Houston stays three points back of first-place Milwaukee

Published on March 31, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


OMAHA, Neb. - Warren Peters forced overtime with a power play goal with 1:52 left in regulation, and Mark Giordano scored 1:03 into the extra session, as the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights continued their torrid run with a 2-1 victory over Houston, extending the Aeros' winless streak to eight games. Brent Krahn made 21 stops for Omaha, which is 7-1-0-1 in its last nine and 16-3-0-2 in its last 21. The Knights have 79 points, still three clear of fifth-place Iowa for the final playoff spot in the West Division. The Stars beat Milwaukee 3-2 in a shootout tonight.

Rookie sensation Patrick O'Sullivan scored his team-leading 44th goal and Seamus Kotyk made 21 saves for Houston, which is 0-5-2-1 in its last eight but remained three points behind first-place Milwaukee. Houston has two games in hand, and is still in control of its own destiny. The Aeros are winless in eight straight for the first time since a franchise-record 0-5-8-1 streak from December 27, 2003-January 23, 2004.

The Aeros, who went 0-2-2-1 on their five-game road trip, kick off a five-game homestand Saturday against third-place Peoria. It's Chad Hedrick Night, as the Aeros honor the Olympic Champion speedskater and Texas native, who is hosting a group of Special Olympians. The first 5,000 fans will receive a commemorative puck. Buy tickets.

Five of the eight meetings between Houston and Omaha this season have gone into overtime or a shootout.

Kotyk made his best save of the opening period late, when a loose puck squirted to Brandon Prust in the high slot. Prust let loose through traffic, but Kotyk stopped the shot and covered up the rebound in a crush of bodies.

A busy first period saw 10 minor penalties called.

Carsen Germyn split a four-minute Omaha power play when he took a slashing penalty early in the second.

On the ensuing 4-on-4, O'Sullivan netted his team-best 44th goal, on a breakaway at 2:46. Kirby Law created a turnover at the Aeros' blueline and hit a cutting O'Sullivan up the left wing. O'Sullivan let loose of his patented wrister from the top of the left circle. Krahn got a piece of the puck, but the blast trickled off the netminder and over the goal line. O'Sullivan is one goal off Jeff Christian's 1998-99 team record, while Law picked up his league-leading 101st point.

Houston defenseman Erik Reitz got called for a boarding major and was given a game misconduct with five minutes left in the second. But Omaha's leading scorer, Giordano, picked up a hooking minor with 1:58 remaining.

With seven minutes left in the third, Kotyk pushed a Lynn Loyns point-blank shot just wide, then got a glove on Germyn's rip from the low slot.

Giordano created a Knights power play with 1:56 left, when he got loose past Curtis Murphy and caused a hooking call - the lone penalty of the third period.

Omaha took just four seconds after the faceoff to tie things up, with 1:52 remaining. Peters deflected a Germyn floater by Kotyk for his 12th goal of the season.

At 1:03 of the 4-on-4 overtime session, Giordano scored his 16th goal. He snapped a give-and-go from Tim Hambly low under Kotyk.

Houston went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Omaha finished 1-for-7.

Notes:

Not dressing for the Aeros were A.J. Thelen, Adam Courchaine, Clayton Stoner, Brendan Bernakevitch and Andrei Nazarov.

The Aeros are winless in their last seven road games, their longest stretch since an 0-7-2-0 span from January 31-February 26, 2004.

Houston fell to 2-16-3-1 when scoring two or fewer goals.

Since beating Hamilton 3-2 on March 5, the Aeros are 3-1-0-0 against Chicago and 0-7-2-1 versus the remainder of the AHL.

Houston is 2-11-2-2 on the road in the month the last two seasons, 4-13-2-3 the last three seasons and 7-18-2-3 since 2002-03.

The Aeros are 0-2-2-1 in their last five one-goal games.

The Aeros allowed two goals or less for just the second time in the last 15 games. The final 14 of those contests have come with Harding in Minnesota. Houston is 26-0-3-0 when allowing two goals or fewer.

Six of the eight meetings between Houston and Omaha have been decided by one goal, including four of five in Omaha.

The Aeros have lost each of their last three OT/SO games, two in overtime and one in the shootout. Houston is 2-3 overall in overtime and 5-2 in the shootout.

Houston is 24-5-1-1 when O'Sullivan scores a goal.

Law has a five-game point streak (2-6=8).

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American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2006


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