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Houston makes lone trip to Rochester

December 9, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Five things you need to know
- Since missing five games due to injury in late October and early November, Aeros second-year G Josh Harding is 8-2-0 with a 1.90 gaa to move to 13-5-0 with a 2.45 gaa on the season. Harding, who leads the AHL with 13 victories, has 34 wins overall with the Aeros, tied with Manny Fernandez and Troy Gamble for third place on the team's all-time list. Only Derek Gustafson (37) had more AHL wins with Houston than Harding. The stingy native of Regina, Sask, is an amazing 28-1-1 in his last 30 decisions when the Aeros score three goals or more in support of him. Harding ranks eighth in the AHL this season with a 2.45 gaa and third in save pct. (.924).
- Houston C Erik Westrum leads the AHL in assists and scoring with 36 points (12-24=36). 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 16-2-0-1 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 tied for fourth in the AHL in scoring with 29 points (13-16=29). Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko, who plays on a line with Westrum and Law, has 23 points (14-9=23), fifth-most among AHL rookies. Voloshenko is tied for seventh overall in the AHL in goals and tied for second among rookies. Houston is 8-0-0-0 when Voloshenko scores a goal, and a perfect 12-0-0-0 when he gets at least one point. At least one of the three has scored a goal in 20 of the Aeros' 26 games. Amazingly, Sunday was the first time this season that Westrum, Law and Voloshenko each found the net in the same game.
- Aeros rookie C Patrick O'Sullivan has 14 points (7-7=14) in his last 10 games to move into a tie for sixth place among AHL rookies with 21 points (10-11=21). Just as impressive, the 2003 second-round pick is plus-seven in that span to move to plus-six on the season.
- Rochester holds down the top spot in the AHL on the power play at 25.8 percent, and it is 6-for-16 (37.5 percent) over its last three games. The Amerks click on a whopping 30.1 percent of their man advantage opportunities at home. It should be an interesting matchup for the Aeros, who have struggled on the penalty kill on the road, allowing 23 goals on 103 chances (77.7 percent). 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 has yielded a PPG in each of its 12 road games this season.
- The Aeros have allowed four third-period goals over their last three games for a total of 33 this season. The Aeros have seven regulation losses this season - and in six 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 26 games, and the Aeros are 9-0-1-0 in such situations.

Aeros at Amerks (Aeros are 4-1-3-0 all-time, Aeros are 2-0-2-0 at Rochester)
- The teams meet for the ninth time tonight - the fifth meeting in Rochester.
- Houston and Rochester split two games last season, and the Amerks' 3-2 win at Toyota Center 12/2/04 was their first victory in the series. Houston started 4-0-3-0 against Rochester.
- Each of the last five meetings has either ended in a tie or was decided by one goal.
- In Houston's last trip to Rochester, the Aeros earned a 2-1 win 11/19/04. Houston has never lost at Blue Cross Arena at War Memorial (2-0-2-0).
- The teams skated to three straight ties 1/31/03-1/4/04.
- Aeros G Seamus Kotyk is 4-3-2 with an impressive 2.05 gaa and a .943 save pct. in his career against Rochester. The numbers are even better at War Memorial, where he is 2-0-1 with a 0.53 gaa and a .983 save pct. and one shutouts.
- Houston is 7-2-0-1 this season against the North Division, including a 3-2-0-0 road mark.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (17-7-1-1) lead the West Division with 36 points, and a victory tonight would put them just a win behind the 1998-99 Turner Cup-winning team (19-4-4) for the most victories in the first 27 games...C Erik Westrum has 36 points (12-24=36) to lead the AHL in points and assists...Westrum has a team-best 12 multiple-point games...RW Kirby Law is tied for fourth in the league with 29 points (13-16=29)...Rookie LW Roman Voloshenko is tied for seventh in the AHL with 14 goals, and he ranks tied for second among AHL rookies in goals and fifth in points (23)... C Patrick O'Sullivan is tied for sixth among first-year players in points with 21 (10-11=21)...D Curtis Murphy is fourth among AHL defensemen with 19 points (3-16=19)...G Josh Harding is 13-5-0 with a 2.45 gaa to rank first in the league in wins, third in save pct (.924) and eight in gaa...Harding is 19-5-1 in his last 25 regular-season games, and one of the losses was in OT...G Seamus Kotyk is 3-2-1 with a 3.36 gaa.

Scouting the Americans
Rochester (13-10-0-0), AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, has lost three of five and five of eight, including a 2-1 decision at Manitoba on Saturday in its last action...The Amerks have scored 69 goals in their 13 wins (5.31 goals per game), but only 16 in their 10 losses (1.60 goals per game)...Rochester has tallied just four goals in its last five losses...RW Mark Mancari scored the lone goal for the Amerks and Michael Leighton stopped 25 shots in his fourth straight appearance...With injuries and call-ups taking their toll, D Nathan Paetsch leads Rochester in scoring with 21 points (2-19=21)...RW Chris Thorburn is the leading active forward with 17 points (8-9=17)...Leighton is 7-7-0 with a 2.87 gaa, while G Jean-Marc Pelletier is 6-2-0 with a 4.22 gaa.

2005-06 meetings (1st of 2 meetings)
Tonight Houston at Rochester
January 20 Rochester at Houston

Quick Hits
- The Aeros are 16-1-0-0 when scoring three goals or more, but 1-6-1-1 when scoring two or fewer. Three is also the magic number defensively, as Houston is 14-2-1-1 when allowing three of fewer goals and 3-5-0-0 when yielding four or more.
- Houston is 10-1-0-0 when outshooting an opponent.
- 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 14 victories. The Aeros had 16 come-from-behind victories in 2004-05, so they are halfway to that mark already. Impressively, five of the eight come-from-behind wins this season have been on the road.
- Houston played a league-high 22 games in 44 days since opening the season 10/7. But over the next 46 days, through 1/5, the Aeros play just 13 times.
- The Aeros open a three-game road trip tonight, their only road games 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 Bill Kinkel is tied for eighth in the AHL in PIM's with 92, a total that places him second among rookies.

Power play update
- Houston is 10th in the league on the power play at 18.7 percent. The Aeros snapped out of a four-game, 3-for-30 funk with a 3-for-8 performance Sunday versus Cleveland.
- The Aeros are 10-1-0-0 when scoring at least two PPG, with the lone loss coming 11/18 in Manitoba.
- RW Kirby Law leads Houston with 19 power-play points (8-11=19), while C Erik Westrum has 18 (7-11=18). Law has eight PPG, while Westrum and LW Roman Voloshenko each have seven. The trio each scored a PPG in Sunday's 5-2 win over Cleveland.
- Rochester is seventh in the AHL on the penalty kill at 86.3 percent.
- The Americans have killed off 27-of-32 (84.4 percent) of their shorthanded chances in the last five games.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is 11th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 84.5 percent.
- The Aeros have struggled on the penalty kill on the road, allowing 23 goals on 103 chances (77.7 percent). 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 has yielded a PPG in each of its road games this season.
- Houston is 6-1-0-1 when not allowing a power play goal, all coming at home.
- The Aeros are 13-2-1-1 when allowing one power play goal or fewer.
- Rochester holds down the top spot in the AHL on the power play at 25.8 percent.
- Since going 0-for-13 with the man advantage over a two-game stretch 11/25-11/26, the Amerks have scored six times on 16 opportunities in the last three games (37.5 percent).

Murphy climbing charts
Aeros D Curtis Murphy, who turned 30 last Saturday, has 19 points (3-16=19), and he continues his march up the Aeros' all-time leaderboard despite spending just more than two seasons in the team's sweater. Murphy's 120 points have him in a tie for third place among all-time Aeros defensemen with 2003 Calder Cup champion teammate Travis Roche. Murphy is tied for 11th among all players in points with Roche and Cory Larose, three points out of the Aeros' Top 10 (Scott Arniel, 123).

Last Game (Sunday)
Erik Westrum posted a goal and two assists, Kirby Law contributed a goal and a helper and Patrick O'Sullivan added two assists, as the Houston Aeros knocked off the Cleveland Barons 5-2 at Toyota Center. Rem Murray, Bryan Lundbohm and Roman Voloshenko also scored, and Josh Harding made 17 saves for Houston.

Aeros/Americans connections
- Rochester D David Cullen was an Aero in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, helping the team win the Calder Cup in 2003.
- Aeros C Erik Westrum played two seasons in Springfield with Rochester D Dan Focht, and three seasons in Springfield/Utah with G Jean-Marc Pelletier. Focht and Aeros G Josh Harding each hail from Regina, Sask.
- Houston D Colin Peters was Rochester F Matt Hendricks' teammate for four seasons at St. Cloud State.
- Rochester C Greg Jacina played 1 1/2 seasons alongside Houston C Patrick O'Sullivan at OHL Mississauga.
- Houston G Seamus Kotyk, Rochester D Jeff Jillson and D Brandon Smith were teammates in Cleveland from 2001-03.
- Aeros D Curtis Murphy skated with Amerks D Alexander Karpotsev with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in Russia during the NHL lockout.
- Houston RW Matt Foy played with Rochester RW Mark Mancari and RW Scott Sheppard in OHL Ottawa in 2002-03.
- Aeros D Erik Reitz and Rochester D Jeremy Swanson were teammates in OHL Barrie in 2001-02.

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