AEROS POWER PAST CHOPS 3-1
HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros defeated the Iowa Chops Tuesday night 3-1 behind a potent power-play unit that scored all three of Houston’s goals. Maxim Noreau, John Lammers and Morten Madsen all registered a goal and an assist in the win and Nolan Schaefer stopped 21 of 22 shots in net for his fourth win of the season. The Aeros ended a three-game losing streak and remained undefeated at home on the young season with an overall record of 5-3-0-0 and 4-0-0-0 at home.
PHOTO: JENN KRAUSS
Houston will continue a three-game homestand this weekend with games at Toyota Center on Halloween night, Friday, October 31 and Sunday, November 2. Friday night is Guaranteed Fright Night and fans are encouraged to wear costumes, and Sunday is the Aeros’ Bobblehead Election Night 2008 with the first 3,000 fans getting a McCain or Obama bobblehead (1,500 each). Tickets for both games are available by calling (866) GO-AEROS or by clicking here.
Houston jumped out to an early lead when Jesse Schultz gave a no-look pass to Noreau from behind the net as he one-timed it past the Chops’ goaltender David LeNeveu. The goal marked the first of three power-play goals on the night for the Aeros. Iowa tied the game before the first intermission with a 4-on-3 power-play with 2:48 left to play in the opening period.
Madsen on the power play with the extra attacker on a delayed penalty took blast from the point and netted the eventual game-winning goal at 6:29 in the second frame. Marco Rosa, the extra attacker, and Lammers earned the helpers on the goal. Lammers scored on a rebound on the ensuing power play to give the Aeros a 3-1 lead, his second point on the night. Noreau and Madsen earned the assists on the insurance marker.
The third period was held scoreless for the second time this season. Schaefer stopped all five shots faced while LeNevue knocked aside nine. The final period wasn’t without excitement as two fights broke out and each goaltender made some dramatic saves as the Aeros prevented late attempts at a comeback. Schaefer and the Aeros held on for the 3-1 victory.
Notes:
- The win kept the Aeros perfect at home with a 4-0-0-0. Houston’s only losses this season came north of the border in Manitoba and Toronto.
- The Aeros registered three power play goals on eight chances marking the first time this season the team has scored three goals with the man advantage. Last season, Houston registered three power play goals in a game five times, all wins, with the last coming on April 6 against Peoria in a 5-0 win.
- Maxim Noreau tallied a career-high two points with a goal and an assist against the Chops.
- The win marked G Nolan Schaefer’s 80th victory in the AHL through 180 games played in the league. Schaefer now has a record of 80-84-9 in the AHL.
Tickets for all Aeros home games are on sale now so call (713) 974-PUCK to get your choice of seats today! CALL 1.866.GO.AEROS for day of game tickets.
– HOUSTON AEROS: 15 Seasons, One Reason –
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AEROS TOP RAMPAGE 8-6 IN SCORING FRENZY!
HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros remain a perfect 3-0 on the season with an 8-6 win over the San Antonio Rampage Saturday night in front of 5,304 fans at Toyota Center.
Check out the gallery by clicking HERE.
Houston’s Corey Locke recorded a team-record four points in the third period to lift the Aeros over San Antonio. Houston travels to San Antonio (1-2-0-0) tomorrow for a 5 p.m. contest so tune in to 1070-AM KNTH to listen to Joe O’Donnell call the games all season long.
A total of five power-play goals and one short-handed marker was scored between the two clubs. Houston went 2-for-7 on the man-advantage with Morten Madsen netting the short-handed goal in the second period. The Rampage recorded two power-play goals on seven chances. Houston’s Nolan Schaefer replaced Barry Brust in net after 8:27 of ice-time. Schaefer finished with 18 saves on 22 shots and Brust knocked away three of five shots on net.
BOX SCORE
The first period seemed a bit like the first matchup last season between the clubs with six combined goals scored in the period, one more than last season’s. The Rampage got on the board first with an even strength marker only 1:21 into the contest. It marked the first even strength goal against the Aeros this season. Aero Matt Kassian and Rampage right wing Francis Lessard had a rematch of a pre-season bout, dropping the gloves shortly after the opening goal with an extra ten-minute misconduct handed to Lessard. Houston came out inspired and tied the game with Marco Rosa wrapping around behind the net and stuffing the puck in at 1:52 in the first period.
Houston took a one goal lead when Jason Deitsch - who joined the club only hours before the puck dropped – scored on a breakaway as he faked forehand and flipped a backhand past Rampage netminder Josh Tordjman. Garth Murray answered for the Rampage just two minutes later to tie the game at two on an unassisted power play goal at the 5:27 mark of the period.
Before the buzzer rang on the first period, each team added a power-play goal to tie it at three. Peter Olvecky scored for the Aeros as he batted a rebound out of mid-air into the back of the net and Greg Classen added a power play goal to tie it at 13:22. In all, six goals were scored in the first 13:22 of the game.
The second period started just as the first left off. San Antonio took a 4-3 lead on Murray’s second goal of the game, another power play goal just 4:26 into the period. Houston answered when Madsen stole the puck short-handed, came in on a breakaway and snuck the puck in, five-hole on Tordjman. It marked the Aeros first short-handed goal of the season and tied the game at four. The seesaw battle continued as the Rampage regained the lead on an even-strength goal at the 9:44 mark when Lessard shot the puck just inside the far post giving the Rampage a 5-4 lead to finish the second frame.
The third period accounted for five of the total goals with four in favor of the Aeros. Houston started the final period scoring with two goals separated by 2:30 of game time. Clayton Stoner scored at 6:48 when his hard shot from the left-wing face-off circle deflected off a Rampage defender’s skate and in. Ryan Hamilton followed by netting his second goal of the season at 9:18 to put the Aeros up 6-5. San Antonio tied the game at 12:43. After tallying assists on the first two goals in the period, Locke put the nail in the coffin with the power-play game-winner scored at 18:12 in the final period followed by an empty-net marker by Locke with 25 seconds remaining for the 8-6 final.
GAME NOTES:
- Houston’s eight goals tied the most scored by the team in club history.
- The 14 combined goals marked the highest goal total in Aeros’ history.
- Corey Locke’s four-point third period set an Aeros’ record for points in a period. The last player to record a three point period was Matt Foy on 11/24/06 also vs. San Antonio; all three points were goals.
- Locke’s four-point night was the first an Aero has recorded since Serge Payer put up four points on January 6, 2008. Both recorded two goals and two assists.
- The Aeros’ 3-0 start continues to be the best start since Houston went 8-0 to begin the 2002-03 season.
Tickets for all Aeros home games are on sale now so call (713) 974-PUCK to get your choice of seats today! CALL 1.866.GO.AEROS for day of game tickets.
– HOUSTON AEROS: 15 Seasons, One Reason –
Aeros Shut Out Milwaukee 3-0!
HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros marked the first shutout in the AHL with a 3-0 win over the Milwaukee Admirals in front of 3,146 fans at Toyota Center.
Check out the gallery by clicking HERE. { GAME RECAP }
Houston’s only Monday contest this season put the team in a tie for first in the West Division with four points on a 2-0-0-0 record, their best start since the 2002-03 season. Milwaukee falls to 1-1-0-0 on the season.
Aeros’ net-minder Nolan Schaefer (2-0-0) blocked all 27 shots faced as his counterpart, Drew MacIntyre (1-1-0), knocked aside 24 of 26 shots on net, allowing one empty-net goal. Krys Kolanos netted two goals for his second and third in two games. Ryan Hamilton netted the game winner a little over halfway through the first period.
GAME SUMMARY
Houston’s top line proved to be just that. Corey Locke passed cross ice to Jesse Schultz who put the puck on Hamilton’s stick directly in front of the net as he stuffed it home for the game’s first goal, a power-play marker at 14:47 in the first frame, which proved to be the game-winner.
The second period was marked by good chances from both teams but largely controlled by the Aeros. Each team had one power-play opportunity apiece but remained scoreless throughout. Each goalie faced eight shots on net during the second.
The Aeros second line also pitched in when Kolanos gave Houston a 2-0 lead only 26 seconds into the third period as he took the puck coast-to-coast. Marco Rosa set up the play with a quick pass in the Aeros defensive zone as Kolanos skated through the defense and finished with a wrist shot near MacIntyre’s crease. Kolanos wasn’t finished yet when he tallied a late empty-net, power-play goal with only 59 seconds left to play. Houston fought off a late rally attempt by the Admirals as Schaefer made a number of dramatic saves to hold on to the 3-0 victory.
GAME NOTES
- The win put Houston in a three-way tie with Rockford and Iowa for first place in the West Division.
- The 2-0-0-0 start marks the best start for the Aeros since the 2002-03 season, the only other time in franchise history.
- The shutout was the first in the AHL this season, the 29th game in the league.
- Schaefer’s shutout came in only his second game marking his 15th professional shutout, 14 in the AHL and seventh with the Aeros.
- Houston’s first shutout came in the second game of the season compared to the 21st game of last season.
The Aeros stay at home this week and play the San Antonio Rampage in a home-and-home series starting Saturday night at Toyota Center. Saturday’s 7:35 p.m. game is also Houston’s 3rd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night so be sure to come out and show support for such a great cause! Ticket packages include a limited edition pink puck with a certain dollar amount from each package being donated to Susan G. Komen Houston Affiliate.
Tickets for all Aeros home games are on sale now so call (713) 974-PUCK to get your choice of seats today! CALL 1.866.GO.AEROS for day of game tickets.
– HOUSTON AEROS: 15 Seasons, One Reason –
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