Quick trip finishes in Cleveland

December 11, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Five things you need to know
- Houston G Seamus Kotyk went 26-43-7 for Cleveland from 2001-2004. He faced the Barons once last season - his first outside the San Jose organization - and beat the Barons 4-3 in Cleveland in overtime 10/20/04. He made 24 saves.
- Houston C Erik Westrum leads the AHL in assists and scoring with 38 points (12-26=38). 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 17-3-0-1 when Westrum finds the scoresheet in some way, but 1-5-1-0 when he doesn't record at least one point. RW Kirby Law is fifth in the AHL in scoring with 33 points (14-19=33). Law had 49 points (25-24=49) in 80 games last season for Houston. The Aeros' captain has posted eight points (4-4=8) in the last four games but was held off the scoresheet last night. Still, Law has 10 points (5-5=10) in his last six games. Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko, who plays on a line with Westrum and Law, has 26 points (17-9=26), tied for third-most among AHL rookies. Voloshenko's 17 goals rank him second overall in the league and first among rookies. Voloshenko has four goals in a three-game goal streak - his second such run of the season - and his 10 PPG rank second in the AHL. Houston is 9-1-0-0 when Voloshenko scores a goal, and a perfect 13-1-0-0 when he gets at least one point. Voloshenko has 15 points (8-7=15) in his last 11 games. At least one of the three has scored a goal in 22 of the Aeros' 28 games. Aeros rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan has 17 points (8-9=17) in his last 12 games to move into a tie for fifth place among AHL rookies with 24 points (11-13=24). O'Sullivan has eight points (4-4=8) in his active four-game point streak.
- 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 Friday night 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 14 games, with the help of that trio being matched up against the opponent's top line, Houston has gone 10-4-0-0 and has allowed just 2.50 goals per game, more than one full goal fewer per game. Olson, Lundbohm and Ward have combined to score at least one goal in five of the last seven games.
- Tonight's game features the two AHL teams which have given up the most third-period goals. Houston has yielded 39 in the third, second to only Cleveland (43). The Aeros allowed four third-period goals last night, and they have yielded at least one third-period goal in each of their last five games. The Aeros have eight regulation losses this season - and in seven of those games, Houston allowed at least two goals in the third period. Meanwhile, Houston has kept its opponent off the scoreboard in the third period 10 times in 28 games, and the Aeros are 9-0-1-0 in such situations.

Aeros at Barons (Aeros are 10-8-0-0 all-time, Aeros are 4-4-0-0 at Cleveland)
- Tonight is the 19th all-time meeting between the teams - ninth in Cleveland.
- The Barons won three of the four meetings in both the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.
- The winning team in this series has scored at least four goals in 13 of the 18 matchups.
- Only two of the teams' 18 meetings has been decided by one goal, including a 3-2 Houston SO win in Cleveland 11/23/04. That also marked the first overtime or shootout game in the series.
- Houston's 3-2 SO win in Cleveland in the last Ohio meeting, 11/23/04, snapped the Aeros' three-game losing streak in Cleveland.
- Aeros rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan posted five points (3-2=5) as Houston swept two games from Cleveland at home 11/30 and 12/4.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (18-8-1-1) lead the West Division with 38 points, but their lead is down to four points over Milwaukee, a 5-2 winner over Peoria last night...The Admirals have four games in hand on Houston...C Erik Westrum has 38 points (12-26=38) to lead the AHL in points and assists...Westrum has a team-best 12 multiple-point games...RW Kirby Law is fifth in the league with 33 points (14-19=33)...Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko is second in the AHL with 17 goals, and he ranks first among AHL rookies in goals and tied for third in points (26)... Rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan is tied for fifth among first-year players in points with 24 (11-13=24)...D Curtis Murphy is fourth among AHL defensemen with 20 points (3-17=20)...G Josh Harding is 14-6-0 with a 2.58 gaa to rank first in the league in wins, fifth in save pct. (.921) and 12th 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 3-2-1 with a 3.57 gaa.

Scouting the Barons
Cleveland (11-15-1-1), AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks, has won back-to-back games for the first time in a month after knocking off Grand Rapids 4-2 on the road last night...The Barons' winning streak has followed a 2-8-1-1 stretch...RW Mike Iggulden tallied a goal and two assists to take over the team lead in scoring with 20 points (10-10=20)...D Ray DiLauro leads the blueliners with 13 points (2-11=13)...G Nolan Schaefer, who made 29 saves last night and has spent much of the first two months of the season in San Jose, is 3-2-0 with a 2.61 gaa...G Jamie Holden is 5-5-0 with a 3.26 gaa...Holden was reassigned to ECHL Fresno earlier this week but was then recalled due to an injury to G Dmitri Patzold (3-8-0, 4.20 gaa)...The Barons have used five goalies this season.

2005-06 meetings (Third of 4 meetings, Aeros are 2-0-0-0 overall, First meeting at Cleveland)
November 30 Cleveland 2 at Houston 7
December 4 Cleveland 2 at Houston 5
Tonight Houston at Cleveland
February 15 Houston at Cleveland

Quick Hits
- Houston is 8-6-0-0 on the road, and it hasn't yet gone winless in more than one consecutive game away from Toyota Center. The Aeros have just one winless streak all season overall - an 0-2-1-0 run 10/22-10/28.
- Houston has scored first in four straight games and in six of seven. In the last four games, the Aeros hold a 5-0 advantage, and they have an 8-1 edge in the last seven.
- The Aeros are 17-1-0-0 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 15-2-1-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 3-6-0-0 when yielding four or more.
- Houston is 10-1-0-0 when outshooting an opponent. The Aeros are 6-0-0-0 when allowing 30 shots or fewer. Houston was outshot 34-17 last night.
- 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.
- Houston has trailed at some point in eight of its 18 victories. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05, so they are halfway to that mark already.
- The Aeros play the finale of a three-game road trip today, their only road contests in a stretch of nine games. Beginning 11/25, Houston started a stretch of 16 of 21 at Toyota Center through 1/21.
- Houston LW Josh Olson played in his 200th AHL game last night.
- The Aeros are 1-2-1-0 when playing their third game in three nights. The lone win came 3-1 at San Antonio 11/13.

Power play update
- Houston is seventh in the league on the power play at 19.5 percent. The Aeros are 7-for-20 (35.0 percent) in the last three games, 8-for-24 (33.3 percent) in the last four and 10-for-40 (25.0 percent) in the last six. LW Roman Voloshenko has five of the 10 PPG in the last five games.
- The Aeros are 11-1-0-0 when scoring at least two PPG, with the lone loss coming 11/18 in Manitoba.
- Houston has scored at least three PPG in three of its last nine games, and has scored two or more in six of the last 11.
- RW Kirby Law leads Houston with 21 power-play points (7-14=21), 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 seven of the team's eight PPG in the last four games.
- Cleveland is 21st in the AHL on the penalty kill at 80.5 percent.
- The Barons have killed off 23-of-28 (82.1 percent) of their shorthanded chances in the last five games.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is 10th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 84.8 percent.
- The Aeros have struggled on the penalty kill on the road, allowing 24 goals on 113 chances (78.7 kill rate). This is in stark contrast to their performance at Toyota Center, where they have killed off 48-of-49 shorthanded chances (98.0 percent) in their last nine home games. Houston yielded a PPG in each of its first 13 road games this season before going 5-for-5 on the PK Friday night. The Aeros are 9-for-10 (90.0 percent) on the penalty kill on the road trip.
- 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.
- Cleveland is 23rd in the AHL on the power play at 12.9 percent.
- The Barons are 4-for-32 (12.5 percent) on the power play in their last five games.

Murphy third all-time among Aeros D-men in scoring
Aeros D Curtis Murphy, who turned 30 last Saturday, has 20 points (3-17=20), and he continues his march up the Aeros' all-time leaderboard despite spending just more than two seasons in the team's sweater. Murphy picked up his 121st point Friday, moving past 2003 Calder Cup champion teammate Travis Roche into sole possession of third place on the team's all-time list among defensemen. Murphy is 11th in points overall, just two points out of the Aeros' Top 10 (Scott Arniel, 123). Murphy has a three-game assist streak.

Last Game (Saturday)
Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Francis Lemieux, Maxim Lapierre and Corey Locke each posted a goal and an assist, as the Hamilton Bulldogs erased a first-intermission deficit for a big 7-1 win over the Houston Aeros at Copps Coliseum in a rematch of the 2003 Calder Cup Finals, won by Houston in seven games. Yann Danis made 16 saves, and Duncan Milroy, Michael Lambert and James Sanford also scored for Hamilton, which has won two straight after notching just a single win in its previous 12 games. Peter Vandermeer, Andrei Kostitsyn and Danny Syvret each chipped in two assists as 13 different Bulldogs found the scoresheet. Roman Voloshenko scored his team-leading 17th goal - 10th on the power play - and Josh Harding made 20 saves for Houston, which surrendered a season-high seven goals while having its three-game winning streak snapped.

Aeros/Barons connections
- Aeros D Colin Peters played two collegiate seasons with Cleveland D Tim Conboy at St. Cloud State.
- Houston G Seamus Kotyk went 26-43-7 for Cleveland from 2001-2004.
- Cleveland head coach Roy Sommer played for the CHL Houston Apollos in 1979-80, recording 55 points (24-31=55) and 246 penalty minutes in 69 games.



American Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2005


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