Preview: Aeros, Stars in Division Battle for First

Published on January 20, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


The Houston Aeros (24-18-1-3, 52 pts.) begin a three-in-three weekend with a home game vs. the Texas Stars (24-13-3-2, 51 pts.). The Aeros have won four of five and have points in five straight games (4-0-0-1). The team enters the weekend challenging for the top spot in the West Division and Western Conference. Texas is right in the mix as well; the Stars are winners in five of their last 10. The Stars hold the No. 4 spot in the West Division.

UPCOMING GAMES

Jan. 22 at Lake Erie, 6:30p.m. CST

Jan. 23 at Toronto, 4 p.m. CST

Jan. 26 at Syracuse, 6 p.m. CST

BROADCAST INFO

Follow the Aeros on News Talk 1070 KNTH and online at AEROS.COM with Joe O ‚¬â„¢Donnell providing the play-by-play call. Watch every game at www.ahllive.com.

AEROS AT A GLANCE

RECORD....................24-18-1-3, 52 pts.

STANDING................. .......3rd West Div.

;...... 12-6-1-1

;......12-12-0-2

STREAK..............POINTS IN 5 (4-0-0-1)

NHL AFFILIATES

Houston Aeros.............. (Minnesota Wild)

Texas Stars....................... (Dallas Stars)

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS

PP: 16.5% (16th)................PK: 85.2% (8th)

PPG: 34...........................................SHG: 4

AEROS LEADERS:

ip;........Earl (29) p;..........Earl(12)

lip;...Noreau (20) .......Almond (7)

.........Gillies (2) ....Kassian (100)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

SERIES NOTES: The Aeros have earned 11 of a possible 12 points vs. the Stars this season...Houston has won the last two games in extra time. Cody Almond had the winners in both games, a 4-3 OTW at TEX on Dec. 4 and a 4-3 SOW at home on Dec. 26...Houston ‚¬â„¢s PP is 7-for-28 (25%) vs. TEX while the Stars are 5-for-31 (16.1%)...The teams play 12 total times this season and meet again on Feb. 4 at HOU.

ALL-TIME AEROS RECORD: 9-8-1-0 (5-4-0-0 at home, 4-4-1-0 at Texas)

SEASON RECORD: 5-1-0-0 (3-0-0-0 at home, 2-1-0-0 at Texas)

IF YOU ONLY KNEW --- Prior to a 3-2 SOL vs. GR on Jan. 16, the Aeros had won five straight shootouts dating back to Nov. 27 and were 4-0 at home...Houston wrapped up a four-game-in-five-day run on Jan. 16 and posted a 3-0-0-1 record over the stretch...The Aeros are unbeaten in regulation at home (5-0-0-1) since Dec. 26...Jon DiSalvatore ‚¬â„¢s 31st point this season will be his 400th as a pro. He needs six points to get there...J.M. Daoust needs four games to reach the 400-pro mark...Along with the Chicago Wolves, the Aeros have played the most games in the AHL so far this season (46).

NOREAU TO ALL-STAR GAME --- Maxim Noreau has been selected to participate in the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross. The game is scheduled for Jan. 31 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa. Noreau, 23, will be a member of the 2011 Western Conference All-Star Team. He also represented the Aeros at the 2010 AHL All-Star Classic as a member of Team Canada.

ON THE SHELF --- Casey Wellman returned to the lineup on Jan. 15 after having missed the previous 10 games with a lower body injury.

HOMEBOYS --- Houston has points in six-straight at home dating back to Dec. 26...They have also won nine of 13 at home dating back to a Nov. 21 victory over Texas. Five of those wins have been decided by one goal; a trio has been decided by two goals.

TURNSTILE TIDBITS --- Through 20 home games, the Aeros are sixth in the AHL with an average attendance of 6,136...The 10,552 on hand for the Jan. 1 game was the largest crowd for an Aeros contest since Dec. 3, 2009, when 11,291 watched the Aeros and Rampage at Toyota Center.

HEATIN ‚¬â„¢ UP --- Jon DiSalvatore has points in three straight (2-2-4)...Robbie Earl has points in 10 of his last 124-7-11)...Max Noreau has assist in three straight (0-4-4)...Patrick O ‚¬â„¢Sullivan has goals in two-straight (2-0-2).

AEROS GOALIES --- Anton Khudobin appeared in four games with MIN after being recalled Jan. 8 and posted a 2-1-0 record with a 1.59 goals-against average (GAA), a .942 save percentage (SV%) and one shutout. In three starts he stopped 77-of-81 shots faced for a 1.34 GAA and a .951 SV%. and made 32 saves in a 4-0 win vs. Vancouver on Jan. 16 for his first career NHL shutout...Matt Hackett is 2-0-1 in his last three decisions. Hackett backed up Anton Khudobin in Minnesota on Jan. 15.

SCHEDULE NOTES --- The Aeros play 13 games in January with seven of those games at home. Six games this month are against West rivals...The team will fly to Cleveland on Saturday morning, then bus to Toronto after the game.

RECENT ROSTER MOVES --- G Josh Tordjman was loaned to BAK on Jan. 20...G Anton Khudobin was reassigned by MIN on Jan. 20...F Peter Zingoni was released on Jan. 20...F Joel Broda was reassigned to BAK on Jan. 19...C Cody Almond was recalled by MIN on Jan. 17...G David Brown was released from his PTO on Jan. 15...G Matt Hackett was reassigned by MIN on Jan. 15.

LAST GAME QUICK RECAP

The Grand Rapids Griffins battled back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 shootout win, but earning a point in extra time was enough to launch the Houston Aeros into sole possession of third place in the AHL ‚¬â„¢s West Division race. Robbie Earl and Patrick O ‚¬â„¢Sullivan scored for the Aeros in the Sunday afternoon matchup before 5,486 at Toyota Center.

WHAT THE BIG CLUB ‚¬â„¢S UP TO

Wednesday's 6-0 victory at Calgary was the Wild's third straight victory. Minnesota has already matched its road win total from all of last season and, halfway through a four-game trip, is pushing to be a part of the top eight in the Western Conference. The Wild is within a point of a playoff spot. There are two road games left ‚¬" at San Jose and at Chicago ‚¬" before the All-Star break.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 20, 2011


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