15-9-0-0 when allowing the game's first goal.
- Murphy's Mission, benefiting I Have a Dream ®, has started off in strong fashion. D Curtis Murphy has picked up eight assists in seven games for $800. An anonymous local donor is giving $300 per Murphy goal and $100 per assist to the charity. The "I Have a Dream"® Program helps children from low-income areas reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment with an assured opportunity for higher education. A home hat trick at any point of the program will net the foundation a whopping $10,000. Murphy, who last month became the top defenseman goal and point scorer in team history, passed Greg Hawgood for the top spot on the team's all-time assist ledgers 3/9. Murphy ranks second among AHL blueliners with 57 points (10-47=57) - two with his career-high, set in his rookie campaign of 1998-99 with IHL Orlando. Murphy is averaging more than a point per game since New Year's. Murphy has 31 points (7-24=31) in 30 games in 2006.
- Houston is 2-6-1-1 on the road in March in the last two seasons.

Power play update
- Houston is second in the league on the power play at 21.7 percent.
- The Aeros are 65-for-265 (24.5 percent) with the man advantage in the last 41 games.
- Houston is 26-for-94 (27.7 percent) on the power play in its last 14 games after going without a PPG in two straight games for the first time this season.
- The Aeros are 25-5-0-1 when scoring at least two PPG. Houston has scored two or more PPG in 21 of its last 40 games.
- Milwaukee is tied for 11th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 82.8 percent.
- The Admirals have allowed 10 PPG on 36 chances in the last five games for just a 72.2 percent PK rate.
- Houston is 7-for-55 (12.7 percent) on the power play against Milwaukee this season. The Aeros are 3-for-23 (13.0 percent) at Bradley Center. Houston has scored seven PPG against the Admirals since allowing the last PPG.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is tied for fourth in the AHL on the penalty kill at 84.9 percent.
- The Aeros have allowed nine PPG on 34 chances in the last five games for just a 73.5 percent PK rate.
- Houston is 22-4-0-2 when not allowing a power play goal and 35-9-1-1 when allowing one power play goal or fewer.
- Milwaukee is tied for fifth in the AHL on the power play at 19.7 percent.
- The Admirals are 9-for-38 (23.7 percent) on the power play in the last five games.
- Milwaukee is 2-for-41 (4.9 percent) with the man advantage against the Aeros this season. Milwaukee scored on two of its first six (of nine) chances in the first meeting 10/28. Since then, the Ads have failed to score on 35 straight PP chances.

Aeros/Admirals connections
- Aeros D Curtis Murphy was a member of Milwaukee's Calder Cup championship team in 2003-04.
- Houston C Bryan Lundbohm spent most of four seasons with the Admirals, from 2001-05. He was injured when Milwaukee won the Calder Cup in 2003-04.
- Aeros G Seamus Kotyk went 10-6-1 with a 2.95 gaa in 23 games with Milwaukee in 2004-05.
- Houston D Erik Reitz played two seasons (1999-2001) with Milwaukee G Brian Finley at OHL Barrie.
- Aeros LW Patrick O'Sullivan played junior hockey with Milwaukee D T.J. Reynolds in 2001-02 in Mississauga.



American Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2006


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