Getting to know your captain - Jon DiSalvatore

Get a cup of coffee, a soda or even a hot tea. Let me apologize up front for being a little long-winded today.

Clearly there were a ton of questions about how the Aeros were going to compete with the rest of the AHL when they failed to restore the fire power when Corey Locke, Jesse Schultz and Krys Kolanos were not brought back with the new regime.

Those questions still exist, but I think the Aeros offense has fared better than many of us expected or predicted before the season got underway. Right now, they are 21st in the league is scoring at 2.63 goals per game. That is up from dead last in the league after about the first month or so.

Their goals against numbers are great, and they are fifth in the league in that category with two of the best goalies in the AHL. They have the best goaltending tandem in the West division, and only the Hamilton Bulldogs (statistically) have two goalies have a better tandem in the AHL.

While Anton Khudobin's winless streak continues to grow, I have to believe that he will right the ship sooner or later. I hate using that cliché, but the Aeros defense is just too good for him not to make the necessary adjustments. When the Aeros were being outshot 32-8 at one point Sunday, he kept the game from being 5-2 or 6-2 after two periods.

There are going to be tough stretches for this team offensively, but the team fights hard enough every night to keep itself in the middle of the playoff race.

And newly named captain Jon DiSalvatore is a big reason for that.

Last month, he wore the "C" for the first time Dec. 13 in a 4-1 win over the Rockford IceHogs. Since then, the Aeros are 6-3-2-0 (points in eight of 11) and he has scored three game-winning goals in half of those wins. When someone says they like to lead by example ... that is what they are talking about.

Of everyone on the team this year, DiSalvatore (pictured above batting former Aero Joel Ward when he was playing for Peoria) has played the most games against the Aeros since the 2003-04 season. That is the first year the team played downtown, since moving from the holy land that is now Lakewood (mega) Church.

When Aeros GM Jim Mill told me that he nabbed DiSalvatore, I was instantly excited about the kind of leadership he would bring to a team that has a good mix of older and (mostly) younger players. Mill told me that he brought in DiSalvatore to use his wealth of AHL experience to keep a consistent locker room. In case you haven't heard this before, it's never too good to get too high or too low during the season. Get too high and you can get complacent ... get too low and you end up with a 17-game losing streak. Amazingly there have been two of those in the AHL the last two years.

DiSalvatore has been a pest for the Aeros to play against in the past, and coming into the year he had 33 career games against the Aeros under his belt. Four as a member of the Cleveland Barons, then two while playing for the Worcester IceCats. After that, he was with the Peoria Rivermen for two years. Then, two years ago, he helped lead the San Antonio Rampage to their first-ever season series win over the Aeros. (Note - they won the season series on a technicality. They had identical records against each other, but the Rampage had one more goal in the season series.)

In those 33 games, DiSalvatore had eight goals, 11 assists and was 1-for-2 in shootouts. His teams were 19-12-1 against the boys in bomber gear, and he helped the 06-07 Peoria team to a 7-2-0-1 record against the Aeros in Rob Daum's second of two years at the helm.

Again, I was glad that Mill picked him up after he spend one year playing in Lowell. This year, DiSalvatore is on pace to pick up 57 points and a career-high 27 goals. He had better assist numbers when he was with the Rivermen, but he seems to be right in the middle of every scoring chance the Aeros generate, especially on the power play.

I don't know where DiSalvatore's career will take him after this year. He has been nomadic since leaving the Blues organization, and my guess is he'll sign another two-way deal, hope for the best and then start looking for something more lucrative over in Switzerland.

But if this team gets to the playoffs, and DiSalvatore likes playing for Kevin Constantine and Co., then maybe Mill will find a way to get him back for another season. I don't know if Mill called DiSalvatore first or second after Mill replaced Tom Lynn, but the Aeros new captain was certainly one of the first.

Cheer for No. 14 the next time you see the Aeros. He is one of the main reasons why this team is better than you thought they'd be.

Three-point hockey games

There was some discussion on here last week about why or if all hockey games should be worth three points, instead of it varying from game to game because of overtime.

Obviously, a win, overtime win or shootout win gets you two points, getting to overtime and then losing will get you a single point and losing in regulation gets you nothing. (Good day, sir.)

I have argued that I want every game to be worth three points because it would a) be consistent and b) represent a true representation of a team's season. My initial thoughts were that it would significantly alter the standings if this were played out over an 80-game season. So I e-mailed the AHL a few months back and they told me they have run the numbers for several seasons and it did not change things enough. They did not go into detail, but there is just not enough data to advocate a switch that would alter the record books for sure.

There is another point that was made that I will get to later.

As of today, Jan. 4, the standings look like this:
TEX (46), PEO (42), MKE (42), RFD (42), HOU (41), CHI (38) and SAT (35).

This is how the standings would look if every game was worth three points exactly:
TEX (63), RFD (59), MKE (57), PEO (53), HOU (53), CHI (53) and SAT (47)

As you can see, only two teams traded places, as Peoria was punished because a whopping eight of its wins are of the overtime and shootout variety. This backs up the argument that, even with all the OT games played these days, things just don't change that much.

I would still like to see the three -point system, if only to tidy things up and get an exact representation of things. I have also read the argument that a move to three-point games will not happen because of the psychology of how it would affect the representation of the standings.

Look above, and as you can see, the Rampage would now trail first-place Texas by 16 points. That *looks* a lot different than 11 in the current system.

The argument is some teams would feel like they were more out of it than they are. And fans would take a look at the Internet or newspaper, see that their team is way out and change their mind about how to spend their hard-earned dollar. Again, I am presenting you with their argument.

My argument is that the true fans would know about the rule and realize that their team is still just four wins out. And my argument is the families that the AHL teams are targeting don't give a rats hoo-ha what place the team is in. (i.e. - People are still going to see games in Springfield, a team that has lost 18 of its last 19 games).

What are your thoughts?

1/3/10 -- Aeros v. Abbotsford -- The Let It Be Edition

At 18:47 of the third period tonight, I saw something that I don’t think I’ve seen while covering the Aeros. Danny Irmen stormed off the bench and hit the ice in full stride, streaking up the middle of the rink toward the Abbotsford Heat goal. Then without breaking stride, he started banging his stick on the ice, demanding the puck. Nathan Smith saw him, fed him the puck, and Irmen banged it into the net to tie the game at 3-3.

The Aeros lost the game in overtime, but they managed to gain a point out of a game that saw them sitting in single digits in shots midway through the third period. More amazing, the Aeros had also given up a two-goal lead, and appeared to be a dispirited team just hoping to make the end of the game so as to get some time off.

But Irmen came out, demanding the puck, and earned the team a point.

Don’t talk to Irmen about earning the puck, however. Or getting the goal. Because this is Danny Irmen, and Irmen’s first thought was to a teammate that he let down.

“The first thought for me: I think Anton deserved better than that….” Irmen said. “Some nights are like that, but we have to play harder in front of him. And we had a two goal lead and we didn’t manage it well at the end of the second. Not me, personally.”

The Aeros got their first two goals off of the power play, the first coming at 13:42 when Robbie Earl knocked in the rebound of a Chad Rau shot to put Houston up 1-0. Then Cody Almond got a nice pass from Jean-Michel Daoust at 17:49, and he buried the puck to put the Aeros up 2-0.

That’s where the score stayed until 15:43 of the second when Jason Jaffray got lose on the Aeros defense and scored the short-handed goal to make it 2-1. And at 17:40, Khudobin blocked Cam Cunning’s shot only to have J.D. Watts stuff the rebound five-hole to make it 2-2. And Abbotsford made it 3-2 at 7:15 of the third when Watts got his second goal of the night on a shot that when under Khudobin’s right arm pit.

“It’s good to get a point,” Irmen said. ‘But we prefer two. We should play better.”

Should’ve. Could’ve. Would’ve. The Heat scored at 2:07 of OT to get the 4-3 win. But for once, the Aeros might have been lucky to get out with just a point.

“I think the point was very, very big,” head coach Kevin Constantine said. “Very big. Based on how deflated you’d be giving up a two-goal lead. And so we get a point, we hang in there, and we’re right in the middle of a really fun season in terms of the playoff race. So I wasn’t that disappointed in the result.”

And now the Aeros get some rest as they don’t play again until Wednesday night when they play the Stars in Austin.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

The Aeros are now 18-15-4-1 (41 points) on the season. They’re still in fifth place by one point, just sitting behind the jumble of Peoria, Milwaukee, and Rockford who are all tied with 42 points. And they’re just five points behind Texas, which earlier this season appeared to be running away with the division.

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For most of the game, the most fun we had on press row was wondering whether the Aeros would set a new Houston record for least shots in a game -- the number is 11, set in Detroit in 1999 with the home low being 12 in a 2000 loss to Milwaukee.

The Aeros only had six shots after two periods, and about a third of the way through the third period the Heat had a 32-8 shot advantage. But Houston got off 14 shots in the third and ended up only being out shot 42-21 for the game.

A lot of this can be attributed to the team being tired -- this was their fifth game in seven nights. And the players were clearly gassed when we saw them in the locker room afterwards. Several mentioned not being able to feel their legs. And for some of the new players, like Chad Rau, this is the most games they’ve played in a season since juniors.

“I’m probably the last guy in the world to make up an excuse,” Constantine said.
“To be a good pro, you’ve got to constantly eliminate excuses, all the time. So I’m generally working the other way, but I’ll go the other way, and I’ll say that playing five games in seven nights is really hard, and give our guys a bit of an excuse. Not because, you know, we gave up a two goal lead. We gave it up on a power play.

“There’s some things we can’t do to be a good team. But, the lack of energy, the lack of shots -- and hey, Abbotsford played three-in-three, too, so it’s not like they were really fresh. But five-in-seven is a grind. And so, in many ways I expected the game to look a little bit like this today.”

But Irmen wasn’t necessarily buying the tired excuse, and he was disappointed in his performance. “But there’s no excuse,” he said. “We should have played like that for 60 minutes, and we didn’t.”

And let’s hear it for Anton Khudobin, who has been a bit of a punching bag, lately. Some of the goals he gave up tonight were kind of soft, but the team needed him to keep them in it tonight because they just weren’t capable of doing that on their own, and he did, blocking 38 of 42 shots.

*****************
Constantine told us afterwards that, normally, the number of shots isn’t indicative of how good, or bad, a team’s playing. But he felt that the guys couldn’t help noticing the low of number of shots and thus just did what they could in the third to get back in the game.

“The shot clock’s not always the best indicator of how you’re doing, but it’s the only thing that you can stare out,” he said. “And it’s sitting right there in front of you. So it really affects you psychology when you look up, it’s the only like number you get during the middle of the game. And the scoreboard. I know looking at that thing wasn’t enjoyable for the guys at all. And I also know that, being around the group for four months now, they’re not a group that’s afraid to work hard.”

But no matter how hard they worked, they just didn’t have enough gas left in the tanks.

***************
The Aeros currently have three goalies in Houston as Wade Dubielewicz has returned from Europe, and Barry Brust is still in town. Anton Khudobin got the start tonight, and he was backed up by Dubielewicz. Constantine was asked about this situation after the game, and he told us that this is a situation that needs to be discussed between his staff and the brass in Minnesota. But he indicated that, as of now, all three should remain with the team.

***************
Andy Hilbert was scratched more as a precautionary measure than anything. He suffered a bit of an injury during the last game in Milwaukee, so Constantine thought it was best to rest him. Jaime Sifers was scratched because he is suffering from the flu. And not just a slight case of the flu. The way Constantine was talking, it was more like Sifers was doing his best impersonation of Mr. Creosote while the team was on the road (warning, not for the squeamish or the humor impaired).

But otherwise, except for Peter Zingoni, the team is healthy. Healthy, but just tired and in need of the rest that they’re going to be getting before playing again on Wednesday.

So seeing as how tired they are, I think The Beatles “Let It Be” is appropriate to play us out tonight. The Aeros will return home for two games against Rockford -- Friday and Sunday. So until then, let it be, let it be.

Cody Almond article

I mentioned a Cody Almond piece coming out today, so I'll direct you to it.

I'm gonna be an a-hole and make you click twice, first to Wild Nation where I cover the Wild prospects and then to the PHN article. I added some notes at WN that are more of a bloggerly nature, plus some of Jerina's great photos, neither of which could go in the PHN piece. But it's all good stuff, so go check it out.

Here's the link to Wild Nation.

Always off to a good start

Statistically, the Aeros always start off the new year with a good result. Because they are 16 years into their existence, the Aeros have played 16 first January games.

Duh.

With their New Year's Day win over Milwaukee Friday, the Aeros are now 10-5-0-0-1 in such games. Not too shabby. The Aeros have only played twice (ever) on Jan. 1, with both of those coming in the Kevin Constantine Era. They are now 1-1.

Here is the link to the Chronicle story

Here is the link to the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinal Story

Here is the link to the Admirals Short Shifts recap

The most goals they have ever scored? Yesterday.

The worst game ever? Jan. 2, 2001, their last season in the IHL. The Orlando Solar Bears came to Compaq Center and left with an 8-1 win.

Anyway, Happy New Year, and here are some notes to get you through a hockey-less Saturday:

• The Aeros scored two goals in the first 62 seconds of periods Saturday, and one in the last minute of the first period. That just about always spellss victory for the Aeros.
• In his last 13 games, Jon DiSalvatore has 13 points (10 goals, three assists). Seven of his goals are on the power play, his specialty.
• JM Daoust has 28 points this year and has ALREADY tied his career high set last year in 58 games.
• The Aeros scored five goals Saturday on their first nine shots. Sifers and Falk were a plus-four before the game was half over.
• Barry Brust has always been good against the Admirals. He improved to 4-1-2 against them and has never allowed more than two goals in any start against Milwaukee. After Saturday's win, Brust has stopped 147 of the 157 shots the Admirals have thrown at him. That is good for a .936 saves percentage.

Happy New Year everyone. See you at the rink.

Not stick figures, but still awesome

Much like the Aeros 3 in 3, Chris Jerina knocked it out of the park for us on the final night of shooting the Aeros' road trip.

Or maybe I should say knocked it out of the park for me, because there are a million Brusty pics and I could wallpaper a room with them pretty easily at this point. Um, not that I'd do anything so insane. *ahem*

Anyway.

So I have a story on Cody Almond coming out at PHN today. The kid rocked it so hard last night, I had to email my editor and literally tell him to stop the presses so I could send him edits. So, you're welcome, Cody. Nothing like having a story going to press or just published to change a guy's luck.

You write about how well a goalie playing? They start to sieve it up. You write about how bad a team is (see Andrew's pre-game post yesterday)? They demolish their next opponent. It is an immutable law of hockey writing and in this case, I'm delighted to make edits to my Almond story. He's worked his tail off and earned that goal and those two points many times over.

Now if we can just get Kassian to bend the twine in something other than warmups. It's coming, big guy!

Here is Almond getting that goal:


And let's just say this is Noreau pounding home the one that Smith tipped in. Noreau's another guy for whom I had to change his stats. He went from 9th in scoring among the league's defensemen to 3rd in a matter of 2 games. That's crazy.


Mueller SMASH!


Click to make big and you can see the puck right under Brusty's butt.


Sorry, Huge Specimen! No soup for you.

All Photos by Chris Jerina

Ahhh, what fun. Here's the full set of photos. There are some epic Brusty photos in there, which I'm again running off with to my blog because I can.

So that was unexpected ...

I think I have used this headline before, so please forgive me. The Aeros ran the Admirals right out of their own building with a 6-2 win at Bradley Center.

That place is usually a house of horrors for the Aeros, but Brusty was exceptional and the offense exploded for a season-high tying six goals.

More to come later, but first I need to heat up some crow in the microwave. You know, to go with my black-eyed peas and cabbage. Yum.

(Ms.C here with an update: Here's the write-up from the A.S.S. crew in Milwaukee with a first-hand, but rather less joyful, account of the evening. Glad they point out the oddness of Brust and Dekanich facing off just a few weeks ago in the ECHL, Dex winning both outings and getting ECHL Goalie of the Week before being called back up to Milwaukee.

Now Brusty's on the verge of being sent back to Florida with Dubie coming back, and he pulls off certainly his best game back in the AHL, but also one of his best since returning from his injury.

There are pictures at the link but we'll have more later from Chris.)

Brust to be fed to the Wolves ...er the Admirals

It's official.
Per our friend Chris Jerina, Barry Brust will indeed get the call tonight against Milwaukee.
Aeros playing fourth in five days; Milwaukee rested since Tuesday.

Start the Hail Marys now.

Photographic evidence from Rockford

To add to Andrew's analysis, AUUUUUGHHHH STOP SUCKING!!!!!

That said, thanks to Chris Jerina for more shots of the boys from last night. He got some interesting shots outside of game action, so I'll break this up.

First, the oddball shots. Now, I understand the gloves, the boas, and the tiaras. I even understand the shorts that are so short I can see the reinforced crotch square of the panty hose sticking out past the shorts.

But I do not understand the wife beater tank tops. Other than what must be a rather small uniform budget.

I know you guys never got that far in the thought process, though, so just ignore me and say thank you to Chris for the ice girl shots. Happy New Year.

This one cracks me up. Get it? Cracks... me up? Geez, take a picture, boys.

AK: "Dude. F**k our defense."
BB: *meh... not an ice girl* [ignore]

Now on to a few game action shots. I'm tempted to be cheeky and just post the ones that really show how inept the whole affair was. I'll give you a mix instead.

This is Lannon putting the puck on Anton. Now, Anton isn't My Goalie, so rationalizing a bad performance from him isn't really something I feel compelled toward but really, when your D stinks like this, it's exceedingly tough as a goalie to not get rattled.

All Photos by Chris Jerina

The full set of photos is here.

12/31 - Aeros 4 at Rockford 5 (OT)

No other way to slice this one up, but the Aeros were very lucky to get a point on New Year's Eve in Rockford. I am sure I could find one if I had the time to look it up, but I can't remember a worse last 10 or so minutes of a hockey game.

Absolute inexcusable implosion.

After the Aeros went up 4-2, they got the attitude that leads to a loss on the road.

We got our four goals, now we can cruise to a win.

And they stopped playing. There was no discipline, no drive, no teamwork and more importantly, zero goaltending. To be sure I am not just singling out Anton here, but he was awful. Slow to square to the puck, panic-y and flustered. And really what he needs to do, it looks like, is take his stick and completely rack one of his own d-men and say "Get the eff out of my way". Can you believe the number of goals that Anton has allowed with his own players screening his view? Are you kidding me?

I don't know what is going on with this team now. They seem to be scoring more and more goals all the time, but their defense and responsibility is long gone. Throw in that once very good goaltending, too.

I think the players have subconsciously revolted again Constantine. I am not calling this a mutiny, but there was an obvious frustration in the tone of the coaching staff at the end of the last home stand.

Again, the good news is that the boys got a point last night because they scored four goals. But the power plays were nine to two in favor of the Hogs. And when you are outshot by 10, that combination usually does not end up in your team actually gaining ground in the standings (Texas lost at Manitoba).

Give the boys a break tonight when they get pounded again by the Milwaukee Admirals. The Aeros are playing their third in three and fourth in five, while the Admirals have been off for a few days.

I am not sure if Brust will get the call in goal, but it is my impression that Dubielewicz will not be back until at least Sunday against Abbotsford. My guess is that Brust goes and gives the boys a chance early on, but the Aeros do not fare well offensively when they are really tired and will have a tough time getting a second goal against Milwaukee.

Happy New Year every one.

I don't know about you, but I am thankful that the Aeros are still in playoff contention and, good or bad, are getting more and more interesting all the time.