Road trip finale in Omaha

Published on March 31, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Eight things you need to know
- Houston enters tonight with 95 points - three behind first-place Milwaukee, although the Aeros have two games in hand. Houston led the West by as many as nine points, the last time 1/12, when it had 58 points to Milwaukee's 49. The Admirals are at home tonight against fifth-place and surging Iowa before traveling to Omaha on Saturday. Houston, which has qualified for the playoffs in 10 straight seasons and 11 out of 12, has a magic number of 16 points to clinch the West Division title. That's a total of its own points gained and points lost by the Admirals. The Aeros own two division titles in their first 11 seasons - 1998-99 and 2002-03 - both championship campaigns. Houston is six points up on third-place Peoria, giving the Aeros a magic number of 13 points to clinch home ice in at least the West Division Finals. Houston and Peoria meet at Toyota Center on Saturday and Sunday.
- The Aeros have been outscored 22-7 in the third period over their last 13 games. They are just 3-8-1-1 in that stretch. Houston is minus-six (85-79) in the final 20 minutes this season. Only two teams have allowed more third-period goals.
- Aeros RW Kirby Law is just the 95th player in the 70-year history of the American Hockey League to post 100 points (38-62=100) in a season. Only three other AHL players have reached that mark since 2000-01. Law is just the second player in team history to reach 100 points. Brian Wiseman totaled a team-record 109 in the 1998-99 campaign.
- Houston LW Patrick O'Sullivan continues his push towards a possible Rookie of the Year title. Earlier this month, O'Sullivan became the first player ever to win back-to-back AHL Rookie of the Month Awards. O'Sullivan owns rookie team records in all major offensive categories, and he leads all AHL rookies in goals (43) and points (82), while ranking tied for fifth overall in the league in points. His 43 goals place him third in the AHL. Since 11/9, O'Sullivan has racked up 75 points (40-35=75) in just 56 games. His 43 goals are the second-most in a single season in team history, trailing only Jeff Christian's total of 45 in 1998-99. O'Sullivan is just the second rookie since 1991-92 to record 40 goals. Rochester's Thomas Vanek potted 42 in 2004-05.
- Houston is 102-for-491 on the power play for 20.8 percent - second in the 27-team AHL - although it is 2-for-29 (6.9 percent) in the last six games. The Aeros had a then franchise-record 94 PPG in the Turner Cup-winning season of 1998-99. Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko has 20 PPG - tied with Jeff Christian's franchise-record from 1998-99. The Aeros have four players with 14 or more PPG.
- The Aeros are winless in seven straight games (0-5-1-1) for the first time since a franchise-record 0-5-7-1 span 12/27/03-1/23/04. Houston has lost three straight games in regulation for the first time since 2/20-2/22/04. Its last four-game regulation losing streak came 11/28-12/3/03. The Aeros are winless in a season-high six straight road games, their longest stretch since an 0-7-2-0 stretch 1/31-2/26/04. Houston has lost three straight road games outright, one off the team record, set five times, most recently from 2/13-2/22/04.
- Since beating Hamilton on 3/5, the Aeros are 3-1-0-0 versus Chicago and 0-7-1-1 versus the rest of the AHL.
- The Aeros are 0-3-1-0 on a five-game road trip that has continued Houston's road woes in the month of March. Houston is 2-11-1-2 on the road in the month the last two seasons, 4-13-1-3 the last three seasons and 7-18-1-3 since 2002-03. Overall, the Aeros will have just their second losing March mark in team history. The other was back in 1995-96, when they went 4-9-1. Houston begins a five-game homestand Saturday.

Aeros at Knights (Aeros are 5-1-0-1 overall, Aeros are 2-1-0-1 at Omaha)
- The Aeros and Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames, meet for the eighth time.
- Houston won the first five meetings of the season - including four by a single goal and three in overtime or a shootout - before Omaha earned victories in the last two meetings - both in Nebraska.
- The Aeros play three of their final eight games against Omaha.
- In the last meeting, 3/23 in Omaha, Knights D Mark Giordano scored in regulation and added the deciding shootout tally in a 5-4 win.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (45-22-2-3) are 1-6-1-1 in their last nine to fall out of first place in the West Division...Tonight, Houston plays the finale of a five-game road trip to complete a stretch of nine of 10 road games through the end of March...The Aeros are 1-7-0-1 in their last nine road games, with a 6-5 decision over Chicago 3/15 the lone win...RW Kirby Law has 100 points (38-62=100), eight points up on the recalled C Erik Westrum (31-61=92) for the top spot in the AHL...LW Patrick O'Sullivan is first in rookie scoring and tied for fifth overall with 82 points (43-39=82)...LW Roman Voloshenko (33-22=55) is second in goals among rookies and tied for seventh in points...D Curtis Murphy is second among AHL defensemen with a new career-best 60 points (10-50=60)...G Seamus Kotyk is 12-12-2 with a 3.12 gaa, while G Miroslav Kopriva is 6-4-1 with a 3.52 gaa.

Scouting the Knights
Omaha (33-26-2-9), AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames, is 6-1-0-1 in its last eight after a 3-2 shootout loss at home against Peoria on Saturday...Omaha is 15-3-0-2 in its last 10 to take over the fourth and final playoff spot out of the West Division with 77 points, but just three clear of Iowa...All-Star D Mark Giordano paces the Knights with 56 points (15-41=56)...Rookie LW David Moss has 48 points (21-27=48)...G Brent Krahn is 24-16-7 with a 2.48 gaa - sixth-best in the AHL, while rookie G Curtis McElhinney is 9-12-2 with a 2.37 gaa - third in the league.

2005-06 meetings (8th of 10 meetings, Aeros are 5-1-0-1 overall, Aeros are 2-1-0-1 at Omaha)
October 18 Houston 6 at Omaha 5 (SO)
October 20 Houston 4 at Omaha 3 (SO)
November 9 Omaha 1 at Houston 2
November 11 Omaha 1 at Houston 5
December 23 Omaha 3 at Houston 4 (OT)
March 12 Houston 1 at Omaha 6
March 23 Houston 4 at Omaha 5
Tonight Houston at Omaha
April 11 Omaha at Houston
April 14 Omaha at Houston

Quick Hits
- For the eighth straight game, Houston tries for its 200th victory since entering the American Hockey League. The Aeros are 199-138-39-16 in their five AHL seasons.
- The Aeros had won their last six one-goal games before going 0-2-1-1 in their last four. They are still an eye-popping 21-7-2-3 in such contests, and an impressive 28-12-2-3 in games decided by two goals or less. Houston has seen 19 of its last 24 games be decided by one or two goals, going 10-6-1-2. Houston's 21 one-goal wins are one off Grand Rapids' and Manchester's league-high.
- In their last 14 victories, the Aeros have outscored their opponents 28-11 in the first period. In the last 37 games overall, Houston has a 47-28 goal margin in the opening 20 minutes, and on the season the Aeros are an AHL-best plus-30 (82-52). The Aeros are 27-7-1-1 when leading after one period this season.
- Murphy's Mission, benefiting I Have a Dream ®, has started off in strong fashion. D Curtis Murphy has picked up 11 assists in 14 games for $1100. An anonymous local donor is giving $300 per Murphy goal and $100 per assist to the charity. The "I Have a Dream"® Program helps children from low-income areas reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment with an assured opportunity for higher education. A home hat trick at any point of the program will net the foundation a whopping $10,000. Murphy, who last month became the top defenseman goal and point scorer in team history, passed Greg Hawgood for the top spot on the team's all-time assist ledger 3/9. Murphy ranks second among AHL blueliners with 60 points (10-50=60) - a new career-high. Murphy is averaging nearly a point per game since New Year's. Murphy has 34 points (7-27=34) in 37 games in 2006.
- The Aeros pulled off yet another come-from-behind win 3/7 against Chicago. Houston has trailed at some point in 19 of its 45 victories, with six of the wins coming when trailing by two goals. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05. They are an impressive 15-13-1-0 when allowing the game's first goal.
- Houston is 14-4-1-0 when allowing 29 or fewer shots this season, but also an impressive 10-2-1-0 when yielding 40 or more.
- The Aeros are 43-6-0-2 when scoring three goals or more, but they are 2-16-2-1 when scoring two or fewer. Three is also the magic number defensively, as Houston is 38-5-2-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 7-17-0-2 when yielding four or more.
- The Knights' 5-4 shooutout victory over the Aeros 3/23 was just the third time this season Omaha won when allowing three goals or more.

Power play update
- Houston is second in the league on the power play at 20.8 percent.
- Houston is 2-for-29 (6.9 percent) with the man advantage in the last six games, with both PPG coming Saturday in Iowa.
- The Aeros are 25-7-0-1 when scoring at least two PPG. Houston has scored two or more PPG in 23 of its last 47 games.
- Omaha is third in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.3 percent.
- The Knights have killed off 31-of-33 (93.9 percent) shorthanded chances in the last five games.
- Houston is 8-for-53 (15.1 percent) on the power play against Omaha this season, including 5-of-28 (17.9 percent) on the road.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is down to seventh in the AHL on the penalty kill at 83.6 percent.
- The Aeros have allowed 22 PPG on 79 chances in the last 11 games for just a 72.2 percent PK rate, and they allowed a season-high-tying five PPG Tuesday in Peoria.
- Houston is 22-6-1-3 when not allowing a power play goal and 35-12-2-2 when allowing one power play goal or fewer.
- Omaha is 13th in the AHL on the power play at 17.7 percent.
- The Knights are 6-for-29 (20.7 percent) with the man advantage in the last five games.
- Omaha went 4-for-34 (11.8 percent) on the power play in the season's first five meetings, but the Knights have gone 6-for-18 (33.3 percent) in the last two games, both victories. Overall, Omaha is 10-for-52 (19.1 percent) with the man advantage versus the Aeros.

Aeros/Knights connections
- Knights D Steve Bancroft played for the Aeros for part of the 1999-2000 season. Bancroft, Omaha D Mark Giordano and Houston LW Joel Ward each hail from Toronto, Ont.
- Houston G Seamus Kotyk was a teammate off Knights D Steve Bancroft (2001-02) and LW Lynn Loyns in Cleveland (2001-04).
- Aeros D Shawn Belle and Knights LW Justin Taylor both hail from Edmonton, Alta

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American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2006


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