Quick Hits: Sully, Torch, Earl, and Anton

Just a few things:

1. Patrick "Golden Ticket" O'Sullivan was named AHL Player of the Month for his stellar play in February. Well deserved honor.
2. It's quite a blow for Bakersfield but Josh Tordjman's been called up officially as of today. Also, Cody Almond is showing as having been called up yesterday. Not sure if that was some trade deadline maneuvering or if he's actually not going to be available to the Aeros tomorrow. I do know the Wild was looking to send someone to New York as an illness replacement, but I didn't think that was known until today.
3. I wrote a little piece on Robbie Earl's stepped-up efforts for theAHL.com today. He was good talking about finding his game again. I've also probably jinxed him just like I jinxed poor Palmer (dude, I seriously owe you, like, a muffin basket or pitcher of beer or something). 
4. Finally, I reciprocated a little Khudobin appetizer for our P-Bruins friends over at Something's Bruin. Check it out if you want to throw your own thoughts in the comments over there. It's probably a little bit sunshinier than I've felt about him day-to-day this season, but when I look at the big picture, I've got a very warm spot in my heart for Anton along with a lot of belief in him, and I hope he does great things and blows them all away.

Dear Aeros Fans: Why So Serious?

First off, my latest story in the mothership is posted. It's on the return of Casey Wellman and Marco Scandella to the team. Key returns, I believe, of two very skilled players who will help the Aeros immensely in that fight for a playoff spot.

I wrote this story, and filed it, before the Anton Khudobin trade, which is why I only address it at the bottom, in the miscellaneous notes column. But I want to use the post, and the Khudobin trade to address another matter: why is everybody so damn down on this team?

Yes, I've written some negative things in the past, especially after some of the losses, but frankly, I tend to be pleased with the team. The Aeros, after a bad start to the season, an awful start to the season, have regrouped to become one of the best teams in the league. Playing in what is probably the toughest division in the league, they're in second place, just a point out of first place, and they just won two out of three games in another tough three-in-three weekend that had them playing two other teams also fighting for a playoff spot.

Is it going to be easy? No. But should it be? Probably not. I think everybody was blinded by the play in January when the team could do wrong. It appears that I need to point out that, in this month just past, the Aeros went 7-4-0-1. Sure, it's not the 10-2-0-1 of January, but the rest of the teams in the league would kill for that record. And instead, we're over here discussing in comments that not only will the team not make the playoffs, but that they might drop all of the way down to seventh place.

I'm not trying to be all Mr. Sunshine here. I'm going to miss Khudobin. He was a great guy to talk to because he's still figuring out how to use his filter. But for all of you lamenting how the team is screwed because he's gone, remember this: it wasn't that long ago that Heather was writing him a "Dear Anton" letter because of his subpar play. And for all of you saying that Matt Hackett's not equipped to lead this team deep in the playoffs, I ask this: how many of you thought that Khudobin was equipped to take the Aeros deep into the playoffs two seasons ago?

The Aeros in the playoffs are not a sure thing. Not playing in this division. And I'm not trying to say otherwise. But stop looking at the trees and look at the forest. These Aeros, these Aeros we love to gripe and bitch about, have one of the best records in the league, and they have this record despite playing one of the toughest, stupidest, screwed up schedules in the league. The team has a top line of Casey Wellman/Jon DiSalvatore/Patrick O'Sullivan. And the number two line is now probably Cody Almond/Robbie Earl/Chad Rau.

The team added a good defenseman yesterday, which is probably a good thing seeing as how Drew Bagnall and Tyler Cuma are injured and that the Wild go through injuries like Carlos Lee goes through the post-game buffet in the Astros clubhouse.

So that's it for now. You may now proceed to blasting away at me. And also, if you don't mind, give the Houston Press article a read. I had to wait a really long time after Sunday's game to get quotes from Scandella, and I don't want that time wasted.

Khudobin traded to Boston for Defenseman, Winger

It's been a dull NHL Trade Deadline today but for Aeros fans, we've got a bit of a blockbuster.

Anton Khudobin has been traded to Boston (and will play for the Providence Bruins with former Aeros netminder Nolan Schaefer) in exchange for defenseman Jeff Penner and RW Mikko Lehtonen.

We'll have a guest post from a P-Bruins writer to introduce us all to Penner and Lehtonen but in short:

Penner (pictured) is a smallish d-man in his second year pro. He had 7g, 28a in 68 games and got 2 games with the big Bruins last season. This season, his offense is down relatively (5g, 14a in 57 games) and no NHL games.

Lehtonen is a 6'3" Finnish right wing who is currently playing in Europe for Skelleftea HC. Dunno that we'll actually see him.

Presumably Josh Tordjman will now be the Aeros second goalie for the stretch. Do you guys think this combo will carry the Aeros on the deep playoff run we are all expecting but not talking about for fear of jinxing it?

And also, lots of folks really love Anton, so I know this is a kick in the gut for some. Just want to extend a hug to you. I understand.... *pet pet*

UPDATE: Here's Russo's take on the WHYs of this trade, which people seem to have a lot of.

Random Thoughts from Last Night

Is anybody else like me where at this point in the season, it's all sorta running together?

Never the less, that was one of the most exciting games I've seen in a while and I'd been wondering when this "rivalry" was actually going to start looking like a rivalry. With 3 fights and more boarding than an airport, I'd say we're getting darn close to this one getting as nasty as San Antonio, especially as they get more desperate.

Like I always say, "If you can't beat 'em, beat 'em up."

I know you guys might think I don't like Anton because I'm hard on him, but it's not true. I'm hard on him because I know he's a good goalie. But I'm gonna say something good about him, in spite of that abysmal first goal against: When he lands on his butt and rolls through the splits to get back on his knees/feet... well, that's just fantastic bendy goalie porn and I (and others, trust me) appreciate the show. The kid is cuh-razy flexible.

So, don't say I never said anything nice about Anton.

How sick is that DiSalvatore, O'Sullivan, Wellman line? Good gravy. I kinda would have thought that line would be too much "soft and handsy" without Almond's grit, but honestly, they battled through bodies and protected the puck just fine. Being small, quick, and slippery like Wellman is can work pretty well if you've got solid hockey sense.

And while his OT game winner was a thing of beauty (how's that for a "Honey, I'm home!"), his back handed pass to DiSalvatore on that gorgeous tic-tac-toe goal impressed me even more. Awareness and finesse. Man. Welcome back. Stay healthy!

Since the game was at home Tuesday, I dunno how many of you heard Joe's 2nd intermission interview with Kalus, but I had to leave early and heard it on my way down to Space City to stop some pucks.

Anyway, if you haven't noticed, Kalus has been a healthy scratch a lot this season, so I was glad to hear the interview. Sometimes we only want to talk to guys who have a happy story to tell, but Kalus really doesn't right now. I thought he had matured a lot last season, but maybe wasn't finding his niche on this team, though he said in the interview that Yeo's system suits his game well.

The interview made me sad for the guy, because he clearly just wants to play and said they haven't really told him why he's not playing nor what he can do to get in the lineup (other than wait for guys to get hurt or called up, which is how he got in last night).

One really honest bit that stood out to me was when Joe asked him how this coaching staff is working for him, Kalus said that's hard to answer. On one hand, their style suits him and the team is doing well, but on the other hand they don't play him. I don't wanna put words in his mouth but I felt the gist was, "Well, no, they're not really doing it for me, to be honest."

I would think it's tough to see everybody else buying in and having success while basically looking in from the outside.

Anyway, kudos to Joe for doing an interview that was bound to get a little awkward. He was in the Terry Gross zone there.

I just checked out my magnet schedule while I was making my decaf (ugh--I miss caffeine) this morning and, man, is there ever a LOT of home ice hockey coming up. Wee! Gonna be a fun month if the guys play like we know they can (and now EXPECT them to).

2/22/11 -- Aeros Sunk By Admirals, Lose 5-4

Milwaukee celebrates the first score of the game.

I'm not going to waste a lot of space on this game, a 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Admirals that came about after the Aeros had a 4-2 third period lead. Mike Yeo kept the team locked up in the locker room for a long time after the game -- he kept them locked up way longer than Kevin Constantine ever did after a loss, and Kevin had a bit of a reputation for ripping into players.

So here are a few brief observations...

1. Patrick O'Sullivan pulled off a Krys Kolanos tonight, and that's not meant as a compliment. He had two goals -- one on a beautiful breakaway off of a good defensive play by Justin Falk -- and he assisted on Warren Peter's goal in the third. However, O'Sullivan forget to put forth much, if any, effort on defense, and he drew several really stupid penalties in the third period as the team was melting down.

2. It's easy to look at the score and say that Anton Khudobin had a bad game. It's easy, but that's not totally accurate. Milwaukee's second goal came about after Jamie Fraser got his stick on a puck and deflected a shot past Khudobin. Milwaukee's third goal came from Falk screening Khudobin. The fourth goal came after Khudobin blocked a shot, only to have Kris Fredheim get in the way and have the puck bounce off of his chest and into the net. And Khudobin blocked the fifth goal, only to have it rebound past him and just kind of rest on the line while Aero after Aero flailed away hopelessly at the puck.

3. The Aeros really melted down in the third period and it sure looked like, from the press box, that they just lost their composure. If I had been the coach, I would have called a time out after that fourth goal, the one that bounced off of Fredheim, and tried to calm the team down. I thought of asking Yeo about this after the game, but, well, after the long wait, I just wanted to get some general comments so I could go up and get my story written for the mothership.

4. The lines have changed. Carson McMillan/Jed Ortmeyer/Colton Gillies were the starting line. Patrick O'Sullivan/Jon DiSalvatore/Warren Peters were the second. Robbie Earl/Chad Rau/Jarod Palmer were line three, and Matt Kassian/JM Daoust/Brandon Buck were the fourth.

5. The team was incredibly hot in January. It was inevitable they would cool down and lose a few games. So I wouldn't stress out, yet. This happens to all teams -- after all, the Aeros would have never risen up the standings, no matter how good they played, if the teams in front wouldn't have lost a few. That said, the Aeros can't afford to go into a prolonged slump.

Aeros vs. Admirals - 2/22/11

Some pre-game thoughts I would like to share with you ...

I sent a note over to Mike Yeo asking if he'd tell me who he planned to start in goal tonight against the Admirals. If I were lucky enough to make such decisions, I go with Hackett. He has been decent of late, and I would like to see how the kid performs in a third straight, high-pressure situation.

But that is not the main reason I want to see him. I don't want Anton on the ice on the other side of the Milwaukee Admirals. His luck against Milwaukee has been atrocious. Sure, he won four of seven in the playoffs in 2009. I give him credit for that. He was very good in the four wins (4 GA), but he was very poor in the three losses (the Aeros were outscored 16-4).

I am sure Yeo knows this, but Anton has just one win in eight regular-season appearances against the Admirals (1-5-1-1). That victory came via shootout earlier this year. But most of these seven losses were not exactly HIS fault. In his last six regular season appearances against Milwaukee, the Aeros have scored just five regulation goals. That is why I say he has just had incredibly bad luck against Milwaukee.

Now for some good news: in four of those losses, Dekanich has been the opposing goalie. That guy will be in Columbus tonight for the Blue Jackets' game against Nashville. The Admirals have to choose between a guy that literally stole two points from the Aeros last Friday (Jeremy Smith) and a guy that has played just four times since the middle of December (Anders Lindback).

My rotation for the Aeros this week would be Hackett tonight and Saturday; Anton Friday and Sunday.

I just got a note from Yeo; Anton is getting the nod tonight against the first-place Admirals. To be fair, he has played well against Milwaukee. He has never allowed more than three goals against them in the regular season and six of the eight have been decided by one goal. History suggests that he'll win if he allows one or fewer. He better be on his game tonight.

Aeros Lose Again, Try To Prevent Slump

It's no story around here that the Aeros are in a tight fight for a playoff hunt. There are six points separating the Aeros, who are in first place, from Chicago, who is in seventh place. Yes, you read that right, six points between first and seventh place. So the Aeros are at a stretch in the season where they can't afford to go off on a long losing streak.

But today, in their 3-1 loss to the Wolves, the Aeros resembled more that team we came to know and loathe in early December than the team we've come to know since Christmas. They came out slow, with absolutely no energy or focus, and things never improved. Sure, they outshot Chicago 35-17 -- the Wolves took only four shots in the second period and one shot in the third period -- but that was not so much the Aeros defense as it was Chicago just focusing on defense.

And while Anton Khudobin didn't have the best days -- he did let in two pucks on just four shots in the second period -- he was most definitely not the cause of the loss. At least he, at times, appeared to be trying to focus. So...

1. The Aeros got off to a slow start. They got off to a slow start on Sunday. And apparently, according to Mike Yeo, they got off to bad starts in the wins over Rockford and Peoria. So while two losses does not a trend make, four slow starting games in a row do.

2. "I think, certainly, you could see it the last two or three games of that six-game wining streak," Yeo said. "You could see that we were starting to get away from who we are a little bit. As it happens, when things are going well for you, you can get away with it. In order to turn things around, and get things going well for yourself again, you better be honest with yourself and approach the game the right way. And make sure, number one, that the work ethic is there, and number two, that you’re committed to playing the type of game that we need to play to be successful."

3. Jon DiSalvatore agreed with Yeo, saying that this is something the team's been struggling with the past week or so, even though they were winning games.

"I think the same reason we were having so much success with our starts was focus and execution, and that’s the same reason for some of the woes that we’ve been having over the past few games is just our focus and execution" he said. "Sometimes you have a tendency, when things are going so good, to forget what got you there. And that’s obviously slipped away from us a little bit these past couple of games. But we’re a team that’s always found a way to rise up to challenge, and right now we’re facing a little bit of a challenge. I’m confident that we’ll bounce back from this."

4. The Aeros need to bounce back from these past couple of games, and they need to bounce back quickly. That's because, as I wrote above, there are only six points separating the Aeros from seventh place Chicago. And with only 23 games remaining in the regular season for the Aeros, a prolonged slump of any kind could possibly doom them.

5. "Every point is crucial," DiSalvatore said. "You really can’t go into any game and feel like, okay, we’re in a comfortable situation. We’re never in a comfortable situation in this division. We’re in a playoff mentality right now where from one night to the next you can move four spots in the standings. It’s crucial to look at every game and every point, as a must win, and a must need point. That’s something that we know, and we’re going to apply to everything that we do in preparation."

6. Still, it seems strange to worry about a team, go into stress over, a team that's 16-6-0-1 since Christmas. But we all knew that the team couldn't keep up that level of play for the rest of the season. The play has been spectacular, and during the stretch, especially in January, they were doing just about everything perfectly. The hope was that, at some point, the rest of the division would start slumping. And for the most part, this hasn't happened. Each team let up just enough for the Aeros to catch up -- and the Aeros have had the number of the Stars this season -- but the Aeros, while catching up, haven't been able to put any space between them and the opposition.

7. We asked Yeo after the game whether he considered pulling Anton Khudobin from the game after that third goal, which came less than a minute after the second.

"My plan was to play Matt [Hackett] tomorrow," Yeo said. "Anyway, so unless something happened – I didn’t think that it was Anton’s fault, and changing the goalie at that time was really going to change the momentum of the game. I thought that it was a little unfair to pull Anton in that situation, given how the team was playing front of him."

8. And Yeo made a good point. Khudobin didn't play that great a game -- he did give up three goals on just 17 shots -- but he played a tremendous game when compared to his teammates.

9. The Aeros didn't seem to have much oomph on offense. We noted during the game that Robbie Earl seemed to be setting up his line mates time and time again with good opportunities, but nothing would happen. We asked Yeo about this after the game, and he admitted that he's worried about the Earl/Daoust/Rau line as well as the Almond/DiSalvatore/O'Sullivan line.

"We need some production from that line, there’s no question," Yeo said of the Earl line. "Even Almond’s line, the last couple of games, five-on-five, we haven’t been generating much. I think it’s a matter – it’s nice to go out as a line like that, they know what their identity is and they know that they’re supposed to score goals. Having said that, you’ve got to respect the process. There’s far too many turnovers from both lines. And far too little commitment as far as getting to the offensive zone and doing it the right way, and doing it the way that we’ve had the success with. And once we get that back, then I think that those guys will see that the results will start to come."

10. The one thing I noticed, and it's probably just me, was that the Aeros were having their best starts when Colton Gillies, Warren Peters, and Jed Ortmeyer were the starting line. I don't know what the starting lines were on the road, but these guys seemed to provide the right tone when it came to starting the game. They weren't going to score goals, but they were going to get the energy level on the ice up.

11. The crowd was non-existent today. There were supposed to be a ton of HISD high school kids at the game, but most of them bailed out. It's my thought that they bailed out because, after cancelling classes for the Snowpocalyse two weeks ago, they couldn't justify pulling kids out of school for a hockey game.

12. And Aeros, a favor. The next time you have one of these daytime matinees, please coordinate things with the Hilton and the George R. Brown Convention Center because parking in the Toyota Center parking garage was virtually non-existent for those of us attempting to get to the game because of some kind of convention that was going on.

13. The good news is that, though the Aeros lost today, since this was the only game played, the Aeros are still in first place.

14. I haven't played any videos in awhile, but since I've discovered another reader who is a fan of Juliana Hatfield, I have to play some Juliana Hatfield before I end this post. So here's the Juliana Hatfield Three with "My Sister," just because.

Aeros Lose To Chicago

Sorry for the lack of story or pics at the moment. Let's just say I'm having computer issues and will try to get something up later tonight. Needless to say, I won't be saying anything nice as the Aeros lost 3-1 to Chicago in a game where it appeared the Aeros did the same thing all of the school students did who were supposed to be at Toyota Center today -- they didn't come.

Very disappointing game. Their worst since early December in my opinion. Could have been worse if not for Anton Khudobin, who though not having his best game, at least appeared to be giving it a bit of an effort today.

Like I said, more later, promise. Including some quotes from Mike Yeo and Jon DiSalvatore.

Cody Almond Sinks Peoria

The Aeros just pulled out the 4-3 win over the Rivermen in the shootout with Patrick O'Sullivan getting the first shootout goal and Cody Almond getting the game-winner. The win is the sixth straight for the Aeros, and it keeps them in sole possession of first place with a record of 32-19-1-3 (68 points).

The three stars of the game, per the Peoria media, included just one Aero, Nate Prosser, who scored the Aeros first goal of the game. I'm kind of surprised that Anton Khudobin didn't get a star. Sure, he gave up three goals, but then again, he faced 45 43 shots for the entire game and stopped 42 40, so that sounds pretty damn good to me. Then again, I didn't watch the game, so he might have looked like crap on the three shots that got past him.

Nate Prosser got the first goal, giving the Aeros a brief lead in the first. Jean-Michel Daoust and Robbie Earl had the assists. The Aeros trailed 2-1 after one period as the team's penalty kill collapsed. Patrick O'Sullivan tied the game in the second -- assists from Cody Almond and Jon DiSalvatore -- and Colton Gillies put the Aeros up 3-2 in the third when he nailed a penalty shot.

This was the fourth win in a row for the Aeros away from Toyota Center, and it was the team's sixth in a row overall as they maintain the fiery pace they've been on since Christmas. And here's the note of the day: the best record in the Western Conference, not just the division, but the entire conference, belongs to the Aeros.

The Aeros play the Rivermen in St. Paul on Sunday, then return home for the second of this year's kiddie games on Thursday morning at 11:05.

NOTE: It's my understanding that Heather and/or Andrew will be in St. Paul on Sunday, so hopefully one of them can actually file something on T3I with some actual quotes.

Dear Anton...

Dear Anton,

Look kid: You and I both know you can play in the NHL. But so can a lot of guys in the AHL. You're not remotely alone in feeling kinda screwed that you've been clawing your way up in an organization for 4 years only to hit the ceiling in the AHL.

It must have really stung to see the Wild sign Dennis Endras last summer to essentially be Backstrom's backup next season. Personally, I would have said "FU" to the Wild and gone to the KHL and made some coin. That was as clear as sign as any that they didn't see you fitting into the plans here long term.

But maybe you chose the more positive perspective of wanting to prove to them that they don't need Endras. Or maybe you were banking on an injury to catapult you to the show.

And then, lucky you, the injury came! Harding blows a knee and suddenly it looks like your time has come!

But then the Wild show a lot of nothing in pre-season and management gets nervous that they can't afford a little rookie goalie who's demonstrated a lack of consistency throughout his career as Backstrom's partner. So they sign Theodore.

BAM. Stuck in Houston again.

My sense is you've gotten a sniff of the super high adrenaline rush of tending in the NHL and the acclaim that comes with success at that level, and now the pace of the AHL is a little less thrilling and engaging. The reward for success is less appealing. In fact, because of the Endras signing, there is almost no reward for success in the AHL other than your next contract (for your sake, I hope it's with another team) and pride.

And because of that, maybe you're less attentive, less inspired, less hungry.

I don't think it's a conscious thing, right? I mean, you're a proud guy. Hell, if you weren't, you wouldn't be so bent (even if it's all deep down) about this unfortunate turn in your career path. You feel like you've earned better than this, and that's understandable. You've created lots of memorable moments in all 3 levels you've played, and you've saved a lot of bacon behind teams that haven't always been money in front of you.

But so have lots of guys in the AHL. Even guys who have dominated the AHL have had to wait their turn and have found a way to play their sacks off instead of marking time. Heck, plenty of guys who have been basically written off as minor league journeymen find a way to play lights out just for pride and love of the game and in support of their teammates and, well, their next contract.

Here's the bottom line, kiddo: There's still half a season left and you've got a team in front of you that's improving all the time and are fully invested in each other and making a good playoff push. None of it has come easily, nor will it ever start coming easily. It's a grind to the finish and you have GOT to find a way to get yourself invested in HOUSTON.

Stop just going through the motions until the game gets "interesting" enough to inspire some focused effort. Your team has your back for now, but they'd have your back, front, and sides if you'd stop letting in these softies and forcing them to battle a deficit because you zoned out.

And I don't just write this as an armchair goalie critic. I've given this same speech to myself many MANY times as I stand there in the crease after letting in a soft one. Or two. Or three.

But unlike me, you're in the fortunate position of having the resources, experience, and talent to turn it around and salvage a season where your stock is dropping. If you want to be a blue chip, you've gotta start playing like one.

I'm 100% confident you have the stuff to be the hero in net that this team needs to dominate the West. But you have to dig deep and get your head right. The fix isn't going to come from better defensemen or more goals or more opportunity or more competition. It's gotta come from that spot that hurts like hell when you look over your shoulder and watch that puck drift across the goal line.

Stick on the ice, peanut...

Sincerely,

Ms.C

1/28/11 -- Aeros v. Abbotsford -- Aeros Ice the Heat

Cody Almond brings the pain in the first period.

The night was a struggle for the Aeros. They probably should have won this game easily, but instead found themselves having to get into the shootout to pull out the win and get the two points with the 4-3 win.

The Aeros took the early lead, had to hold on through an end of first period that was rather bizarre and disjointed due to a very serious injury to an Abbotsford player. They gave up leads in the second and third periods. They had some excellent play from those guys they've been getting excellent play from, and they had some disappointing and sloppy play from some others.

In the end, all that matters is the Aeros got the win and they're going into the All Star break on a very high note.

1. As of right now, the Aeros are tied, points wise, with the San Antonio Rampage for first place in the AHL West. The Aeros are 28-19-1-3 with 60 points. They're one point ahead of Peoria, two points ahead of Milwaukee, three points ahead of Texas and Oklahoma City and five points up on Chicago.

2. The Aeros do not play again this weekend. So they best they can come out of the weekend with is a tie for first place. However, Peoria plays Grand Rapids tomorrow, so with a win, the Rivermen jump into first place, or can move into a tie for first if they should get into overtime. Milwaukee, meanwhile, plays in Rockford on Saturday, so a win moves the Admirals into a tie with Houston and San Antonio.

3. Another fantastic night from Max Noreau -- two assists to give him 30 points for the season (7-23=30). And he has been ratcheting up the physical play.

4. Robbie Earl didn't score tonight, but he seemed to be around the action often, and he did great work drawing a penalty in overtime and putting the Aeros on the power play.

5. The officiating was awful. Beyond awful, if that's possible. I'm still trying to understand how it was that Tyler Cuma was sent to the box of interference on what was, instead, a fantastic and legal hip check. As it was, the game was rough and chippy from the start, and the guys in the stripes made little effort to get under control.

6. Mike Yeo sensed that Abbotsford might try to go physical and force the Aeros out of their game. And he and the staff warned the team beforehand, and throughout the game, to not let Abbotsford get them out of their game.

I didn't recognize this at the time, but Carson McMillan was pummeled at one point in the first period, and instead of getting into a big fight, backed down. He was following the game plan. And Warren Peters was mugged in the first period, yet it was Peters who wound up with all of the penalty minutes.

"I believe that we were really controlling the play," Yeo said. "That was part of their focus, the stuff after the whistles. We tried to talk about that, not getting involved in that, making sure our play, we were playing between the whistles. I felt that that kind of slowed the game down a little bit. Give them credit, it did take us off our game a little bit. But that’s something we have to make sure – it’s always about whatever the situation calls for. If the situation calls for you to get in there and stick up for your teammate at that time or maybe it calls for a momentum shift and you need to bring some energy and some life, then you do it. But there’s also a time to skate away and get out of that stuff and keep the flow of the game going our way."

7. And I think that's a bit of what Drew Bagnall was doing later in the game -- going in and sticking up for teammates. Bagnall was iffy for the game, but he surely made his presence felt throughout the game.

8. Bizarre end to the first period. With about 3.5 seconds left, the Aeros were off on what appeared to be a breakaway. Then two guys from the Heat collided around mid-ice and collapsed to the ice. The whistle blew to stop play and nothing much happened for about 15 minutes. The teams were eventually sent to the locker rooms while the medical staff handled things during what turned out to be the first part of intermission.

Play resumed after intermission with 3.5 seconds on the ice in which the first period was ended. Then the horn sounded to end the period, and then the second period was started. Bizarre.

"I’ve seen it affect both teams," Yeo said. "It’s tough, but it just depends on your group. It’s just our job as coaches to make sure that we’re saying the right things, to make sure that you don’t lose your focus. Quite often, when a player does get hurt like that, I’ve seen many times where the game changes one way or the other. It’s got to be about the next play, the next shift mentality."

9. You might not have noticed, but Nathan Smith was in uniform for the Aeros tonight. Well, not really, but for two minutes there in the second period, the scoreboard showed that it was "8," Smith's number last season, sitting in the penalty box and not "18," Colton Gillies. That wasn't as bad, however, as the PA guy who had trouble spitting out Abbotsford and Heat on numerous occasions.

10. Strange night for Anton Khudobin. He had a very poor second period in which he gave up two very soft goals. He appeared to get his act together in the third -- that third goal from Matt Keith appeared to be more the result of poor defensive play on part of Justin Falk than anything Khudobin did, and he was very solid in the OT. The one goal that Abbotsford got in the shootout was the result of a spectacular Corey Locke-esque shot than anything that Khudobin did wrong.

11. In some ways it's a shame that the All Star break is coming because the Aeros have been one of the hottest teams in the league. They were 10-2-0-1 in January and they're 12-4-0-1 since Christmas. When you're on a streak like this, you kind of want to keep going, especially when one thinks of where the team was when they headed into the Christmas break.

12. For those of you who are wondering, the Aeros will have an optional skate on Tuesday then return to practice on Wednesday before hosting Texas on Friday night. And despite the team's hot streak, the Aeros can use the break to rest up, mentally and physically.

13. The Aeros are in a tight playoff race with seven teams within five points of each other in the standings. Yeo compares the Aeros current situation to the one the Penguins were in the year they won the Stanley Cup.

"I think that our schedule is going to be better for us," he said. "Where before we were dealing with that stuff, we felt like we were always chasing everybody, at the same time we were physically getting tired. Where I think we have a little more rest now coming out of this break. But the flip side of it is, and it happened to us in Pittsburgh, we had to make a run that year. We were phenomenal after the coaching change. And every game was so important. And we were in full stride when playoffs began. I think that, usually, if you look at teams that do something in the playoffs, they found a way to elevate their game and bring their game up to a new level, and once the playoffs begin, you don’t have to try to find that next gear. "

14. Just a few quick notes. Jon DiSalvatore has a point in eight of his last nine games (4-5=9). Anton Khudobin has won four of his last five starts. Jean-Micheal Daoust's first period goal was his 300th career goal.

15. The Aeros are now 23-7-0-2 when they score the first goal.

16. Chad Rau, who hit the game-winning shot in the shootout, was not entirely happy with his shot, and after the game, he was talking about how he would have liked to take it back and try it again. He thinks he got lucky because he didn't exactly do what he wanted to do and as such, the goalie was able to get his glove on the puck.

17. On a personal note, it was nice to see Abbotsford assistant coach Troy Ward tonight. I dealt with Troy a lot in his three years as Kevin Constantine's assistant here with the Aeros, and he was always easy to deal with.

So long and thanks for all the savegasms; Broda and Zingoni gone

News out of Minnesota this morning is that Nik Backstrom and Jose Theodore are both healthy, so whirling dervish Anton Khudobin is headed back to Houston. If you throw out the one lousy game where he just wasn't up to NHL speed yet, he was nearly perfect, allowing only 1 goal in his last 2 starts.

What's more, Wild fans (and the rest of the NHL) got to see what a unique goalie he is and have a few little heart attacks along the way. Always fun to "share" our guys with the rest of the world and show what they can do. Plus he made a week or two of show dough, so dinner's on Dimples, bitches.

But of course, this means Josh Tordjman is headed back to the Condors in Cali. *sigh* Oh well. Better to have loved and lost, right? At least the Aeros know they're in good hands when the inevitable late season goalie injuries hit either here or in Minnesota, where they're actually getting their shit together and making a playoff push.

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Adding to this transaction news is that Joel Broda has been assigned to Bakersfield along with Tordjman, and Peter Zingoni has signed to play in the German Elite League. I can't find anything on which team, but, well, it ain't the Aeros, so...

As The Goalies Turn

This is interesting, and probably something to watch because, per Russo, the only healthy Wild goalie at the moment is Anton Khudobin. Neither Backstrom or Theodore are practicing, and it's just Khudobin and the strength coach.

The Wild don't play again until tomorrow night, so it's possible that Theodore will be healthy enough to play, but this is the Wild, so it's just as possible that the Aeros are currently turning over every rock in the Chicago area so they'll have a backup goalie for Hackett tomorrow night should Tordjman be called to backup Khudobin, or vice versa.

PER HEATHER: Tordjman's on an AHL-only deal. So if anybody goes up, it's Hackett. But hey, I said vise versa, right?

Anton showed up, stole the show, and the injured Aeros won

When I first logged into the game tonight, I already knew that Casey Wellman and Matt Kassian were probably not going to play. Kassian ended up going Monday, but the Aeros were also without Warren Peters, Colton Gillies, Petr Kalus, and Joel Broda.

They called up two guys from the CHL and still managed to beat the San Antonio Rampage 2-1 in a game in which they were outshot 40-17.

I sure hope the Aeros got on the bus before the hockey gods decide to make things right in the world. Hey, I know those are the breaks sometimes, but when you get outshot 40-17, you can't say you won 'cause the other team was rusty.

What is going to happen is this: the Aeros are going to get absolutely drilled by San Antonio on New Years Day, so they better get at least one feel-good win in Milwaukee or Rockford later this week.

After getting killed by the Rampage on Saturday, things will level off for the Aeros. Even though they still have a schedule that was made by an elementary school janitor (no offense to those folks who, for sure, work harder than I do), most of their games will be at home and their travel is much more manageable.

What worries me right now is that they picked the wrong time to get hurt. And it is this schedule that is keeping them injured and without practice time.

If the Aeros lose the next three and fall back to .500, I still think they'll be OK to make a playoff run. Their 18 wins is not all that far off from most of the teams currently in playoff contention. But they have played more games than everyone else, and the numbers in the loss column are starting to pile up, too.

And to be fair, credit needs to go to Anton tonight, who played very well. Sir, you are the reason the team extended the winning "streak" to two games. I think we are all harder on Anton because we know what he is capable of doing. We know he can play down here and we know he is capable of holding his own in the NHL. But there are times when things snowball on him and he is going to allow one turd a game.

That is where he needs to settle down, and if he can play more games like he did Monday, he'll again be regarded as one of the better netminders in AAA hockey.

That is all for tonight. The Aeros will fly to Chicago for a pair of games in the Midwest later this week. Although, I too, will be in Wisconsin Wednesday, there is no chance I can make the four-hour drive down to see the boys. I am going to get to see the Wild host the Predators Friday night, and I am really looking forward to my first Wild game of the year.

4th star: Anton Khudobin

Wow. Did the Aeros come through for me and correct my crummy day yesterday or what? Thanks, boys. I'm feeling inspired again. :)

Andrew summed the game up better than I could (as usual) because I really got fixated on Anton Khudobin last night. His performance had all the elements that a goalie junkie like me loves in a game, and I wanted to give him his props here.

Sometimes goals look bad to the untrained eye when really they aren't that bad, but that first goal was bad. He tried to make the save on a high shot by letting the puck hit him while he was standing up, but he didn't quite get ahold of it. It fell to the ice and by the time he found it, he couldn't get down and over before Toronto took a whack at it and put it in the net. Easy goal.

We all knew it was bad and he CLEARLY knew it by the way he reacted afterward. His body language was full of frustration.

I tweeted after that goal that it would be interesting to see how that goal affects the rest of his game. He used to be known as a goalie for whom a bad goal would open the floodgates. But tonight he showed the mental strength he's gained over the last few years as he's matured.

Something seemed a little different about Anton tonight though. Maybe it was that bad goal and he was playing with more determination? I wish I'd interviewed him after the game but I needed time to think about what I saw.

Anyway, he was playing with lots of emotion for whatever reason. The second goal wasn't even his fault. It was a hard shot that hit a shin pad on an Aero in front of him and deflected just a tad bit more than he could adjust for. He almost had it, but it sneaked under his left pad, I believe. And he visibly reacted to that goal, too, though not as strongly.

Then near the end of the game, he went all Hextall-slash on the back of a Toronto player's knees after a stoppage. I guess the guy ran him a little bit, but man, he whacked him hard. Either the officials didn't see it or they were cool with the goalie defending himself.

He faced 13 shots in the third and 7 in OT, both of which seem low to me. But perhaps the quality of the chances was so high, it just seemed like more shots. I'd give anything for clip of two unreal save on Nazem Kadri (who, if you're unfamiliar, was a Maple Leaf's #1 draft pick and has some unbelievably sick hands).

Anton's strength and flexibility just shone on the first save during OT as he stayed with Kadri all the way across the goal mouth, pretty much in the splits. I'm not sure how he got across, actually, unless his initial push had enough momentum to carry him in the full splits all the way beyond the other post. Kadri tried to lift the puck over Anton's outstretched leg pad, but Anton batted it down with his glove and covered it up as he was sliding across.

The other fantastic save, again on Kadri, who was first up in the shootout, was a similar move, but Anton caught the puck this time and somehow ended up going from full splits to being up on his skates. Like, physically, I can't fathom how he did that.

The guy is just spring-loaded. I've never seen anything like it. Not only was the strength and flexibility there, but reading the play, knowing exactly what Kadri wanted to do, pushing hard enough across to stay with him while tracking that puck into his glove, and then popping up to his skates from a full split? What the....

The more I think about it... I'm fanning myself and blushing again. Needless to say, it made up for that lousy first goal, no question.


Just a huge amount of compete from him last night. A big-hearted victory that he can be very proud of in spite of the stinker. Throw that out. The real test of a goaltender's mettle isn't whether he never lets in the odd bad goal. It's how he bounces back from a bad goal, a bad game, frustration.

And I'd say from last night's performance, he proved his mettle. Clutch Anton is back and the Aeros are lucky for that.

P.S. Just to turn this around a little bit, how good were the Aeros shooters last night, too? Shootouts happen at both ends, and I can't recall seeing a more successful shootout from an Aeros team in a long time. That had to give Anton a lot of confidence as well, to see that his back wasn't up against the wall. Good on Palmer, Sal, and Gillies for making Juicy Rynnas look silly.

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BTW, here's a couple of articles on Cody Almond, who made his season debut in a win for the Wild last night. One from the Calgary Sun and the Calgary Herald.

10/31/10 -- Aeros v. Stars -- The Monster Mash Edition

The Aeros got the 4-2 win over the Texas Stars tonight, improving their record to 4-5-1-0 in the process. There was some good defensive play. Anton Khudobin gave up two goals, but seeing as how he faced nearly 40 shots, that's a pretty good average. So on with the hail of bullets.

1. Did someone at Toyota Center forget to pay the A/C bill? It was ridiculous how hot the arena was. It was uncomfortable in the stands, so I would hate to think of how miserable it was for the players.

2. Was that a nice pass by Warren Peters to Carson McMillan for that third goal, or what? McMillan gave all of the credit for the goal to Peters. But think about it, how many times have we seen an Aero whiff on a supposedly easy, can't miss shot like that? But McMillan buried the shot, so he deserves some credit as well.

3. Andrew called the Nate Prosser goal in the third period, the one that made it 4-2. He made a comment about Matt "Gretzky" Kassian with the assist before Prosser even had the puck off of the pass. I just wish he would give me the damn lottery numbers.

4. Kris Fredheim's goal in the first period was a rocket of a shot -- one of those Max Noreau-type things. It was also Fredheim's first professional goal.

5. Marco Scandella -- I don't really know what all to say. He made numerous good plays on the defensive end, and he even got an assist. I don't remember who we gave the stars to -- but I argued that Scandella deserved one for his defensive play.

6. Guess what, the Aeros are on a winning streak. Sure, it's only a two-game streak, but a streak has to start somewhere, right?

7. Mike Yeo said the team had a good weekend -- there will be quotes in the mothership tomorrow. The team might have lost to San Antonio on Friday night, but he liked the team's play in the first period that night, and he was encouraged by how the team worked through the heat, the third game in three days, and letting Texas tie the score to come on strong and win the game.

8. He was happy to get the home win, especially because he thought you, the fans, deserved the win for sticking with the team.

9. The team's not out of the woods. He's going to spend this week working on focus while continuing to work on their understanding of the offense.

10. I don't know about you, but maybe the Aeros should just start declining power play chances. I don't even think the Aeros were this bad on the power play last season, and they were bad last season. My solution is to just stick four guys down by the net and let Noreau fire away from the blue line. But that's probably why I'm not a coach.

11. Here's a stat that won't surprise you. The Aeros are 4-1-0-0 when they score the first goal. Of course, their primary problem this season has been just scoring a goal at any point.

12. The Dynamics "Where's Waldo" Halloween costumes just didn't work for me, though I kind of liked the glasses thing.

13. I want to apologize for the delay in getting this posted -- I'm working a temp job at the moment (hoping that it goes permanent) and I had to do some work for it when I got home, along with writing a story for the mothership.

14. That said, I won't be around for Friday's game with Toronto. I'll be covering the Houston Cougars/UCF Knights game at Roberstson Stadium for the mothership -- college football gets bigger readership numbers.

15. Things go better with a win, don't they?

16. Do something about the air conditioning. Please.

17. In honor of Halloween, here's a Craig Ferguson clip from Friday night -- I think he's one of the funniest guys on television.

10/22/10 -- Aeros v. Rivermen -- The Hail of Bullets Edition

I'm trying a different approach to these things, at this point. I just can't see writing up full-scale game stories -- I've been working a lot, and I want to get that sleep thing. So I'm going to feed you guys a hail of bullets reflecting some thoughts on this game that the Aeros lost 1-0 in overtime.

1. This was a hell of a game. It was one of the more entertaining games that I've seen the Aeros play in a long, long time. So I really, really, really don't understand why they were being booed off of the ice. I just don't get it.

2. Marco Scandella, wow. He's a young kid. He's not perfect, yet. But he just continues to amaze me every game. He's making hits. He's throwing his body around and blocking pucks. He's someone I find myself looking at constantly when he' s out on the ice -- and when I'm not looking at the Dynamics.

3. Mike Yeo on Scandella: "One of the biggest things, it’s obvious by the amount of ice time that we’re giving him. He’s a young guy, and young guys generally have a lot more to learn, but he plays a pretty mature game for a young guy. I think part of that is he has a very good understanding of what kind of player he is, and he’s going to be in the NHL, and he’s committed to being a solid defensive player, and he knows he has to go make a good first pass and try to contribute offensively when it’s there. But he also understands the foundation of his game, and that’s being strong one-on-one and being solid defensively."

4. I also like seeing Drew Bagnall on the ice. He's just not going to take crap off of anybody.

5. Anton Khudobin seems different to me this year. He seems to have matured and kicked his game up another level. I saw him challenging players. He didn't lose his poise like he might have at times in the past. And he played a hell of a game against one of the top teams in the AHL.

6. I saw a semblance, tonight, of what Mike Yeo wants this team to be. It wasn't there the entire game, but it was there. I hadn't seen it in the first two home games. There's still hesitation. There's still too much passing, trying to be too perfect. But I could actually see what Yeo wants to accomplish.

"I think that we have to, at this point in the season especially, we have to remember what it is we’re trying to do here," Yeo told us. "And I think that that game looked a lot more like our game is supposed to look. There was a lot of times where I felt like we were really taking it to them. We were getting good shifts in the offensive zone. Our forecheck was really effective, and the way were attacking pucks and creating turnovers was a lot better. Shooting pucks and going to the net."

7. I'm disappointed in the power play. Which seems to be the standard Houston Aeros observer response over the years. Yeo's disappointed, and he thought they were trying to be too perfect. One thing I noticed is that Max Noreau seems to be backing off a bit. I thought there were multiple times tonight when he had an opportunity from the blue line and didn't take it. We saw last year what a weapon the Noreau slap shot can be.

8. That said, I don't know what, if anything, the Aeros have planned for Brandon Rogers. And maybe it's just something with my memory, but I could swear that I remember that several seasons ago he and Noreau made a great power play duo.

9. I agree with Heather's assessment on Ben Bishop. The guy has really improved, and he stopped everything the Aeros through his way. I don't even think that the myth that fans have turned Krys Kolanos into could have gotten the puck past Bishop.

10. Where were the Ice Girls?

11. I hope you didn't pay any attention to the PA guy on the way out of the arena tonight, because despite what they said, the Aeros next two games aren't on the road. They play in San Antonio tomorrow, but then they host Lake Erie on Sunday.

12. Nothing against Jarod Palmer, but damn it, when I see the #19 on the ice, the first thing that pops into my mind is Danny Irmen. So can someone please get Palmer another a number.

13. I think The White Stripes are currently one of the most-overrated bands in rock music. They've done some good stuff, but most of what I hear just reinforces my belief that Jack White has bought into his own hype and mythology. Most of their "genius," to me, sounds rushed, and unfinished. But when they get a song right, they get the song right, such as in "Seven Nation Army."

Now to get to my point, I find the Aeros to be rough, unfinished. But I can see what they're aiming at. And I see "Seven Nation Army" as fitting the theme that Yeo wants for the team. An onrushing onslaught of attackers firing time after time on the net. So...

10/22/10: Peoria 1, Houston 0

Yeah, yeah, so it wasn't a win, but that was a fun game to watch. I've long contended that it's not goals that make hockey fun to watch, it's quality chances. And there were lots of those at both ends tonight.

The Aeros dominated the first period, but I gotta give props to Peoria tendy Ben Bishop: He is vastly improved over the last two seasons. To be honest, I kinda thought he was going to be a bust. Just too big to be fast enough to play at a super high level, but he's proving me quite wrong. I'd heard he'd improved, but I finally got to see for myself tonight and it's unbelievable. He should be very proud.

I really only know of a couple of stops where I felt like he wasn't all the way there but mostly got lucky. And for as many shots as he was credited with stopping, that's pretty impressive. Usually a shutout has a helluva lot of luck involved, but this was just as solid a performance in goal as I've seen in a long time.

I feel for Anton though. Earlier this week, I also got my first "career" shutout, but we lost in the shootout. It's heartbreaking to play your can off like that (and he was VERY good, just saw a lot less action than Bishop for most of the game), and not take home the win. You wanna feel great about it but dangit if that W isn't what you really wanted.

Yeo confirmed that while there is still work to be done and this game "isn't fully ingrained" in the players, this is how he wants this team to play in most ways. Just... you know... score. They're still passing too much and not putting the puck on net enough but you (well, at least *I*) can see them honing in on the right balance. Saturday, they didn't shoot enough. Sunday, they shot too much and didn't create real chances. Tonight, they shot a lot and had MANY good chances. A bounce here or there... Welcome to hockey.

Now, Graham Mink, Peoria's biggest ace, was a scratch, so no telling how his presence might have changed the tone of this game. This team is just scary and even in a loss, I loved seeing the Aeros not only hang with them but tie them up big time for most of the first period and parts of others.

The boys face San Antonio in the Alamo city tomorrow and then back home Sunday vs. Lake Erie. I was planning to catch them in SA but we're hitting the Stars/Peoria game in Cedar Park instead. It's a fun barn to watch some hockey in, so get up there if you get a chance this season.

See you Sunday.

PS-Brusty with a shutout for Binghamton tonight. In fact, he's got an 88+ minute streak of shutout play right now. Neenerrrrr.

10/16/10 -- Aeros v. Rivermen -- Do It Again Edition

In many ways game three of the Mike Yeo era looked a lot like most games of the Kevin Constantine era. The Aeros played like crap in the first period, but because of goalie play were still actually in the game. They played evenly in the second period, put on a furious finish in the third, but fell short and lost.

But there was an intensity out there I didn’t see much last year. There looked to be a bit more speed. And there was this guy named Drew Bagnall that I think even Mitch Love would leave alone. Yet none of that mattered because much like last season, the Aeros lost. This time by a score of 3-2, and before a larger crowd, 7559.

“It’s disappointing, and hopefully a lesson learned,” Yeo told us after the game. “That’s what we talked about after the game, and after the first period. This is a good league, and as an individual you have to be prepared and ready to play the game right from the start, and we weren’t.”

The first goal came at the 3:01 mark of the first, and it could definitely be labeled as a soft goal as T.J. Hensick came up on Anton Khudobin’s right side and just kind of pushed the puck forward. It appeared on replay to hit the stick of one of the Aeros defenders, which caused it to deflect past Khudobin. But Khudobin said that didn’t happen. He thought he stopped the puck with his left leg pads, but he didn’t.

“I’ll tell you what, [Peoria] came out flying in the first period,” Yeo said. “The first goal, Anton’s going to be the first one to say that he should have that. But I’ll tell you what, they were pressing and that’s what – that’s something we’re trying to build here as far as having that shooting mentality.”

The second goal came at 13:49 when Hensick fired a slap shot from way up around the blue line that appeared to hit a back post and fly out. And by the time the first period was over, it was 2-0 Peoria.

“They came out firing,” Robbie Earl told us. “They had us on our heals. We regrouped in the second. Obviously a couple of penalties slowed the momentum, but we were able to sustain it in the second and third. That’s something we need to work on….from now on, we’ve got to start right away, and get to our game right away and not find ourselves trailing in the third period.”

The score was still 2-0 early in the third when Casey Wellman pushed the puck up the ice, passed it to Chad Rau, and Rau fed a pretty pass to Earl who slipped it past Peoria’s rookie goalie Jake Allen to make it 2-1. Graham Mink made it 3-1 at 13:50 of the third on one of those shots that even the NHL’s best would have trouble stopping, but the Aeros didn’t quit and at 16:32, Marco Scandella broke down the left side of the rink and put the puck on J-M Daoust’s stick and Daoust stuck the puck past Allen to make it 3-2.

That was as close as the Aeros would get it. The defense had trouble clearing the puck from the Aeros zone in the final minutes, and Yeo wasn’t able to pull Khudobin for the extra skater until there were about 30 seconds left in the game. By then it was too late.

So the Aeros aren’t going to go 80-0-0-0 on the season. And they still seem to have some of the same problems as last season. Yet the season’s still early. And there is some talent on the team.

The Aeros go again this afternoon when they host Oklahoma City at 4:00.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES:

I don't know about you, but Drew Bagnall impressed the hell out of me. I haven't seen him play before, mainly because he's been over in the Eastern Conference, but I liked what I saw. He supplied a bruising, physical presence from a defenseman that I haven't seen on the Aeros in years. He dished out hits. He came in to protect teammates. He fought. He didn't back down. And to me, at least, he always seemed to be in the right place on the ice.

He's one guy I'm going to look forward to watching this season.

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It has been several weeks since Anton Khudobin last saw game action, and that was a preseason contest. So it's not an exaggeration to say that he was probably a little rusty. And while that first goal was a little soft and probably should have been stopped, the loss in this game definitely can't be blamed on him.

Peoria was constantly attacking the net, especially in that first period, and Khudobin made stop after stop. He made some exceptional stops in the second and third period. It's looking to me, as in the past several years when it was Nolan Schaefer and Barry Brust and Anton Khudobin that the Aeros aren't going to have to worry about the goalies losing games for them.

"We’ve got two unbelievable goalies," Robbie Earl said of Khudobin and Matt Hackett. "That’s great because goalie is a big part of this league. And we’ve got two guys fighting. That’s what you want, two goalies, one being there day in and day out. That’s only going to help us, but now we have to, as a unit in front of them, each shift, play well in front of them and get them some wins."

Yeo hasn't officially named a starter for this afternoon's game with Oklahoma City. But he did say last week that it was his plan to alternate them at the start of the season, so take from that what you will.

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For those of you interested in team chemistry, take a heart from a statement of Robbie Earl's: "It’s game three. We’ve still got a long way to go. But we’re jelling faster than most teams I’ve been a part of. It’s fun to see. It’s still early."

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As for the non-game aspects, you'll be pleased, or distressed to know that they still can't get the wireless to work at Toyota Center on a consistent basis. Heather was too cheap to pay for the T-Mobile, but even though I bounce around in terms of employment, I forked out the cash so that I could keep you up-to-date on the Twitter. You're welcome.

And speaking of shocks, we were actually asked by Aeros PR as to who the three stars of the game should be. I know that's how it goes in most arenas, but that's the first time it happened for us.

For those of you who didn't attend the game, let it be known that the Aeros have Ice Girls this season, and I for one couldn't be happier. We were asked on Twitter for photographic evidence, so here you go.

They had a goal horn, or so it sounded, which was a first. They didn't do chuck-a-puck until after the game. Steve Vidal is still your roaming arena announcer. And for the most part, the music selections still sucked.

And for your music video tonight, I'm going with The Kinks and "Do It Again" because, as I wrote above, there was a lot about this game which reminded me of last year.

WIld Goalie Moves

The late-night/early-morning news from Finland is that the Wild has signed goalie Jose Theodore to replace Josh Harding who is out for the season with a torn ACL and torn MCL. Michael Russo is reporting that Theodore will report to the Aeros and play here until the Wild return from Finland. Theodore will then join the Wild and Anton Khudobin will return for another season with the Aeros.

Theodore was 30-7-7 with the Washington Capitals last season.

I'm sure there will be more on this as the day/week progresses.