A View From The Press Box

The Aeros took a licking tonight. They took the licking, but they kept on ticking, getting the 2-1 win over Peoria to sweep the Rivermen and move on to the next round of the playoffs.

I'll try to get on with quotes and photos later tonight, but I can't promise anything since it's been a long day, and I'm really tired. That said...

Drew Bagnall admitted he was lucky on his goal, a shot from around center ice that tied the game in the second. But while there was luck involved, it was a designed play. Bagnall and Mike Yeo said after the game that everyone knew of Bishop's tendency to play the puck, and that Darryl Sydor had been preaching to the guys that if they got the chance, to fake going hard around the glass then throw it to the net in the chance that something would happen. And what do you know, something happened. Good scouting from the staff.

Yeo was proud of the way that guys like O'Sullivan, DiSalvatore, Earl, and Wellman responded to the pounding they got. Knowing they were going to take the hit, they kept executing the system and made the plays that needed to be made.

Still, the hockey gods were smiling down on Houston. I don't know if you could tell over AHL Live, or from what Joe O'Donnell was saying on the radio, but it's impossible to describe just how close Peoria was to sending the game to OT there at the very end. Twice in the closing seconds the puck hovered on the ice, in empty space, inside the blue box, just millimeters away from that red line. And nobody was able to knock it in. Hackett said he thought he had the last one smothered in his chest, and was shocked when his teammates were screaming that the puck was behind him.

But sometimes, the hockey gods really do smile on you.

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A quick bit of trivia: I have now travelled to three Aeros playoff games where they had the chance to clinch a series and advance. And they've won all three. I think the Aeros/Wild need to keep that tidbit it mind.

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And one more thing, the Houston Press is kind of close to killing Aeros coverage because they don't think anybody in the city gives a damn about hockey -- they're giving me the playoffs to get numbers up, or no hockey coverage next year. So please go over and read the story I've got there tomorrow. Make sure to click on it if you can. Leave a comment if you want. Don't do it just for me, but do it so that the team can continue to get some coverage while the rest of the city's media covers losers like the Astros and the Texans.

The Texas Coaching Connection

There's an Aeros post over at the mothership about the coaching staff and their connections to Houston and Texas, which I just found to be rather interesting since Houston and Texas aren't really considered to be hockey hot beds.

It's not as good as I was hoping it would be. I was just kind of rushed this weekend, and didn't have as much time to work on it as I wanted, and it just really doesn't work at least for me, but I hope you'll go read it anyway.

(And good news is, at least this time, I'm not pissing off the Aeros business office or any fans. I think.)

Remember, let them know you like this stuff as I'm going into heavy college football mode for the next several months and I will be lucky to get out a hockey story a week.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....

While we all wait on the edge of our seats to see what Anton decides, here's some info and video from the Aeros players at prospect camp.

First up is a guy the team signed yesterday, Joel Broda. I think there's some skepticism around him because he was not signed by the Caps, who drafted him two years ago. And then he didn't go at all in the most recent draft. But the Wild like him and apparently he can put some points on the board, so they're giving him a shot for a mere 3 years. Here's the Wild's feature on him, which I thought was pretty refreshing that they actually addressed the skepticism to some degree.

Forgive me now because I will forever be calling him Josh. I have no idea why. Josh Brolin maybe? Anyway, it's gonna happen, but I'll at least try to get his name right in the paper, should the opportunity arise.

Here's a quick interview with him from prospect camp:


A college guy from Cold Miami, Jarod Palmer, also came aboard this summer and could spend some time in Houston. Really didn't know much about him but loved this interview with him. Can't beat a guy who doesn't speak in athlete cliches. Also? Rawr. Just sayin'.



Outside of the new guys, our old buddies Justin Falk, who's getting married in a few weeks, and Colton Gillies put in some face time, too:





Awww, poor Colt. Least they could do is use real whipped cream.

Lastly, some video with Aeros new assistant coach Darryl Sydor, one of the two new assistants who will be behind the bench with Coach Yeo, talks about retiring as a player and the challenge of moving to the coaching ranks:

Wiseman Returns To Aeros

The Aeros have completed their coaching staff. It was announced earlier today that Mike Yeo's assistants will be former Aeros player and Yeo teammate Brian Wiseman and the recently retired player Darryl Sydor.