tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26360853046778457062012-01-28T19:57:05.526-06:00The definitive blog about Houston Aeros hockey.Third Intermissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00105274342274520186noreply@blogger.comBlogger13441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-80904439283901349342012-01-27T09:57:00.000-06:002012-01-27T09:58:47.581-06:00

Matt Hackett wants you to read about heading off to the All-Star Game If you've got the chance, John's got a new story in the Press today about Jon DiSalvatore and Matt Hackett heading off to the AHL All-Star Game after Saturday's game in San Antonio.  It's the first AHL All-Star Game for both. And for those of you on twitter, go welcome Jon DiSalvatore who has recently joined the

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-3026367714101849682012-01-26T15:13:00.000-06:002012-01-26T15:14:19.443-06:00

So many times we refer to Russo's blog because his information is timely and accurate 99.999 percent of the time. But as it turns out, he writes actual articles, too. Here is a nice piece about how the Aeros call-ups sparked the Wild to a pair of much-needed wins before the All-star break. Also, even though the Aeros lost three straight games last weekend, they got points in all three. "

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-63854331083158033962012-01-25T08:32:00.001-06:002012-01-25T08:44:22.373-06:00

The word out of St. Paul, courtesy of Wild best reporter Michael Russo, is that the Wild are reassigning Matt Kassian, Chad Rau, and Jed Ortmeyer to the Aeros. This looks to be a temporary reassignment only as the Wild are currently on the All Star break and the Aeros have two tough games this weekend.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-67926614148643864502012-01-22T23:04:00.000-06:002012-01-22T23:10:33.385-06:00

When I was a kid there was this cartoon called The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show which was a Flintstone's spin-off centered on the teenage kids of Fred and Barney.  One of the characters on the show was this kid called Schleprock, who literally walked around with a black cloud hanging over his head. I bring this up because I'm convinced there's a black cloud of bad luck hanging over Toyota Center

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-29502759369275517862012-01-22T08:39:00.003-06:002012-01-22T08:39:58.238-06:00

I know how frustrating it can be to watch player after player called up to the Minnesota Wild. As a fan, it must be maddening. Surely, you can expect a few guys here or there to get the call as, after all, the Aeros exist for the sole purpose of keeping the Wild stocked with players in case they are needed. But when seven of the team's best players are up, and the hometown team in Houston just

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-64605372271276130072012-01-21T23:16:00.003-06:002012-01-21T23:16:52.710-06:00

Well, Andrew's unscientific poll on press row last night got put to the test tonight in Cedar Park: If you could choose your goalie for the shootout -- Hackett or Kuemper -- who'd you choose? I was the only one who chose Hackett, simply because I think the additional year of pro experience he has is more evident in shootouts than in regulation play. That was somewhat proven out tonight as the

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-29731983992977461282012-01-20T23:19:00.001-06:002012-01-20T23:19:43.001-06:00

I am going to have to keep this short and sweet tonight. For some reason Google does not get along with Apple, and the iPad and Blogger, therefore, do not work all that well together. You can't separate text. It's like there is no return key. But I digress ... Look at that box over there to your right. See how many Aeros are not with the team right now. And that list does not even include Cody

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-52586023119981015762012-01-20T12:35:00.003-06:002012-01-20T12:35:57.989-06:00

Just in from St. Paul...next to board the Wild's Wild Transaction Train are Matt Kassian, Jed Ortmeyer, Chad Rau, and Nate Prosser.  Returning to Houston on the Wild's Wild Transaction Train are Casey Wellman and David McIntyre.  Frankly, from the way the Wild have been playing, I wouldn't be too surprised if the Wild just send all of their NHLers to Houston and call up the entire Aeros squad.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-76068691437081224572012-01-15T21:58:00.000-06:002012-01-15T21:58:54.153-06:00

A few notes from the weekend: Colton Gillies was put on waivers by the Wild on Friday and, instead of clearing and coming to Houston to find his game again, the Columbus Blue Jackets snatched him from jaws of the AHL. Gillies isn't without his issues as a player, but he's a mere 22 years old and has plenty of time to mature into a game that works well at the pro level. He's the sweetest, most

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-6980578359544561912012-01-12T16:19:00.002-06:002012-01-12T16:19:31.042-06:00

I wasn't expecting this to go live until tomorrow, but... The latest in the mothership is a little look back at the season so for, one in which they currently seem to be searching for clues and consistency.  And as I note at the end of the post, after being negative and dogging the team, it seems strange to note that they still have one of the best records in the league. So go give it a read.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-86994031721958625632012-01-12T00:40:00.003-06:002012-01-12T00:46:31.468-06:00

It's almost maddening how the Aeros manage to pulls wins out of their asses on the road but just can't seem to do it at home. Not only did the Aeros pull out of a 1 goal deficit three times Wednesday night, but they finally won a shootout after 8 failed attempts. Or was it 7? Way too many. The Griffins dominated the first two periods, putting up 14 shots to Houston's 4 in the first and scoring

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-31068361798316941432012-01-11T12:40:00.001-06:002012-01-11T17:34:17.436-06:00

UPDATE THE FURTHER (5:15):  Now Michael Russo is reporting that Hackett is on his way to Chicago, via airline, to join the Wild in case Harding is not available tomorrow.  I'm assuming this means Kuemper gets the start tonight. UPDATE:  Joe O'Donnell says Hackett is starting tonight, and Michael Russo is writing that Harding is ill, won't travel with the team tonight, but could possibly join the

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-30813968316880774902012-01-09T11:21:00.004-06:002012-01-09T11:21:51.194-06:00

The Wild announced today that they've recalled Dave McIntyre and send Marco Scandella down to the Aeros. McIntyre was instrumental in the Sunday win over San Antonio, and it is more of a numbers game than anything for Scandella, who will see his first AHL time of the year Wednesday in Grand Rapids. After Friday's loss to Rockford, Torchetti said the team was weak and not willing to "get dirty"

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-76118637978039205752012-01-09T08:32:00.000-06:002012-01-09T08:32:09.739-06:00

Remember how 3 days ago we all felt like the Aeros would never score or win a game ever again? Turns out we were totally wrong! How great is that?! Sounds like it was a squeaker, but gosh, I'm just happy to see the Aeros put some pucks behind a goalie. Though Dov Grumet-Morris is not the most terrifying foe in the cage, they've certainly scored fewer goals on equally talented AHL goaltenders.

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-11617927401632368152012-01-08T13:01:00.000-06:002012-01-08T13:01:02.734-06:00

First, my Backhand Shelf piece this week is all about throwing love (and my bra) at athletic trainers. Check it out right here. Our own Jody Green was generous enough to meet with me and give me some insight into his line of work, so there's a bit of an Aeros angle to it and some great stuff from him, in addition to my usual nonsense. (You can follow him on Twitter, BTW, at @JAGtheATC. Good

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-71501254272202604892012-01-06T22:52:00.001-06:002012-01-06T23:54:09.833-06:00

First, let's get one thing straight. I am not a hockey expert. I could write a book on the history of the Aeros, and I can tell you one hell of a game story. But outside of stats and stories, I'd be fairly worthless as a scout or a coach. But I can tell when I am watching a team that has a few broken parts, and right now, the Aeros are a bit tattered and bruised. And my God, their record

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-32942587352799632602012-01-06T12:35:00.001-06:002012-01-06T14:29:02.015-06:00

Tonight is the first of six four games against Rockford this season. On paper, the Aeros have the upper hand; Rockford is the league's worst team in terms of points, penalty kill and goaltending. What they do have, though, is a decent power play, and if there is one area in that the Aeros are weak, it's special teams. Miss these great photos from Mr. Fred? Yeah, me too.  The IceHogs have just

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-42119842099020090692012-01-04T14:18:00.000-06:002012-01-04T14:18:01.025-06:00

The AHL All-Star Game rosters have been named, and Jon DiSalvatore and Matt Hackett will be representing the Aeros for the game to be played in Atlantic City on January 30. Starting tomorrow, fans will have the chance to vote on the starting lineups for the game.  And you can do that by visiting theahl.com and completing the ballot. 

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-33074571410768433762012-01-03T13:19:00.000-06:002012-01-03T13:21:06.659-06:00

Congrats are in order for Aeros rookie goalie Darcy Kuemper, who today was named the AHL's rookie of the month. I really hate to point this out, but it's a really good thing that Sunday was Jan. 1. Those six goals allowed  would not have helped much, but as Heather noted in the post from the game, he was not to blame for that whitewashing. DK will get another something like this on Friday. 

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-58642280344370350222012-01-01T23:04:00.001-06:002012-01-01T23:04:14.748-06:00

It was the sort of game that lends itself to hyperbole, so here are the things I know to be gospel: The Aeros are never scoring ever again.  OMG THE BURNING MAKE IT STOP. AHL refs are the worst ever. Okay, so really, what I saw was an excellent first period with both teams playing their cans off, the Aeros playing smart, crisp hockey. The in the second, I saw a turnover just inside the neutral

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-52585319038272067662012-01-01T09:08:00.000-06:002012-01-01T09:08:28.730-06:00

I can't make it to today's game since I'm heading off to Dallas to cover the TicketCity Bowl tomorrow morning between the Houston Cougars and Penn State Nittany Lions for the mothership.  I'm sure that, if you're nice, Heather and/or Andrew will kindly post stories and notes following the game. That said, I want to wish everybody a Happy New Year, and may 2012 be a better year than 2011. Here's

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-12510464534999494942011-12-31T11:59:00.001-06:002011-12-31T11:59:33.578-06:00

Happy New Year, Jed Ortmeyer. You're the newest contestant on the Minnesota Wild wheel of recall. Orts has been recalled to the Wild as Jarod Palmer is placed on the IR. Good for Orts, but damn it Wild, stop hurting your players already.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-8592780001636988242011-12-29T11:49:00.002-06:002011-12-29T11:49:32.881-06:00

The call-up express that is the Minnesota Wild continues today as Matt Kassian has been called up to the Wild.  Jon DiSalvatore, who played last night, is on his way back to Houston.  Does anyone know if the guys on the Aeros roster get to keep their frequent flier miles on United/American/Southwest/USAir/Delta from all of the trips back and forth to St. Paul?

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-63802593004865374632011-12-28T14:28:00.001-06:002011-12-28T14:28:09.919-06:00

Former Aeros winger Pascal Morency (he was a call-up several times from ECHL Bakersfield) was injured in a non-hockey related incident and will miss the rest of his season in Europe. A Chris Jerina photo Bridgeport writer Michael Fornabaio gives us the scoop here, and you can get more of the details from the sites he's linked to. Basically he fractured his skull in a fall and is out for the

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-38045657840688455602011-12-27T12:27:00.000-06:002011-12-27T12:27:54.221-06:00

One of the things John Torchetti was lamenting after last night's 2-1 OT win over the Rampage was just the lack of continuity with the Aeros.  What with the injuries and call-ups, it seems as if the Aeros have new players, new line combinations, and new lineups seemingly every game, which makes it difficult for the guys to settle into patterns and learn the tendencies of their linemates. It was

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-65291969729348597422011-12-26T22:00:00.000-06:002011-12-26T22:00:40.289-06:00

The Aeros did the unthinkable tonight.  They got the overtime win. That's right.  You read that correctly.  The Aeros got the overtime win tonight, defeating the San Antonio Rampage 2-1 for their first OT win since March 15, 2011.  And boy, did it feel good. "It's not even the New Year yet, so that's a good sign," head coach John Torchetti said shortly after the victory.   A victory powered by

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-83170845900080158152011-12-26T08:42:00.001-06:002011-12-26T08:42:28.630-06:00

The Houston Press loves it in when I do lists.  So for today's post, I take a look back at the year in Aeros hockey in list form.  Hopefully you'll enjoy it, and hopefully, it'll bring back some good memories.  (And yes, I use a photo from the bikini contest to open the post, but that's because I know that, with most readers at the press, a woman in a bikini is going to grab their attention, and

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-22965885657765404882011-12-23T11:46:00.002-06:002011-12-23T11:46:58.250-06:00

It's a Christmas Miracle...the Wild have reassigned Jed Ortmeyer and Jeff Taffe to the Aeros.  This means that a) either the Wild are actually getting healthy, or b) they're going to try some different Aeros next week. Aeros return to action on Monday night when they host San Antonio at 7:05.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-38313781421341700562011-12-22T11:10:00.001-06:002011-12-22T11:10:39.058-06:00

I heard someone ask last night about the Guns And Hoses intermission contest, and they wanted to know when it was scheduled.  Well, the annual tug-a-war on ice between Houston area fire and police departments will be this coming Monday night.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-53214861224753700272011-12-21T23:42:00.000-06:002011-12-21T23:46:14.001-06:00

So here are the pictures from the second intermission, in which Miss Aero was crowned. Personally, I'm in lust with the young lady in the first photo, and I could swear that I remember her from last year's contest (yep, that's her on the far left of photo one). The winner is crowned in photo four, and poses with Chilly and the former Miss Aero in the final photo. And what do you

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-54163869059747942152011-12-21T22:55:00.001-06:002011-12-21T23:16:11.524-06:00

I thought the Aeros were going to send this one to overtime. They created, they buzzed, and they even worked a few passes up to the point. But Tyler Beskorowany played a tremendous period and hockey game, sending the Aeros to back-to-back regulation losses for just the second time this season. I thought the Aeros were OK in the first, and even though the shots favored the Stars, the Aeros won

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-66626660317732416952011-12-21T22:02:00.001-06:002011-12-21T22:02:04.805-06:00

The Aeros may have lost 3-2 tonight, but Cody Almond got them a short 2-1 lead at 16:06 of the second period on a sick short-handed goal. And as luck has it -- trust me, it was luck -- I have the photos of the goal. I've got to go now, they're trying to pull the Toyota Center wi-fi on us, so look for more Bikini Contest photos later, and Heather should be writing a story on the game which will

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-2019793641867018452011-12-21T21:19:00.001-06:002011-12-21T21:20:12.468-06:00

Yes, tonight was the Miss Aeros Bikini Night Contest. And here are the photos from the first round of the contest. As Heather mentioned on Twitter, there was a "wardrobe malfunction" and I did get a photo of it. But I'm a gentlemen and I won't post it, despite the urging of Heather. FYI: Check out the third photo and see if you can figure out what Chilly's looking at. I'll post the photos

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-8256820475213899812011-12-19T10:18:00.001-06:002011-12-19T10:18:17.198-06:00

I know many of you do not have Twitter, so I am going to share this on our blog. The AHL is full of great characters, and we have several good ones on the Aeros (Matt Kassian, for example) ... But Jacob Markstrom  might be an instant celebrity thanks to this video from San Antonio's 4-2 win over Texas on Sunday. Watch, enjoy and be sure to give him the business on 12/26 when the Rampage visit

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-46149329780599839152011-12-18T20:05:00.001-06:002011-12-18T20:05:52.397-06:00

The Aeros saw an awful lot of this tonight, Matt Hackett, back turned to the bench, with the Americans celebrating a goal. The good news tonight:  the Aeros didn't lose another game in the shutout.   The bad news:  the Aeros lost 6-3 to the Rochester Americans, the team with the worst road record in the AHL.  And if not for a burst of scoring in the first five minutes of the third

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-52654888326004685782011-12-18T18:04:00.000-06:002011-12-18T18:04:56.108-06:00

So kids, have you ever wondered what's it like to be part of a face-off? Well, since the Aeros are losing 3-1 midway through the second to the Rochester Americans, and since there doesn't really appear to be much worth talking about in the game, here's a few photos from the first period of Carson McMillan taking a face-off.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-32191767629710644492011-12-17T22:58:00.000-06:002011-12-17T22:59:29.554-06:00

The Aeros made it to the shootout tonight. Again. They lost in the shootout. Again. Final score 3-2 with the Barons getting the two points. The Aeros are tied for first (points wise) with the Barons, both having 41 points, though the Barons get first place because of a better winning percentage. Aeros are 0-7 in the shootout this season. The record for consecutive shootout losses, courtesy

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-63887834994731911502011-12-17T00:12:00.001-06:002011-12-17T00:12:56.099-06:00

Ahhh.... everything is better in life when your team plays well and gets a decisive victory over a rival like the Stars. Your problems are a little smaller, your hair looks a little better, you feel a little smarter. It's been a tough week at Casa Conduct, so I appreciated this game tonight more than I expected to. Mainly because I really thought the Aeros were in trouble this weekend. Luckily,

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-72610822656589888182011-12-16T22:57:00.002-06:002011-12-16T23:01:41.030-06:00

Well it was bound to happen sooner or later, but the Aeros finally beat the Texas Stars at home. Save for a bad 12 minute stretch in the second period, the Aeros controlled the game and probably could have scored two or three more goals. What stood out to me tonight was Jed Ortmeyer in his first game after missing six. He played well and helped set up Genoway's Teddy Bear goal. I thought Jeff

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-83103502145415844392011-12-16T21:14:00.001-06:002011-12-16T21:14:59.514-06:00

As you know, Darcy Kuemper was named the AHL Goalie of the Week for last week, after going 2-0-0-2. So here he is tonight, with Aeros president David Burke, being presented with his award. Congrats, Darcy.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-18644053294198790392011-12-16T20:56:00.000-06:002011-12-16T20:56:43.704-06:00

We're in the middle of the game, Aeros up 3-1 with 8:11 left in the second. But I thought you might want to see some teddy bears on the ice, courtesy of Chay Genoway's power play goal in the first period.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-22389966384265782702011-12-16T10:15:00.004-06:002011-12-16T10:36:18.401-06:00

I have to give John Torchetti some credit. The Wild organization is in the middle of its worst-ever rash of injuries, and the new coach never seems bothered about all the talent that is missing from the lineup. Part of me thinks he's frustrated beyond belief, and he just doesn't want to say anything. But another part of me thinks he really is calm about the whole ordeal because he's got real good

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-46303870334580198442011-12-11T22:02:00.001-06:002011-12-11T22:38:02.861-06:00

Sorry for the late post gamer. Got caught up eating dinner and watching DVR'd episodes of Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable (LOVE that show) and nursing a headache. You understand, right? But frankly, the urgency wasn't there because we've seen this game before right? Like 6 or 7 times now? I guess the difference is that the Aeros actually put some pucks in the net on the shoot out, but I

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-8687789803618896772011-12-10T00:26:00.003-06:002011-12-10T00:35:13.841-06:00

There was only one goal scored in tonight's 1-0 Aeros win. And that goal was the seventh of the season for Justin Fontaine. (Quick note: the Aeros last won 1-0 on February 13, 2010, a 1-0 overtime win over Grand Rapids). I thought you would like some photos. I had the camera on Jon DiSalvatore, so what you get is him moving in for a rebound should there be one, his reaction to the goal, then

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-44637089778017330512011-12-10T00:16:00.001-06:002011-12-10T00:48:26.633-06:00

So, I gave Kuemper a nickname after we talked to him tonight, because seriously, the kid was just beaming. Same thing as two seasons ago when he was here, he just beamed after his first pro win. And now his first pro shutout. Obviously there's some adrenaline and happy feelings after such a great game, but we've talked to quite a few players after really great games and none have ever come close

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-50791352711532923932011-12-09T22:46:00.002-06:002011-12-09T23:46:52.101-06:00

Well, gang, that was a fun one. Partly because the first period was SUCH a gong show. Both teams were putting on a hilarious comedy of errors, but something told me they'd get it together, and they definitely did.The longer the game went, the more cohesive the play by both teams. And the lack of penalties made the flow enjoyable, as Ian Croft did his best Jeff Smith impression, God love him. And

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-62285412177840362892011-12-09T22:36:00.004-06:002011-12-09T22:51:14.863-06:00

Wow ... are you tired?That is one of the questions Torchetti asked us after that game. For the record, he said he was tired ... and I can see why.The Aeros worked their (you know whats) off Friday, and earned two points in the every-so-tough Western conference. OKC just keeps on winning, so the Aeros needed every one of Kuemper's saves just to get out of the building with a win. Even though they

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-89928592406388804352011-12-09T13:01:00.002-06:002011-12-09T13:17:35.293-06:00

I wish I could read this team better. I really do. I know their head coach, John Torchetti, feels the same way. He says he has no idea why they are so much better on the road. He says he has no idea why they cannot (even come close) to winning an overtime game. He says he has no idea why they can't play a full 60 minutes on home ice. Except he did give us a pretty darn good reason in his postgame

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-10326521778128361422011-12-08T22:23:00.006-06:002011-12-09T10:39:11.265-06:00

Let's give them something to cheer about.After today's 2-1 shootout loss to the Oklahoma City Barons, the Aeros have now played 1/3rd of the season. While they're tied with the Barons with 35 points for first place (record with 14-4-2-5), it's probably safe to safe that nobody's entirely happy with the team's play, especially at home.So after today's game, we asked John Torchetti about the team

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-64962433359247063382011-12-08T17:24:00.003-06:002011-12-08T17:38:32.709-06:00

I haven't done much with the photos this season, but I went down and took a few this afternoon and I thought I would share. So...This first picture is of Tyler Cuma pushing the puck up the ice. Coach John Torchetti wasn't too happy with the D play today. He wants them pushing the puck up the ice. He wasn't happy with what they were doing with the puck, though. He doesn't want them acting as

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-41493465969575181632011-12-08T13:49:00.002-06:002011-12-08T14:01:52.061-06:00

We'll put some quotes up later, but...The Aeros lost to the Barons this afternoon by the score of 2-1. The Barons scored in the second period, and it looked like another home loss for the Aeros until Jarod Palmer got a wraparound with 2:00 left in the third to tie it.Neither team scored in OT, which means the shootout. And the Aeros are awful in the shootout. The Aeros actually scored once in

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-2597146735842886222011-12-06T17:02:00.001-06:002011-12-06T17:29:58.913-06:00

Oh hey! First off, apologies (though not terribly sincere) for not posting anything about the Aeros 0-4 white washing by the Marlies on Saturday. That was gross and frankly, I couldn't bring myself to rehash it here. What happens in Toronto stays in Toronto. That cool with you guys? But tonight, the team gets to move on from that ugliness to battle the Rampage on their home turf. Andrew

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-17832353409230316442011-12-02T21:30:00.001-06:002011-12-02T22:05:55.229-06:00

The boys in the bomber sweaters pulled another one out tonight against the Rochester Amerks with a 4-3 win in regulation. Down early 2-0, they climbed back in the game with goals from Broda and Foucault within the first 3 minutes of the second period. But the Amerks took the lead again just seconds after Foucault's power play goal, and would keep it for nearly 10 minutes. But eventually

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-19937039299909488852011-12-01T11:18:00.005-06:002011-12-01T15:35:43.361-06:00

Just a quick note...The Wild suffered some more injuries to their forwards in last night's shootout win over Edmonton. So you know what that means...Cody Almond has been recalled from the Aeros and will be joining the Wild. I've seen nothing about the Aeros making any corresponding roster moves, but seeing as they've been playing virtually every available player on the roster, bringing in a

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-13148662109919734942011-11-30T11:08:00.001-06:002011-11-30T11:59:43.914-06:00

(Update with a little Aeros news first: Joe O just tweeted that the Aeros have added right wing Harrison Reed to the roster. Not sure how long the call up is for but given the thin troops, I'd guess he's along at least for the next three games. This season, he played 4 games with the Monsters and had stints with them each of the last 3 seaons and 11 with Toledo (ECHL) with 10 points in those 11

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-50856426855793475582011-11-29T14:37:00.004-06:002011-11-29T14:43:52.980-06:00

Greetings to you today from downtown Washington, D.C. I am working here today and tomorrow, and tonight I am lucky enough to see the Capitals take on the Blues at the Verizon Center. Last year I saw two NHL games; Dallas vs. Chicago and Los Angeles vs. Calgary. Those games were great, but tonight I am excited because I have never seen a game in this arena. It's Dale Hunter's first game as head

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-88830954606805893122011-11-28T17:16:00.001-06:002011-11-28T18:21:51.157-06:00

So, 4 things we know are official: Warren Peters and Nate Prosser are headed back to the Aeros. In exchange, Casey Wellman and Dave McIntyre are headed up to the Wild. In fact, McIntyre is making his NHL debut tonight in Minnesota, so that's pretty exciting. And it's on Versus if you want to tune in. It's a little bit of a blow offensively to lose both those guys and only get Peters back (

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-79777256050625644782011-11-27T10:14:00.002-06:002011-11-27T10:29:19.596-06:00

I asked Aeros head coach John Torchetti why he thought the Aeros were so much better on the road than at home. I asked him that question after the Aeros stole a point from the Stars in Friday's 2-1 overtime loss. As you read right here after that game, he said if we knew to let him know because he basically had no idea. Well, the numbers don't lie, the Aeros are a much better team on the road

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-42838512774148266392011-11-25T23:16:00.001-06:002011-11-26T00:24:14.399-06:00

Photo by Chris Jerina/AHLinphotos.com Maybe they should change the name of the Toyota Center to the Entenmann's Arena for all the turnovers we saw out there tonight. The Stars first goal was clearly an issue of the Aeros defenseman needing to cut Jordie Benn's pass to Scott Glennie, who was waiting in the weeds and essentially had an open net as Hackett was having to respect Benn's threat.

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-64380750916102315162011-11-24T09:40:00.001-06:002011-12-27T12:15:26.109-06:00

As promised on Tuesday, I have some more stuff from my interview with Jon DiSalvatore which I didn't use. So, for Thanksgiving, I'm sharing here. The hockey season is a long one. Games start at the first of October, and if you're in the playoffs, you can go into June. Then there are camps and practices starting in August and September. You're constantly having to train and workout, and at some

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-19861019866076235972011-11-22T10:35:00.003-06:002011-11-22T10:41:20.582-06:00

The Aeros media gurus asked us at T3I to assist them this year with providing material to the AHL.com "On The Beat" feature. And I was tasked with the first story. So...here's the link to the just posted story on Jon DiSalvatore, the captain of the Aeros. I hope you'll go over and give it a read.And just a note, I got a lot of material from DiSalvatore that I didn't use in the story (and they

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-32291619411985579222011-11-20T20:03:00.002-06:002011-11-20T20:22:02.276-06:00

Both Houston and Abbotsford were playing the third game of a three-in-three weekend tonight. It didn't show early on though late in the game it really looked as if some f the Aeros were really dragging on the ice.But neither team could score as both goalies, Matt Hackett for Houston and Leland Irving for Abbotsford pitched shutouts through 65 minutes. Hackett was able to stop three of the four

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-35165829533020617632011-11-20T09:19:00.001-06:002011-11-20T09:48:12.909-06:00

Pictures! Courtesy of Chris "Midwest" Jerina. Ahhhh, so nice to have photos again! You can see his favorite shots from around the AHL at http://ahlinphotos.com. DiSalvatore/Penner/Bachman/whoever score on a rebound off the boards behind the net. Helluva shot of Hackett making that sick save Friday night. Wow. Kassian wails on Godard Rau rips a beauty past Bachman Kass and

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-31535263788270959032011-11-20T08:23:00.001-06:002011-11-20T09:11:06.379-06:00

I don't do a lot of road trips with the Aeros, but boy did I choose a good one. With Chris Jerina in town, we made the trek to Cedar Park and even though I have bags you could run away from home with under my eyes today, it was well worth it. The early goal by McMillan was a little fluky and when the Stars answered with that shorthanded goal and the Aeros started to look a little rattled, I

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-61665165638885195542011-11-19T22:01:00.002-06:002011-11-19T22:09:13.114-06:00

Dammit! I said the Aeros were going to win 5-3 tonight. Well, that certainly wasn't the case and Dennis Endras kept the Stars out of the net most of the night en route to a decisive Aeros win at Cedar Park Center.While I did not see much of the game, it sounds like after than nasty shorthanded goal by Vincour, they really dominated the game. A 5-1 win just one night after lollygagging through a 3

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-35554165559918805352011-11-18T23:13:00.004-06:002011-11-18T23:23:35.518-06:00

So that was disappointing. Not just the Aeros losing 3-2 to the Stars in OT, but the way the Aeros played the game. It was like, at times, they were skating in mud, playing sluggish and just a bit slow and out of synch.The only reason the Aeros weren't blown out tonight was the play of Matt Hackett who stopped 32 of 35 shots, including one incredible stop late in the second period that had the

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-65209122125782835802011-11-18T12:36:00.003-06:002011-11-18T12:47:11.865-06:00

The Texas Stars will get on the bus bound for Toyota Center here shortly...In the meantime, there is some Aeros news to report. The Wild did assign Casey Wellman back to the Aeros. Not sure if this is a virtual assignment or a real one, but I am guessing it's the latter since they had to do that in order to get Mike Lundin off injured reserve. Speaking of which, Russo's blog in MSP reported that

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-92129506271858659082011-11-17T13:14:00.001-06:002011-11-17T14:09:22.853-06:00

One of the reasons we started and maintain this excellent blog is to inform, opine and manage your expectations. We want you to know what your team is doing, how we feel they're going about it and what you can expect week in and week out. So, with that, pretty much the best you can hope for this weekend is probably three of a possible six points against the Texas Stars and Abbotsford Heat. The

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-32422917435604184822011-11-17T11:01:00.003-06:002011-11-17T11:03:50.425-06:00

That was quick...Casey Wellman re-recalled to the Minnesota Wild where he joins Warren Peters, Nate Prosser, and Kris Fredheim. And with the way the Wild players are getting injured, I think we should send some bubble wrap to Minnesota on the plane with Wellman to give the players more protection.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-13294809233979664672011-11-16T20:20:00.001-06:002011-11-16T20:25:33.967-06:00

Well, all you folks (like me) who expected the Wild to call up Cuma or Bagnall to replace yet another concussed defenseman in Marek Zidlicky would be wrong. Instead of taking the obvious route, they decided to do what they should have done in the offseason and sign Kris Fredheim to a 2-way NHL contract. And then they immediately called him up, and he is likely to make his NHL debut tomorrow

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-27657982774893569672011-11-13T20:21:00.001-06:002011-11-13T20:29:40.590-06:00

The score should actually read, AHL Schedule 1, Charlotte 0. As for the scoresheet, go ahead and give the goal to Jon DiSalvatore, who scored twice while playing for AHL Schedule. As for the first assist, well give that to Mother Nature, who surely hates us all for the 81-degree temperature and 150-percent humidity. As for the second assist, just give it to Tim Tebow, who for some unexplained

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-687402737087666832011-11-11T10:05:00.000-06:002011-11-11T10:05:12.497-06:00

I've got a piece in the mothership today on Matt Kassian in which we discuss his funny and fantastic twitter feed. So go read it.But I spoke with him last Sunday about a some other things, primarily his return to Houston after starting the season with the Wild, and I thought I would use this post to share those thoughts."The message [from Mike Yeo] is to keep working," Kassian said. "It’s kind

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-58171799091214532452011-11-10T21:46:00.002-06:002011-11-10T21:58:28.239-06:00

The Aeros got the loss tonight, their second in a row, losing 5-3 to the Abbotsford Heat led by head coach Troy Ward, assistant coach Luke Strand, and forward Krys Kolanos -- notice the Aeros connection.The Aeros actually played a good first period of hockey, and they had some quality shot attempts, but they just couldn't get the puck in the net. But they also suffered the loss of defenseman

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-44783324811107837372011-11-07T21:33:00.001-06:002011-11-07T21:35:01.346-06:00

Guess what, kids. The injury bug appears to be alive and well with the Wild yet again. As a result, Warren Peters is on his way to join the Wild.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-27511156404414415612011-11-06T19:52:00.001-06:002011-11-06T19:52:11.716-06:00

View from the Press Box is the same view everyone else had. First 5-6 minutes were good, and the rest of the game was crap. It was turnover city, and the Marlies capitalized time and time again in a 6-2 drubbing of the home team. While it's easy to say now, it just looked like the Aeros thought they could just dipsy doodle past a Toronto team that has been struggling lately. After they scored

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-82615492303004753992011-11-06T13:41:00.005-06:002011-11-06T13:42:31.543-06:00

The AHL has just announced that Jed Ortmeyer has been suspended for one game because of an illegal check to the head on Friday night in Hamilton. He will miss this afternoon's game against Toronto.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-44715202375932670452011-11-04T22:46:00.002-05:002011-11-04T22:46:31.700-05:00

So, y'all... the Aeros are pretty good. Scary good. Scary in the sense that it all seems too easy right now and teams that cruise from the start rarely seem to be cruising by the end. Maybe Hershey a couple of seasons ago. I dunno. Just sorta makes me nervous. Now, if you follow us on Twitter, maybe you caught my live tweeting of the game in Cleveland against the Lake Erie Monsters Thursday

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-16538606332501223912011-11-02T12:03:00.002-05:002011-11-02T12:05:45.236-05:00

Per Wild beat writer Michael Russo, the Wild have placed Matt Kassian on waivers with the intent of returning him to the Aeros. Also per Russo, Marco Scandella and Justin Falk were told they could move out of the team hotel and find some more permanent housing in the Twin Cities area, so it looks doubtful that we'll be seeing them with the Aeros this season.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-32134400923151412312011-11-01T13:10:00.001-05:002011-11-01T13:10:27.035-05:00

As Chris Jerina first reported on a comment to this blog, Aeros defenseman Jordan Hendry is now a former Aeros defenseman. Hendry, who signed a one-way deal with the Aeros before the regular season, will play in the Swiss A league for HC Lugano. I don't recognize too many names on his new team, with the exception of former Aero and Calder Cup champion Hnat Domenichelli and Rob Niedermayer. Swiss

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-88330111298028403612011-10-31T14:39:00.000-05:002011-10-31T14:45:25.835-05:00

Just a heads up that Drew Bagnall and Mike Hoffman will be on "Not Your Ordinary Sports Show" at http://www.THEBUSTV.com tonight from 7:30-10:30 hosted by Eric Winston (the Houston Texans' resident hockey fan). Sounds like a pretty entertaining show and sorta ties in to Monday Night Football. I'd watch, but I'm stuck here in Hamilton, ON with wifi in the lobby only and where I THOUGHT there was

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-89960204414261097872011-10-30T19:51:00.002-05:002011-10-30T20:20:53.646-05:00

It's the night before Halloween. There was a scary looking guy dressed up in a clown costume behind the glass. And the Aeros (6-1-0-3, 15 points) put on a frightening display of hockey. But in the end, they got the come-from-behind 5-3 win over the visiting Charlotte Checkers (6-3-1-0, 12 points).And that's all that matters. Right?Both the Aeros and Checkers were playing their third games in

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-82140848979087452912011-10-29T22:24:00.003-05:002011-10-29T22:51:02.115-05:00

The Houston Aeros played a better hockey game than the Oklahoma City Barons tonight. For two-thirds of the game, the Aeros put on a clinic in puck possession, defense, and keeping the opposition backing up and playing out of position. Unfortunately for the Aeros, they failed to show up for the first period of action tonight, and that failure was enough for the Aeros to get the loss.The Barons (

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-5023693559908870132011-10-23T21:01:00.003-05:002011-10-23T21:30:26.092-05:00

A few thoughts and comments on tonight's 3-1 Aeros win over the Grand Rapids Griffins.1. This was the first game I've seen this year, so I spent most of it figuring out who the new guys were and trying to figure out which returning vets were wearing which new numbers. Still, on the third night of a three-in-three, I thought the team looked good, especially in the second and third periods.2.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-34608861322640662011-10-22T21:33:00.000-05:002011-10-22T21:33:58.987-05:00

Once again, a late -- and I do mean LATE -- rally saved Houston from a regulation loss tonight against the Checkers. Jon DiSalvatore scored with 41 seconds left in the third period (helpers from Ortmeyer and Wellman) to end Mike Murphy's 1-0 shutout and take the game to OT. As extra minutes weren't enough to resolve the tie, the shootout went 5 round with no goals from any Aeros and only one

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-72272265991618319922011-10-22T07:57:00.000-05:002011-10-22T07:57:20.495-05:00

Sorry, gang. Had company over last night and couldn't listen to the game. In fact, one of my friends who was over was looking at her iPhone and said, "Hey, the Aeros won 3-2!" Oh, right! The Aeros! And while it was a good evening, the game sounded like one that was worth seeing or at least hearing. Here's the write-up from the Charlotte paper: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/10/22/

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-25870245371038039542011-10-19T10:05:00.002-05:002011-10-19T10:07:16.004-05:00

Just a quick note -- I probably shouldn't blog while at work -- that the AHL just announced a bunch of suspensions for this week. And number one on the list is Carson McMillan who has been suspended for four games, beginning this week, for an illegal check to the head he delivered during Saturday's game against the Rampage.

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-84451618060184880612011-10-16T00:34:00.000-05:002011-10-16T00:34:10.645-05:00

After tonight's game went back and forth allllll night long, it was only fitting that it took 11 rounds of shootout to settle it for good. Unfortunately, it didn't settle in the Aeros favor as Angelo Esposito scored the goal that would send the Rampage home with the W, while the Aeros fall to 2-0-0-1 on the season, but still take away a point for their trouble. The Aeros stayed out of the box

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-2296047110533398822011-10-14T22:28:00.001-05:002011-10-14T22:35:17.084-05:00

Boy, if the Aeros ever figure out how to not get a bazillion penalties, it looks like they'll be sitting pretty. But like Sunday's season opener, the guys got lots of penalty kill practice against the Stars tonight with 7 power plays in Texas' favor. That included a couple of 5 on 3s. Add to that Warren Peters' 10 minute misconduct for unsportsmanlike conduct (abuse of an official, I hear), and

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-60598684070029356172011-10-09T22:26:00.000-05:002011-10-09T22:31:42.228-05:00

John's in Vegas so you'll have to put up with my half-assed version of what he does tonight. I like Andrew's advice against planning the parade, but gosh if it didn't feel like we just stepped back 3 months in time; like they hardly missed a beat over the summer. It was all very "I love it when a plan comes together" wasn't it? Anyway, as Forecheck mentioned in the comments on Andrew's post,

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-2300646325391908822011-10-09T20:28:00.001-05:002011-10-09T20:28:19.276-05:00

OK, before we all get too excited, remember this. That was just one game, a season opener at that. The Aeros are about .500 in season openers, and usually they are crap shoots. Our old friend Kevin Constantine used to tell us that there are very few games that you don't have at least a feel for. Opening night, especially when they are at home, is among those conditions. But it real hard not to

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-41932547865706924232011-10-09T10:28:00.000-05:002011-10-09T10:28:35.573-05:00

I went to bed last night with that feeling in my chest that I got as a little kid on Christmas Eve. That "slightly too excited to sleep, but also know if I go to sleep, tomorrow will happen sooner" feeling. Luckily I'm old and fall asleep easier than I did when I was 7 years old. But I did wake up at 6:30 this morning and wished I hadn't so I wouldn't have to wait for all the fun parts of the

Ms. Conducthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06998363658537935772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-37458503967809557202011-10-07T18:52:00.004-05:002011-10-07T19:02:46.650-05:00

Hey Milwaukee, Revoke ThisHey folks, are you ready for some hockey? Now I don't know what Andrew's talking about in the post below, but I'm not planning on going anywhere. I've just been extremely busy. But I picked up my credentials today and I'm ready to start blogging about another season -- that might have to wait a bit as, since the schedule was late as usual, I got tickets to the Lindsay

John Royalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10048224306187183671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-29993047001710552592011-10-07T16:37:00.000-05:002011-10-07T17:48:34.176-05:00

Only in Texas Happy Friday everyone ... Houston hockey returns on Sunday. I hope everyone is excited as I am. As it appears this blog is riding off into the sunset, I wanted to drop a few thoughts in here before the real games begin. First, the Wild officially assigned Nystrom to Houston after he cleared waivers earlier today. I expect he'll be ready to go on Sunday, but we'll see. At some

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-67868053605377864162011-10-04T16:33:00.000-05:002011-10-04T16:37:18.185-05:00

One of my favorite things to do before opening day is to break down - or dissect - the Aeros' roster. Thanks to a few injuries in Minnesota, it's not complete and I am pretty sure this is not what it will look like by the time the team hits magical game No. 25. (That is the point at which you pretty much know for sure what kind of team you are looking at***). Right now, there are 27 players on

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-76579433793221871062011-10-03T14:03:00.003-05:002011-10-03T15:55:35.988-05:00

The Aeros announced their first round of cuts today. No real surprises here, but the team is getting closer to the 23-25 players that will be on the roster by Sunday's opener. One name that is NOT on this list is Aaron Boogaard. He is still an Aero today. Per Aeros.com, the cuts include: Forwards Mike KramerMatt MarquardtJP MartignettiGreg Stewart Josh Harding Defensemen Tysen DowzakSam

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-46983797053643475732011-10-03T11:37:00.001-05:002011-10-03T11:37:37.270-05:00

Jon DiSalvatore - Photo by Ron Byrd I wasn't there, but I heard it wasn't pretty. But that is the preseason. Time for working on chemistry, systems and just getting to know the coaching staff. The Aeros finished the preseason with a 3-2 shootout win over Texas on Sunday, getting goals from Joel Broda and Warren Peters. In the shootout, Carson McMillan, Jeff Taffe and Jarod Palmer scored to

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-59278831716861607642011-09-29T15:50:00.000-05:002011-09-29T15:50:06.366-05:00

Here is the link to the Training Camp feature I wrote for the Houston Chronicle yesterday. They even sent a photog out to camp, and he took some great shots. The article features about 30 of those pictures and I few, including this one,  that I think Heather will really enjoy. Photo by Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-59202661562840225052011-09-29T11:21:00.001-05:002011-09-29T11:21:43.656-05:00

Tomorrow is the first of two road preseason games for the Aeros. Friday, it looks like the young guns are going to carry the bulk of the lead against the Barons. And according to the Aeros' Pilot to Gunner Blog, the vets will get their crack at the Stars on Sunday in Cedar Park. The following is a quick look at how the lineup will look tonight. This is from Pilot to Gunner; they've changed their

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-67356801641157125142011-09-28T14:55:00.001-05:002011-09-28T15:12:22.131-05:00

Monday was for intros and more players started trickling in on Tuesday. But today, the Aeros got down to business with a nice practice, followed by a break and then a hard-fought green vs. red scrimmage. Just two days before their first preseason game against the OKC Barons, the Aeros worked through a little bit of everything. 2-on-1s, faceoffs, breakouts - you name it, they did it. And right

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636085304677845706.post-54920625595044563632011-09-28T09:30:00.001-05:002011-09-28T09:30:40.719-05:00

Every morning I try to read as much hockey news as possible. Without fail, this time every season produces some big laughs as far as headlines are concerned; this year is no different. Check out this headline from a Northern Colorado paper about the signing of a new player for the Colorado Eagles. You can always tell when the interns are getting to re-write teams press releases. To be fair,

Andrew J. Ferrarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10711014171797368842noreply@blogger.com2