Irmen scores twice, but Houston rally falls short
January 26, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Matt Moulson, Noah Clarke and Shay Stephenson scored a goal apiece and Barry Brust made 28 saves, as the Manchester Monarchs defeated the Houston Aeros 3-2 at Verizon Wireless Arena. Manchester (28-12-6-1) kept its eight-point Atlantic Division lead over Hartford.
Danny Irmen scored two goals and Dieter Kochan made 46 saves for the Aeros (18-22-1-5), who finish a three-game road trip Saturday in Hartford. Houston has dropped three consecutive games - all by the same 3-2 score. The Aeros have lost seven straight one-goal games (0-5-1-1).
Despite the Monarchs taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, Kochan was brilliant. Houston was outshot 21-14 in the opening period.
Seven minutes into the game, Kochan made a nifty save, and then Manchester's rebound shot hit the post.
Moulson put Manchester on top with 5:02 left in the first period. Kochan kicked out John Zeiler's shot, but Moulson hopped on the rebound and slid it by the netminder for his 12th goal of the season. The goal capped off a run of nine straight shots by Manchester, many coming during its first power play of the game.
The Aeros have allowed the game's first goal in 13 of their last 15 games, including eight straight overall and eight straight on the road.
Clarke scored his 17th of the season, with Manchester shorthanded, just 29 seconds into the middle period for a 2-0 Monarchs lead. Houston defensemen Curtis Murphy and Peter Ratchuk combined to turn the puck over at their own blueline. Clarke stole the puck, skated in on Kochan and went top shelf.
The Monarchs kept up the pressure, outshooting Houston 21-7 in the second, for a 42-21 shots advantage through two.
Irmen scored his 12th goal of the season cut the deficit to 2-1 at 31 seconds into the third period, but Stephenson countered with his fourth for Manchester at 5:27. Stephenson's goal came after a Kochan turnover in the corner.
But Irmen's third whack at a rebound with 3:07 left got Houston within 3-2. Brust got taken down behind the net and was slot to get back into the net. Brust also put his team down a man by breaking his stick over the crossbar.
However, Brust came up big, stopping Jason Morgan from the bottom of the right circle on Houston's best chance on the power play.
The Aeros got Kochan out of the net with just more than a minute remaining, but couldn't get the equalizer.
Houston finished 0-for-6 on the power play, while Manchester went 0-for-4.
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