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Road trip ends in Peoria

January 27, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Five things you need to know
- Aeros C Erik Westrum (22-47=69) and RW Kirby Law (27-38=65) rank first and second in the AHL in scoring. They are trying to become the first duo from the same team to finish 1-2 in the league's scoring race Paul Gardner (112 points) and Jody Gage (99) turned the trick for Rochester exactly 20 seasons ago - in 1985-86. No two teammates have reached the 100-point plateau since a trio of Carolina Monarchs did it in 1995-96. Westrum has already posted the second-highest point and assist total for an Aero since the the team joined the AHL in 2001-02. Jean-Guy Trudel notched 85 points, including 54 helpers, in 2002-03. Law, who had a franchise-record 16-game point streak snapped Tuesday, has 40 points (17-23=40) in his last 22 contests. Rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring with 47 points (24-23=47), and he's tied with fellow rookie LW Roman Voloshenko (24-14=38) for the lead in goals among first-year players. Voloshenko is tied for seventh in overall rookie scoring. The line of Law, Westrum and Voloshenko has been held without at least a point in only six games this season, and the Aeros are 0-6-0-0 in those contests. Three of the games have been shutouts, while the trio has also been held off the scoresheet 10/25, 10/28 and 11/19. Tuesday marked the first time not one member of the line had a point in almost two full months, since a 3-0 shutout loss to Milwaukee at home 11/27. Veteran D Curtis Murphy, meanwhile, moved into a tie for the AHL defensemen scoring lead last night with an assist, his 39th point (7-32=39) of the season.
- Houston veteran D Scott Ferguson is set to appear in his 500th American Hockey League game tonight. RW Kirby Law played in his 500th AHL contest 12/28. Ferguson has posted 168 points (37-131=168) and 989 PIM's in 499 career AHL games with Cape Breton, Hamilton, Cincinnati and Houston. Ferguson tallied his first goal and first multiple-point game as an Aero last night. Ferguson also has 218 National Hockey League games to his credit, with 21 points (7-14=21) and 310 PIM's. Ferguson was assigned to the Aeros by the Minnesota Wild 12/1.
- Aeros RW and captain Kirby Law's next goal will tie him with Aeros special assistant to hockey Cam Stewart for 10th place on the team's all-time goal list with 54. Law has played in 147 consecutive AHL games - 126 with Houston. Law's 27 goals are five off his 2003-04 career-high, and he's only eight points shy of his career-best total of 73.
- Not only does Houston have the second-best power play unit in the AHL at 21.4 percent, but it strikes quickly. Over their last 20 games, the Aeros have scored on their first or second power play of the game 16 times. Three times in that span, including last night, Houston has scored on both its first and second opportunities. In each of their last four victories, the Aeros scored on either their first or second power play.
- The Aeros have dropped back-to-back games overall for the second time this season, the other being 10/25-10/28. Houston lost two in a row eight times last season, but hasn't dropped three straight games in regulation since 2/20-2/22/04. The Aeros have dropped two straight road games for the first time this season. Houston lost two in a row on the road three times last season, and hasn't dropped three straight away from Toyota Center since a franchise-record-tying four-game run 2/13-2/22/04.

Aeros at Rivermen (Aeros are 7-6-1-0 all-time, Aeros are 2-5-0-0 on road)
- Tonight is the 15th all-time meeting between the franchises.
- This is the last of three meetings in a seven-day stretch. In a scheduling quirk, the teams won't meet again until 3/28, and from there they'll play the season's final three meetings over just a six-day stretch.
- The teams met Tuesday in Peoria, with former NHL All-Star Patrick Lalime posting 33 saves in a 3-0 Rivermen victory at Carver Arena. Saturday in Houston, the Aeros prevailing 5-1 behind two goals and an assist from LW Roman Voloshenko, four assists from C Erik Westrum and a goal and two helpers from RW Kirby Law. The quartet of Voloshenko, Westrum, Law and C Patrick O'Sullivan have combined for 31 points (13-18=31) in the six meetings.
- The Aeros are 6-1-0-0 when scoring three or more goals against Worcester/Peoria, but 0-5-1-0 when scoring two or fewer.

Scouting the Aeros
Despite losing two straight, the Aeros (32-12-1-1) have the AHL's second-best winning percentage (.717), trailing only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (32-6-3-2=69, .802 pct)...The Aeros' West Division lead is six points over Milwaukee, which has two games in hand and visits Cleveland tonight and tomorrow...Houston has won 15 of 18 and 17 of 22 overall...The Aeros play game six of a grueling stretch of seven games in nine nights in four cities...C Erik Westrum has 69 points (21-47=69), four up on RW Kirby Law (27-38=65) for the top spot in the AHL...C Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring with with 47 points (24-23=47)...LW Roman Voloshenko (24-14=38) is tied with O'Sullivan for the league lead in goals among rookies...D Curtis Murphy is tied for first among AHL defensemen with 39 points (7-32=39)...G Josh Harding is 21-7-0 with a 2.63 gaa to rank first in the league in wins, tied for fourth in save pct. (.923) and tied for 10th in gaa...G Seamus Kotyk is 9-5-1 with a 2.67 gaa, ranking 12th in gaa and tied for 10th in save pct. (.911), while G Miroslav Kopriva is 2-1-0 with a 3.23 gaa.

Scouting the Rivermen
Peoria (23-16-1-2), AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, is resurgent, having won six of seven...Peoria is in third place in the West with 49 points...RW Mike Glumac is 11th in the AHL in scoring with 46 points (22-24=46)...D Mike Mottau paces the blueline with 29 points (3-26=29), a total that places him eighth among AHL defensemen...G Patrick Lalime, a former NHL All-Star, is 6-4-1 with a 2.82 gaa....G Reinhard Divis is 3-6-1 with a 3.21 gaa.

2005-06 meetings (7th of 10 meetings, Aeros are 4-2-0-0 overall, Aeros are 1-2-0-0 at Peoria)
October 14 Houston 3 at Peoria 1
October 30 Houston 0 at Peoria 4
December 16 Peoria 3 at Houston 5
December 17 Peoria 2 at Houston 7
January 21 Peoria 1 at Houston 5
Tuesday Houston 0 at Peoria 3
Tonight Houston at Peoria
March 28 Houston at Peoria
April 1 Peoria at Houston
April 2 Peoria at Houston

Quick Hits
- Houston is third in the AHL in scoring at 3.74 gpg, trailing only Grand Rapids' 3.96 gpg and Portland's 3.77 gpg. Since getting shut out 3-0 by Milwaukee 11/27, the Aeros have scored 96 goals in 22 games for a 4.36 gpg average. Just three times since the shutout have the Aeros been held to fewer than three goals. Houston is trying to score 300 goals for just the second time in team history. The Aeros scored a franchise-record 307 goals in 1998-99, but that came in an 82-game season. This season Houston is on pace for 299 goals through 45 games.
- In their last four victories, the Aeros have outscored their opponents 10-1 in the first period. In the last 11 games overall, Houston has a 21-7 goal margin in the opening 20 minutes, and overall on the season the Aeros are an AHL-best plus-24 (56-32).
- Houston rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan has six GWG - already one off the single-season franchise-record. Four different Aeros have posted seven GWG, with Kyle Wanvig the last to do it in 2003-04. O'Sullivan also has a pair of shootout GWG, but those don't count in the statistics.
- Aeros D Curtis Murphy, named an All-Star earlier this month for the seventh time in as many North American seasons, is on the verge of becoming the Aeros' all-time goal leader among defensemen. Murphy is tied with Jeff Tory for the top spot among blueliners with 42 tallies. Murphy's 140 points trail only Greg Hawgood's total of 145 for the most in team history among defensemen. Murphy, who needs two more assists to become the fifth in team history to reach 100, has 22 points (4-18=22) in his last 22 games, including 13 points (4-9=13) in the last 11 games. Murphy is tied for first among all AHL defensemen in points this season (7-32=39).
- The Aeros are 12-4-1-1 in one-goal games, and an impressive 18-6-1-1 in games decided by two goals or less. Thirteen of the Aeros' first 21 games were decided by one goal. Since then, however, just five of the last 25 games has been of the one-goal variety.
- Houston has trailed at some point in 13 of its 32 victories, with four of the wins coming when trailing by two goals. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05. They are an impressive 11-7-0-0 when allowing the game's first goal.
- Last night, the Aeros fell to 31-3-0-0 when scoring three goals or more, but they are 1-9-1-1 when scoring two or fewer. Three is also the magic number defensively, as Houston is 29-4-1-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 3-8-0-0 when yielding four or more.
- Houston is 15-3-0-0 when outshooting an opponent.

Power play update
- Houston is second in the league on the power play at 21.4 percent.
- The Aeros are 36-for-137 (26.3 percent) with the man advantage in the last 22 games.
- Houston is 17-for-72 (23.6 percent) in the last 12 games, scoring at least two PPG in eight of the games.
- The Aeros are 20-3-0-0 when scoring at least two PPG. Houston has scored two or more PPG in 13 of its last 21 games.
- Houston has been outscored on the power play just three in its last 24 games - including last night in Iowa.
- Houston has a trio of players with at least 10 power play goals - including C Erik Westrum's league-leading total of 14. There are only 13 AHL players who have reached double digits in that category. Only Grand Rapids and Peoria have as many as two. The Aeros have had more than two players with 10 power play markers just once in team history, when four accomplished the feat in 1998-99, including Jeff Christian's franchise-record 20.
- Peoria is ninth in the AHL on the penalty kill at 84.1 percent.
- The Rivermen have killed off 31-of-32 shorthanded chances (96.9 percent) in the last seven games, with Houston LW Roman Voloshenko scoring the lone goal on Saturday.
- Houston is 7-for-29 (24.1 percent) on the power play against Peoria this season, but just 1-for-12 (8.3 percent) on the road.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is fourth in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.4 percent.
- The Aeros were 44-of-45 (97.8 percent) on the PK in the last eight games since Grand Rapids went 5-for-10 on 1/6 before Iowa went 3-for-8 last night. It marked the first time the Aeros allowed more than two PPG on the road since 11/17 at Manitoba.
- Houston is 15-3-0-1 when not allowing a power play goal and 25-5-1-1 when allowing one power play goal or fewer.
- Peoria ranks fourth in the AHL on the power play at 19.7 percent.
- The Rivermen are 3-for-37 (8.1 percent) with the man advantage in the last six games.
- Peoria is 6-for-36 (16.7 percent) on the power play against Houston this season, including 3-for-19 (15.8 percent) at home.

Last Game (Thursday)
Krys Barch snapped a tie with 9:04 left in regulation - just 12 seconds after Houston tied the score - and Loui Eriksson netted his second goal of the game 1:24 later, as the Iowa Stars held off the Aeros 6-4 at the Iowa Events Center. Kyle Brodziak, Yan Stastny and Jamie Johnson each scored 3:30 apart early in the second period and former Aero Mike Smith made 32 saves for the Stars. Matt Foy scored two goals, Patrick O'Sullivan and Scott Ferguson each added one and Seamus Kotyk made 21 stops for Houston.

Aeros/Rivermen connections
- Peoria C Brendan Brooks and D 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 C Erik Westrum and Peoria C Troy Riddle were both born in Minneapolis, Minn, and they were teammates at the University of Minnesota. in 2000-01.
- Houston LW Joey Tetarenko and Peoria D Rocky Thompson spent much of the 2000-01 season together at AHL Louisville.
- Peoria D Jeff Woywitka was Houston RW Kirby Law's teammate at AHL Philadelphia in 2003-04.

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