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Nesting Doll giveaway tonight

December 16, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Five things you need to know
- Houston C Erik Westrum leads the AHL in assists and scoring with 39 points (12-27=39). Westrum had 33 points (18-15=33) in 80 games last season for Utah. His career-high in assists (29) and points (42) each came in his rookie season of 2001-02. His 18 goals last season were a career-best. Houston is 18-3-0-1 when Westrum finds the scoresheet in some way, but 1-5-1-0 when he doesn't record at least one point. Westrum rides a five-game point streak (2-5=7), his third point streak of five or more games this season. Westrum's four-game assist streak ties both a team season-high and a career-high. He also posted five assists in four straight games 3/15-3/21/03. RW Kirby Law is tied for second in the AHL in scoring with 36 points (16-20=36). Law had 49 points (25-24=49) in 80 games last season for Houston. The Aeros' captain has posted 11 points (6-5=11) in the last four games and 13 points (7-6=13) in his last seven games. Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko, who plays on a line with Westrum and Law, has 27 points (17-10=27), third-most among AHL rookies. Voloshenko's 17 goals rank him second overall in the league and first among rookies. Voloshenko's 10 PPG rank second in the AHL and are already halfway to Jeff Christian's 1998-99 franchise record. Houston is 9-1-0-0 when Voloshenko scores a goal, and 14-1-0-0 when he gets at least one point. Voloshenko has 16 points (8-8=16) in his last 12 games. Voloshenko also has a five-game point streak (4-3=7), one off his season-high 11/6-11/25. At least one of the three has scored a goal in 23 of the Aeros' 29 games. Aeros rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan has 17 points (8-9=17) in his last 13 games to move into a tie for fifth place among AHL rookies with 24 points (11-13=24).
- Since missing five games due to injury in late October and early November, Aeros second-year G Josh Harding is 9-3-0 with a 2.20 gaa to move to 14-6-0 with a 2.58 gaa on the season. Harding, who leads the AHL with 14 victories, moved into sole possession of third place on the team's all-time wins list last week with 35. Only Derek Gustafson (37) had more AHL wins with Houston than Harding, who won't catch franchise leader Frederic Chabot (126). Harding, a native of Regina, Sask., is an amazing 29-1-1 in his last 31 decisions when the Aeros score three goals or more in support of him.
- As always during a prolonged winning run, it's not just the scorers and goaltenders getting it done. Consider for a moment the Aeros' unheralded checking line of LW Josh Olson, C Bryan Lundbohm and RW Joel Ward. In the first 14 games this season, the Aeros went 8-4-1-1 and allowed 3.57 goals per game. In the last 15 games, with the help of that trio being matched up against the opponent's top line, Houston has gone 11-4-0-0 and has allowed just 2.40 goals per game, more than one full goal fewer per game. Olson, Lundbohm and Ward have combined to score at least one goal in six of the last eight games. Olson has seven points (3-4=7) in that span, while Lundbohm has five (3-2=5) and Ward four (1-3=4).
- Aeros D Curtis Murphy became the third-leading scorer on the blueline in team history last week, and he's poised to enter the Top 10 overall this week. Murphy's 122 points in two-plus seasons with the Aeros are just one behind Scott Arniel for 10th and two back of Stephane Veilleux for ninth. Murphy is only seven points from becoming the second-highest defenseman scorer in team history (Jeff Tory had 128 points). Murphy's 21 points (3-18=21) this season are tied for second in the AHL among blueliners.
- The Aeros have never scored a goal at Toyota Center against the Worcester/Peoria franchise in 125 minutes covering two games. Reinhard Divis battled Houston's Kyle Kettles to a 0-0 tie 1/9/04, and Jason Bacashihua blanked the Aeros 2-0 on 1/9/05. The Aeros last scored a goal at home against the Blues' AHL affiliate in a 5-4 OT win 10/27/01 at Compaq Center.

Rivermen at Aeros (Aeros are 4-5-1-0 all-time, Aeros are 2-1-1-0 at Houston)
- Tonight is the 11th all-time meeting between the franchises - but the first in Houston against Peoria. The Rivermen relocated from Worcester, Mass., over the summer.
- The teams split a pair of October meetings, both in Peoria. The Aeros won 3-1 on 10/14 behind a late GWG by Erik Westrum and 47 saves from Josh Harding, while Peoria broke open a close game with three third-period goals in a 4-0 win on 10/30. Peter Sejna (2-1=3) and Mike Glumac (1-2=3) each posted three points.
- Houston is 1-5-1-0 in the last seven meetings with Peoria/Worcester after winning the first three.
- The Aeros are 4-1-0-0 when scoring three or more goals against Worcester/Peoria, but 0-4-1-0 when scoring two or fewer.
- Four of the teams' 10 meetings have ended with at least one team being shut out. The teams skated to a scoreless tie 1/9/04 at Toyota Center.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (19-8-1-1) lead the West Division with 40 points, but their lead is down to four points over Milwaukee...The Admirals have four games in hand on Houston...C Erik Westrum has 39 points (12-27=39) to lead the AHL in points and assists...Westrum has a team-best 12 multiple-point games...RW Kirby Law is tied for third in the league with 36 points (16-20=36)...Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko is second in the AHL with 17 goals, and he ranks first among AHL rookies in goals and third in points (27)... Rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan is tied for fifth among first-year players in points with 24 (11-13=24)...D Curtis Murphy is tied for second among AHL defensemen with 21 points (3-18=21) and just three points out of first...G Josh Harding is 14-6-0 with a 2.58 gaa to rank first in the league in wins, tied for fourth in save pct. (.921) and tied for 11th in gaa...Harding is 20-6-1 in his last 27 regular-season games, and one of the losses was in OT...G Seamus Kotyk is 4-2-1 with a 3.23 gaa.

Scouting the Rivermen
Peoria (15-10-0-1), AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, has lost four straight games, including the last two by a combined 9-3 margin...Prior to this skid, the Rivermen had lost back-to-back games just twice this season...Peoria lost 4-1 in Chicago in its last action on Saturday...LW Peter Sejna is tied for fourth in the league in scoring with 34 points (15-19=34), while RW Mike Glumac is tied for sixth with 30 (12-18=30)...D Mike Mottau paces the blueline with 17 points (1-16=17)...G Reinhard Divis is 2-4-1 with a 3.07 gaa, but has lost three straight and was pulled in each of his last two appearances after allowing seven total goals in 45 minutes...G Patrick Lalime cleared waivers this week, and the seven-year NHL veteran goalie and former All-Star has been assigned to Peoria...Lalime was 3-11-4 with a 3.97 gaa for St. Louis, but was 39-20-7 with a career-best 2.16 gaa for the Ottawa Senators in 2002-03...Lalime faced the Aeros in the late 1990's and is 3-3-2 with a 3.24 gaa versus them.

2005-06 meetings (3rd of 10 meetings, Aeros are 1-1-0-0 overall, First meeting at Houston)
October 14 Houston 3 at Peoria 1
October 30 Houston 0 at Peoria 4
Tonight Peoria at Houston
Tomorrow Peoria at Houston
January 21 Peoria at Houston
January 24 Houston at Peoria
January 27 Houston at Peoria
March 28 Houston at Peoria
April 1 Peoria at Houston
April 2 Peoria at Houston

Quick Hits
- The Aeros open up a five-game homestand tonight. Houston, 10-2-1-1 at Toyota Center this season, is 16-2-1-3 in its last 22 regular-season home games, and 24-4-1-3 in the last 32. Beginning 11/25, Houston started a stretch of 16 of 21 at Toyota Center through 1/21.
- Twelve of Houston's 22 goals in its last five games have come from the line of LW Roman Voloshenko, C Erik Westrum and RW Kirby Law. Four other goals have come from C Patrick O'Sullivan, who joins Voloshenko and Law on the top power play line with Westrum playing the point.
- Houston has scored first in four of its last five games and seven of eight. In the last five games, the Aeros hold a 5-1 first-period advantage, and they have an 8-2 edge in the last eight.
- The Aeros are 18-1-0-0 when scoring three goals or more, but 1-7-1-1 when scoring two or fewer. Three is also the magic number defensively, as Houston is 16-2-1-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 3-6-0-0 when yielding four or more.
- Houston is 11-1-0-0 when outshooting an opponent. The Aeros are 6-0-0-0 when allowing 30 shots or fewer.
- The Aeros are 9-2-1-1 in one-goal games, and an impressive 12-3-1-1 in games decided by two goals or less.Thirteen of the Aeros' first 21 games were decided by one goal. Since then, however, eight straight games have been decided by at least two goals, including the last seven straight by three goals or more.
- Houston has trailed at some point in nine of its 19 victories. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05.

The Sheriff way ahead of last season's pace
- RW Kirby Law scored his 15th and 16th goals in Houston's 29th game of the season, Sunday in Cleveland. Law, who posted 25 goals in 2004-05, didn't get No. 16 until game No. 49 last season. He scored his 17th goal in the Aeros' 50th game. Law has 36 points this season - he didn't reach that mark until game No. 62 last season.

Power play update
- Houston is seventh in the league on the power play at 19.5 percent.
- The Aeros are 9-for-29 (31.0 percent) with the man advantage in the last five games, having scored at least one PPG in each of the games. That's Houston's second-longest run of the season. The Aeros scored a PPG in seven straight to begin 2005-06.
- The Aeros are 11-1-0-0 when scoring at least two PPG, with the lone loss coming 11/18 in Manitoba.
- RW Kirby Law leads Houston with 22 power-play points (8-14=22), while C Erik Westrum has 20 (7-13=20). LW Roman Voloshenko has a team-best 10 PPG, just one off the AHL lead. The trio has combined for eight of the team's nine PPG in the last five games.
- Peoria is tied for seventh in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.9 percent.
- The Rivermen have killed off 29-of-34 shorthanded chances (85.3 percent) over their last five games.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is 10th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.0 percent.
- The Aeros have killed off 48-of-49 shorthanded chances (98.0 percent) in their last nine home games. Cleveland scored the lone goal of that time frame on a five-minute power play 11/30. Houston has allowed just seven power play goals on 91 chances at Toyota Center this season, good for a 92.3 percent kill rate. The Aeros were second in the AHL last season with a franchise-record 92.5 percent kill rate at home, allowing just 12 goals on 161 chances.
- Overall in the last seven games, Houston has killed off 39-of-42 shorthanded chances (92.9 percent).
- Houston is 7-1-0-1 when not allowing a power play goal.
- The Aeros are 14-3-1-1 when allowing one power play goal or fewer.
- Peoria is third in the league on the power play at 20.9 percent.
- The Rivermen are 6-for-28 (21.4 percent) on the power play over their last five games.

Last Game (Sunday)
Kirby Law tallied two goals and an assist in the third period, Erik Reitz and Josh Olson each scored a shorthanded goal and former Baron Seamus Kotyk made 25 saves, as the Houston Aeros rallied from an early deficit for a 4-1 victory over Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena.

Aeros/Rivermen connections
- Peoria's Brendan Brooks and Brendan Buckley teamed with Aeros assistant coach Matt Shaw, then Quad Cities' head coach, to win the UHL's regular-season title with the Mallards in the 1999-2000 season.
- Houston's Erik Westrum and Peoria's Troy Riddle were both born in Minneapolis, Minn.
- Houston's Joey Tetarenko and Peoria's Rocky Thompson spent much of the 2000-01 season together at AHL Louisville.



American Hockey League Stories from December 16, 2005


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