Another trip down memory lane: From the IHL to Todd McLellan to Rob Daum

All Smiles - Photo by Fred Trask

Most of you know that I have been around the Aeros awhile. For 19 years, I have seen a majority of the home games. Even in the mid-2000s, I covered a lot of road games in San Antonio and even made a few other trips to the Midwest because of my flight benefits with Continental Airlines.

For the first eight seasons or so, I was nothing more than a fan. During the 1997-98 season, I was an intern, working under then Media Relations guru, Todd Sharrock. He is now with the Columbus Blue Jackets. When Todd McLellan came in, I got my first gig writing about the Aeros for a city weekly called Space City Sports. In 2002, Scott Kaiser left the Houston Chronicle, and I begged then sports editor Fred Faour for the Aeros beat.

He gave it to me, and instantly I had the best writing job I ever had or ever will have. I got paid to watch the Aeros, and other than former trainer Jerry Meins, no one saw more Aeros games than I did. Yesterday, John ran through a list of his favorite memories, and I share a lot of those with him. His list was impressive, albeit recent due to his era covering the team. Now that it is my turn, I will try to duplicate that with 10 great stories from the IHL days through the Rob Daum Years.

Buckle up; this is exceptionally long … but I know many of you did not follow the team during this era, so you will probably learn a lot. And I think you will enjoy one last trip down memory lane.

Houston gets an IHL team:

I was learning the game of hockey via NHL 93, an EA Sports Sega video game that my brother Todd got me addicted too. The NHL was beginning to flourish on ESPN 2 (NHL 2night, for those that remember) and I had just attended my first NHL game in person, a Detroit win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Joe. 

The Dallas Stars relocated from Minneapolis, and I always hoped Houston could get a team, too. Then I saw a story in the Chronicle about Chuck Watson bringing hockey back to Houston as an IHL franchise. 19 years later, I can’t believe they are leaving. I am attached more to this team that any other before and more than I ever will be again.

The Aeros sign Freddie Chabot :

Known then as the Shaq (as in Shaquille O'Neal) of the IHL, Fred Chabot was the league’s best goalie. And after the Aeros were knocked out of the playoffs in their first year and suffered through a miserable second, Chuck Watson opened his checkbook and signed Chabot away from the Cincinnati Cyclones. 

Chabot carried the Aeros on his back three times and made them one of the best teams in the league. He holds just about every Aeros goalie record there is and was an equally great person to be around. Now, he’s the goalie coach in Edmonton. His signing started an era where the Aeros made the playoffs for nine straight years.

Dave Tippett and Brian Wiseman lead the Aeros to the Turner Cup :

In Chabot’s second year, the Aeros got some offense to go with the defense, but the team was shocked in the first round by the Milwaukee Admirals. The next season, 1998-99, Tippett would have none of that. 

Even with Chabot on recall to the NHL most of the season, the Aeros dominated the league with a sick roster and then NHL prospect Manny Fernandez. That team could do no wrong, but they made things very interesting in the postseason. Every playoff series went the distance. Long Beach took them to five games, and Chicago and Orlando took the Aeros to seven games before ending with the most exciting home game in Houston Aeros history.

Game 7, Houston vs. Orlando, June 1999:

I had a sick feeling when I parked in the Compaq Center garage that night. What if they blow a 3-1 series lead against a team that already advanced by winning four straight in its previous series? The Solar Bears, led by former Wild coach Todd Richards, helped his team erase a 3-0 deficit in the previous round and beat the Detroit Vipers in a winner-take-all Game 7. 

The magic was back, and everything the Aeros did so right that year was on the line. More than 15,000 packed the stands on a hot night in the Bayou City, and the arena erupted as the Aeros raced out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Rob Valicevic and Cam Stewart. Orlando got one back with three minutes left in the period and Gregori Pantaleyev scored his second of the game at 12:43 of the second to tie it up. My heart sank, my worst fears were coming true. The Solar Bears were Annie from Steven King’s “Misery.” 

Then, in the most exciting four minutes of hockey I have ever seen live, the Aeros took a 4-3 lead into the third period. First, Valicevic scored his second of the game, only to see future Aeros fan favorite Curtis Murphy tie the game just over three minutes later. But the Aeros got a power play late in the period, and David Oliver, now an assistant coach with the Lake Erie Monsters, scored what proved to be the game winning goal with 19 seconds left in the period. My heart still races as I write this, and going into the third period, the Aeros were 20 minutes away from a title. 

This time, there would be no come back for the Solar Bears. Jimmy Paek, now an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins, iced the game 8:07 into the third. The Aeros were first-time champions.

The end of an era; Aeros exit the IHL as a top-four team:

By the time the Aeros won the Turner Cup in 1999, the health of that league was in a major decline. Teams were bleeding money, dropping like flies, and the IHL got away from its stance of competing with the NHL. It was becoming more of a development league, a lot like what the AHL is today. 

In 2000, the Aeros had a new head coach (Ron Low) because Tippett deservedly got an Assistant position with the Los Angeles Kings. After winning the Cup in ‘99, it was a transition year for the Aeros but they still had many of the pieces in place from the year before. And this time, they had Chabot back from the NHL. 

The up-and-down season got them a 3-seed in the Western Conference, and the Aeros made it to the conference finals against the Chicago Wolves after beating getting a first-round bye and beating the Utah Grizzlies. (Side note: Lane Lambert’s Game 3, OT winner was the single greatest moment for that team). The Aeros went up 2-0 on Chicago, winning both in Rosemont by a combined score of 9-1. It looked like the Aeros were going back to the finals, then, After take a 3-0 lead in Game 3, back in Houston, it all came crashing down. That started the first of two epic playoff choke jobs (more on the second one later). The Wolves didn’t cave, they got desperate, outscoring the Aeros 15-5 the rest of the way and winning the series 4-2.

The end of an era and the comp. ticket scandal:

After injuries took their toll during the 2000 run, the Aeros loaded up with another group of veterans for one more run at a Turner Cup. With Low going to the New York Rangers and head coach, the Aeros turned to Dave Barr as boss, and, again, Freddie Chabot. The Aeros came right back as one of the West’s best teams and missed the division title by just two points. That proved costly as the Aeros, as the No. 2 seed, were pitted against the Manitoba Moose and Ken Wregget. 

The league was down to just 11 teams, but the Aeros raced out to a 3-1 lead in the series. After splitting the first two games at home, the Aeros went to Winnipeg Arena and won Games 3 and 4, with the latter an overtime winner. The team was already making plans for another West finals rematch with the Chicago Wolves. Even the Wolves were making plans to face the Aeros. Everyone thought it was a done deal; Aeros just had to win one of their last three games. But they could not do it. 

Manitoba won Game 5 in overtime to send the series back to Houston. The Aeros coughed up leads in Games 6 and 7, and left the IHL after what remains the biggest choke job in Aeros history. How could this happen? A former employee of the team told me the locker room was not tight, and the team bickered more often that you’d think. In Manitoba, the team allegedly fought over the limited number of tickets afforded to them by the Moose front office. No punches were thrown, but the team spent WAY too much time arguing over things that had no business being a concern during a playoff run. The Aeros got what they deserved.

The Aeros join the AHL, team up with the Minnesota Wild:

The IHL died after the Orlando Solar Bears won the last turner cup in 2001. Six IHL teams joined the AHL, and the Aeros were one of them. Todd McLellan, because of the new affiliation with the Wild, replaced Barr as head coach, and the Aeros rode a strong finish and avoided the qualifying round. 

They were part of a new league, but the Aeros were in the middle of their golden era of making it to at least the Western Conference finals in four of five years. This team was no different. They powered past the Utah Grizzlies, winning two do-or-die games to do so, and the Hershey Bears in a sweep. That set up another conference final with, guess who, the Chicago Wolves. The Aeros won Game 1, 6-4, but collapsed after that. Just like they did last week, the Aeros were eliminated with a 7-0 loss on the road. 

The Wild were still babies in the NHL, and that meant the Aeros would have to fill a lot of holes with veterans. They loaded up during the summer of 2002, and that paved the way to another title, their first and only Calder Cup.

The Aeros win two Game 7s (on the road) and win the Calder Cup:

This was my first year covering the team. I had a full time job, but as a freelancer, I had the best job imaginable … to me, that is. The Aeros won their division during the regular season, setting up a first-round best of five with Milwaukee. The Aeros won that one 3-0, giving them a date with the Norfolk Admirals. The Aeros erased a 2-1 series deficit before moving on in six, earning a match with the No. 1 seeded Grand Rapids Griffins. The Aeros split the first two games on the road, won two of three at home and had two chances to win the series at Van Andel Arena. They did just that after losing Game 6 in OT and holding on in Game 7 for a 2-1 win. 

It was magnificent. The games were on TV at the time, and that team was being carried by goalie Johan Holmqvist at the trade deadline. The Wild dealt a very popular player away, Lawrence Nycholat,  to get him, and at the time, the players were very ticked off about losing a friend and team leader. It was my first true beat, and even I could sense things turning south at the end of the regular season. Instead, Holmqvist carried the team all the way to title No. 2. 

The win over the Griffins was gravy. They were Western Conference Champions, and they were to play the league’s best team, the Hamilton Bulldogs. Losing to them would not have been the end of the world for McLellan’s group. But they went that far, so why not go for it all? The Aeros won game 1, backed by Holmqvist (who the team called Honker). Game 2 was the most remarkable game, to me in the history of the franchise. It lasted well into a fourth Overtime, or 134 minutes, 56 seconds. The Aeros should have won the game in OT2, but captain Sylvain Cloutier was unjustly called for goalie interference, and the goal was waived off. Michael Ryder won the game on the Bulldogs’ 81st shot of the game. Bulldogs goalie Ty Conklin stopped 83 Aeros shots for the win. 

Hamilton won Game 3, but the Aeros closed out play at Compaq Center with wins in Games 4 and 5. Just like the last round, the Aeros had two chances to win it on the road. I had a day off, so it took it, flew to Hamilton for Game 6. The Aeros lost, and had to wait a few days to play Game 7 because the building was unavailable. I watched Game 7 from my couch. Fittingly, Holmqvist pitched a shutout in front of a full arena, and the Aeros celebrated in Canada. One of the highlights of the that season was seeing the couple hundred fans meet the team near IAH for a welcome home celebration.

McLellan goes to Detroit:

During my time as writer, I worked with now San Jose head coach Todd McLellan more than any other coach. I loved working with he, Rob Daum, Kevin Constantine, Mike Yeo and John Torchetti. I learned so much from all of them, but I am truly appreciative to McLellan for his patience over the years. 

The Chronicle replaced their real reporter (who resigned) with a kid (me)  who loved hockey and someone who loved to tell stories. I learned more Xs and Os from McLellan than I ever did before that. And I also learned from him about what players think about in just about any situation imaginable, and that really helped me craft stories around the big picture and not just focus on minutiae. 

With newspapers suffering, and my space for stories dwindling every year, that was key in helping me keep things interesting. That is hard to do when you cover the same team in the same league for 10 years. McLellan’s last season was 2004-05: the lockout that wiped out the entire NHL season. Mikko Koivu, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Brent Burns, Mike Smith and Josh Harding were all in Houston for a fun year that ended after a first-round exit to the Chicago Wolves. 

During the summer, I got a call from then Aeros GM Tom Lynn saying that the Aeros were going to need a new head coach because McLellan was going to join Mike Babcock’s staff in Detroit. I called Todd when the Wings made it official, and that conversation will stay with me. We talked about how great the last four years had been and what he'd like to accomplish before he retires. Guess what? He’s done a lot of that already, and right now, he is just 12 wins away from the ultimate … a Stanley Cup Champion as head coach.

Rob Daum and the O’Sullivan/Law/Westrum line:

The winningest Canadian College head coach joined the Aeros after McLellan left, and Rob Daum was blessed with a very, very good offensive team backed by goalie Josh Harding. Anyone who saw Patrick O’Sullivan, Kirby Law and Erik Westrum play together on Toyota Center ice can say they saw the best line in Houston Aeros history. In my fourth year covering the team, I had plenty to write about as that trio piled up 124 goals and 177 assists. Read that again … 

PR guru Ryan Stanzel told me during training camp that this team would be hard to be, and he was right. That squad was the last 50-win team in franchise history and swept past the Peoria Rivermen in the first round of the playoffs. 

The Aeros were then quickly swept by the Milwaukee Admirals in the second round, the only team in the conference that finished with more points. It was a good year, but definitely a tough pill to swallow for such a tremendously offensive group. Personal problems off the ice for some of the secondary players on that team carried over to the next year, and that ultimately spelled doom for the Aeros, who missed the playoffs and quickly replaced Daum …

But speaking of Rob Daum, best interview ever:

There is always that go-to player every year that gives you the best lines, win or lose. Jon DiSalvatore, Drew Bagnall, Barry Brust, Sylvain Cloutier … I could go on and on. But with coaches, you have to talk to them after every game, so you can only hope you establish a solid relationship from the get-go. 

McLellan was very PC and could be great. He was a teacher and his best stuff was always off the record. Constantine, to me, was a little less PC, but he always protected his players. McLellan was more focused on each game, and Constantine was more big picture. Yeo was emotional and there were times when I wanted to put on the skates and run through a wall for him. 

And Torchetti … how can you not love the Boston accent? He was all over the map at times, but my God, he loved his players. Considering what his teams and the Wild went through the last two years, I think he did the best job of any coach in the AHL history of the team. You could argue that the last two teams highly overachieved, and yet they made the playoffs both time. 

And then there was Daum. Great on the record, so much better off the record, but I looked forward to talking to him, especially after bad losses. His facial expressions were the best and his analogies were … colorful. I loved working with him, and looking back now, he never had a chance with his last group. I’ll remember him always.

A little T3I URL housekeeping

Just a quick update from the management:

Since this blog is going into archive mode after Andrew's final post on Friday, we didn't see the need to continue paying for our vanity URLs (www.thethirdintermission.com and www.T3I.info).

Starting Saturday, May 11, the only way to get to the blog will be our delightfully free Blogger address: thethirdintermission.blogspot.com.

So, if you have us bookmarked at one of the vanity URLs, change it up. You can always just Google "Third Intermission" and the blogger address will be at the top. Well, maybe not ALWAYS, but at least for a good long while.

As always, thanks for reading.

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things...

Happy Birthday, Anton /photo by Fred Trask

It's still hard for me to believe that this great big ride that we've been on is over. Intellectually, I know it's been coming since before the season started. But I still trusted the adults would get together and work it all out, like adults are supposed to do. And even that last game, the loss to Grand Rapids, I somehow convinced myself that we'd all be be back for another round in the playoffs because it just couldn't end like that.

I was wrong. I've been wrong about a lot of things. Except for the Aeros leaving. For that, I was right, and for that, I really hate myself.

We're wrapping things up here at T3I. I've got another post planned for Thursday. [And here's my final Aeros post for the Houston Press.] I think Heather might have one left. And we're leaving it all to Andrew to wrap up since this was his baby. But before that, I feel compelled to share my favorite moments while serving as a beat writer covering the Aeros.

10. There was this one game in the 2009-2010 season where the only healthy goalie was Barry Brust. Because of a late player call-up, the Aeros didn't have time to call in another goalie. So Kevin Constantine suited up Jeff Crawford, an assistant equipment guy who helped out during practice and who had played some goalie during pick-up games and during practice. So of course Brust was injured during the first period, which led to Crawford leading the team out during second intermission warm-ups and taking shots. The scouts at the press table scrambled frantically to find information on Crawford, and were shocked when I told them who he was. Constantine was able to get a deal with the refs and the opposing team, giving him a few extra minutes before starting the second period. This gave the Aeros superb medical staff time to stitch up Brust and get him back out on the ice.

9. The puzzled expression on Mike Yeo's face as Milwaukee coach Lane Lambert tried to get into the referees locker room after the Admirals game five lost in 2011.

8. Matt Hackett "taunting" the Milwaukee crowd at the end of the Aeros game seven win in 2011. I put the "taunting" in quotes because what Hackett did was jump in the air and shout after Cody Almond scored what proved to be the series winning goal. Apparently players weren't allowed to celebrate in Milwaukee, but I think it was nothing more than a kid celebrating his team winning a game. And if he was taunting the Admirals crowd, then I can't think of a nicer fan base to be taunted.

7. Max Noreau's shot in game seven against Peoria in 2009 that went through the net and wasn't called a goal. I was looking down and missed it, but I was sitting next to Tom Lynn and Joe O'Donnell and they went ballistic. Play went on for awhile, but then Kevin Constantine was able to get the refs to stop play and inspect the net. The refs found nothing and didn't give the Aeros the goal.

6. Jon DiSalvatore leading the team across the ice, saluting the fans, after the Aeros defeated Hamilton in game seven to win the Western Conference Finals in 2011.

5. Krys Kolanos broke through the defense and had what appeared to be an easy breakaway goal. But he'd just been sit back down by the Wild, and it had been suggested that he work on being a better teammate, so he passed the puck back to a trailing Morten Madsen who then missed the shot. Why I remember this is Kolanos's reaction, throwing his hands in the air in disgust, and not even trying to hide his anger and bewilderment that Madsen missed such an easy shot.

4. For awhile, the Aeros did this thing where they'd put fans photos, taken during the game, and display them on the video boards. At this time, they were also bringing some fans down during the game to sit in the box between the benches, and then they'd put a photo of those fans, watching the game, up on the boards with the other photos. I happened to look up one time, just at the right moment, to see a photo of the fans who were in the box. And what I saw was Jed Ortmeyer, a huge grin on his face, leaning back away from the bench, looking at the camera, and getting in on the photo without anyone knowing.

3. Anton Khudobin wasn't really supposed to be playing goal for the Aeros in the 2009 playoffs. But Nolan Schaefer and Barry Brust were injured, so Khudobin it was. That led to one of my all-time favorite moments, and the photo from Fred Trask posted above. Khudobin's birthday was the day of Game Four against the Milwaukee Admirals. Khudobin led the team to a win, and afterwards, while being celebrated as the number one star of the game, PA announcer Steve Vidal led the crowd in rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday."

2. It was a long, lonely, late-night drive from Binghamton, New York to Philadelphia on a Saturday night where I was catching the first flight home after game 5 of the 2011 Calder Cup finals. Most of that was on the Pennsylvania Turnpike which was very dark, very quiet, very lonely, and since I didn't have satellite radio in the car, very full of static.  But all I remember, besides being dead tired, was how much I loved what I was doing at the moment, following a minor league hockey team on its quest to win a championship. I wish I was back making that drive.

1. The Aeros were playing Peoria in the first round of the 2009 playoffs, and game seven was in Peoria. We all decided that one of us should make the trip to Peoria to cover that game. How else would the blog be taken seriously if one of us wasn't there? And since I'd just lost my job, it was decided that I would go, and since Andrew worked for Continental, and since Continental was still in an alliance with Northwest and Delta, Andrew hooked up the flight, my leaving the day of the game on the first flight to Detroit, where I'd connect for a flight to Peoria that would get me in several hours before the game. Only weather and equipment delays kept me stuck in Detroit until almost four o'clock. I landed in Peoria about six, got the shuttle to the hotel, took the hotel shuttle to the arena, and got to my seat next to then GM Tom Lynn and Joe O'Donnell as they were singing the anthem. But what made it all worth it, along with the win, was walking into the locker room after the game to get interviews, and seeing Danny Irmen, a huge smile on his face, shouting at me, "You made it!"

I'm going to end with something I've not done in a while, play a music video. It's from the movie Almost Famous. This comes from the end of the movie. Our hero, a young high-school aged rock music writer who's been travelling the country with a rising rock band, has just returned home, his heart broken. But now he finally gets his interview with his hero, the one who'd tried to kill his career, he's back with his family, the band's back on the road. So as we head to the credits, we get one last montage, set to Led Zeppelin's "Tangerine." I just think this song, and the end of the movie, really fits the way I feel at the moment. Just substitute "what do you love about music" with "what do you love about the Aeros?"

Thank yous from Ms. C...

They say that nobody gets anywhere alone and I believe that whole-heartedly. Whether it's people purposely greasing the path for you or others unknowingly inspiring you, nothing is accomplished in a vacuum.

So, before I let my hair down and do a little What's Bugging Ms. Conduct post and before I wander down memory lane, I wanted to dish out some admittedly self-indulgent love and thank yous.

First of all, the big 3:

Barry Brust - I know, I know. But the reason I adore Barry so much is that he cemented my love of the game and my passion for goaltending, spoiled me for every other goalie ever, and was always nicer to me than I ever deserved. Let's be honest, I probably deserved a restraining order, but instead, we ran a goalie camp together, he gave me tons of great insight into the game, both as a goalie and just as someone who has a terrific hockey mind, and he was always super handsome and still totally is. Team Brusty 4ever, you guys!!!

Bryan Reynolds - He was the one who said, "Hey, you should cover the Aeros for Pro Hockey News and get a press pass." I was all, "Ehhh, I don't like writing serious hockey stuff. I like swooning and exaggerating and making people laugh." But then my husband was all, "*I'm* not paying for season tickets so... you might want to do this." Compelling argument. So, away I went popping my press row cherry and meeting...

Andrew Ferraro - The example I followed and, eventually, the little voice in my head was always Andrew's. His playful approach to covering the game but serious approach to the journalism helped us work well together, while his ability to see through bullshit, to wade through distractions, and find the kernel of truth or importance taught me a lot of the things that were missing from my education as a reporter. There's a helluva lot of stuff they don't teach you in journalism school. Most of the important stuff, honestly.

Also, his (very rare) absence from Aeros games when he was the (most excellent) beat writer the previous 10 years allowed me to dip a toe in the Real Journalist waters and eventually enabled me to ask for the Chronicle gig and get it. He's been my guiding hand all season as I made my way through my first year on the beat, awash in insecurities at covering one of the most important seasons in Aeros history.

I'm forever grateful to all three of you for either setting me on the path or keeping me on it. Not that I ever knew where it was going or had any particular goals. Sometimes you just get really really lucky.

Beyond that, thanks to some great PR guys, particularly Rich Bocchini and Josh Fisher, who both treated me great and got me what I needed to do my job and made me laugh constantly. And I can't forget Jeremy Rakes, who took great care of us on game nights. My happy place used to be on a hammock, swaying gently in the breeze next to the ocean. Now it's on press row. If there's anything better than watching hockey, it's watching it with the most knowledgeable people in the building (who aren't standing behind the bench).

Thank you to coaches John Torchetti, Mike Yeo, and Kevin Constantine, all of whom where a total pleasure to work with. Every time one left, I thought I couldn't like the next guy more, and yet, every one was great in his own way. I learned so much from each and was always treated with respect.

Thanks to my other colleagues on press row, especially John Royal, and when he was around, Fred Trask, for laughing at my jokes, keeping my secrets, and being my friends and advisors. I enjoyed every single minute of working with you guys. Love you bunches.

Thanks and love to Joy Lindsay, the Binghamton Senators beat writer during our mutual cup run, for being my first female beat writer role model (a true pro) and also a one of the nicest people I've ever met. Girlfriend doesn't. even. eat. butter. out of concern for the animals. God bless her. We had some fun during the finals, we did.

To Aaron Voros, for walking out in nothing but his Under Armor that one time back when our seats were by the locker room tunnel, thank you for introducing me to the wonder that is Hockey Butt.

Thanks to Wild fans, who gave me a niche to fill with their voracious appetite for prospect news while also teaching about the game. Such a knowledgeable fan base, even if you do yell SHOOOOT throughout the power play (stop that).

Extra special thanks to the Aeros fans (you guys!) who read my thoughts on goaltending and DIDN'T leave nastygrams in the comments (you know who you are, Anonymous! *mwah*).

Thank you to Chronicle Deputy Sports Editor Jay Lee for giving me a chance to cover the team and, more importantly for liking the work I did, and similarly, Mike Damante for being one of the nicest, most reassuring guys ever when I was feeling insecure and frazzled about covering the team. Which was a lot. Also, thank you for being a willing and able backup as my priorities shifted late in the season with our move to Dallas. What a life-saver!

And of course, all the friends I've made in the hockey community in Houston, either through the Aeros or through playing the game. All the times Ally's anthem has given me goose bumps. All the great intro videos that reminded me why I love this team. All the opposing players I called "cupcakes" while they were in the penalty box next to my seats as a ticket holder. Chuuuuuuckoooooooo....

Thanks as well to the players, who bust their Hockey Butts all year long, lose teeth, get concussed, break limbs, noses, collar bones, spend their lives wrapped in ice packs and, oh yeah, score goals and block shots and make sexy glove saves ... for our entertainment and because chicks dig it. Most were as gracious as can be with the media, which is a blessing.

I'm sure I'm leaving someone out. Truthfully, every person I interacted with made my experience covering the team special in some way, from the sweet parking garage guy and Ramona at the security desk and on and on.

My heart aches at the thought of not meeting up with my pals at the top of 108 in October. I loved the Aeros, but the memories I'll really cherish are the connections with my fellow hockey-lovers.

John's Favorite Aeros

I had the pleasure of being around the Aeros and the coaches and staff for six seasons. The times were mostly good, primarily because the players realized I was there doing a job, and most of them realized through experience, or came to learn it from the vets, that their jobs involved more than just excelling at the game of hockey, but they had to learn to excel at the game away from hockey, of speaking to the press, of selling the team and the game.

I enjoyed all of them, but some more than others. Not always because of their abilities on the ice, and not always because of their abilities off of the ice dealing with us. This group of 10 players I'm about to list are those guys who were the easiest to deal with every game, who would always talk no matter what just happened in the game. Some seemed to enjoy themselves more than others, some took great joy in connecting with the fans and dealing with the public. This list isn't scientific, and I'm sure Andrew and Heather will different players if they make such a list.

So without further ado...

10. Danny Irmen: the guy could have a bad night on the ice, yet if I needed a quote, or just wanted to talk while waiting for someone else, the guy would talk. And who knows, maybe at some point Irmen's dreams will be fulfilled and the Vikings will win the Super Bowl.

9. John Scott: he was an enforcer on the ice, yet he was one of the nicest guys off of the ice that I ever met. I was really mean to him one night, and I didn't even realize it. He'd been called up to the Wild, but got trapped in airport hell and couldn't make it to the city the Wild were in and was immediately sent back down. So I saw him in the locker room and just started joking around about how that must of sucked, about how he couldn't even make it to the arena and sit in the press box. I think it was Andrew who told me afterwards that I was the world's worst jerk at that moment. I didn't realize it at the time, but I felt bad because at the time no one knew if he was ever going to make it back up. But Scott kept a smile on his face, joked about the airport, etc. If we would've been on the ice, he would've pummeled me without thinking.

8. Brandon Rogers: Rogers probably wasn't the most skilled player to ever lace up for the Aeros. He wasn't the most flashy. I remember him being a good quarterback of the power play. I also remember one year where he seemingly had a -40 because Kevin Constantine saddled him with the rookie and journeymen d-men. He didn't complain, that I know of. He just went out and did the best that he could on the ice, then talked us to after the games whenever we needed him.

7. Matt Kassian: I liked Matt. I liked his jokes, his twitter feed, and his good nature. He always said hi in the corridor, even when we didn't need him. And I'll always be thankful for his #shinslist and #fiveslist as well as his twitter movie reviews which basically conclude with every movie being a romantic comedy.

6.Jean-Michel Daoust: Daoust had that stereotypical French-Canadian accent, and if he got excited, then his English was really hard to understand. But he had this gleam in his eye, even when he wasn't playing. He was a pest on the ice when he did play. I just enjoyed talking to him.

5. Max Noreau: the guy had a rocket of a shot, and I loved watching him on the power play, knowing that he could snipe a shot into the goal from anywhere on the ice. Thanks for taking the time to talk after games, Max. It's much appreciated.

4. Jed Ortmeyer: what's there to be said about Jed Ortmeyer? How about this: I'm absolutely convinced that everybody on the Aeros would have died for Ortmeyer if he asked. The guy was the soul of the locker room for two seasons. It still amazes me that he's able to play hockey, and that he's willing to risk everything to play the game. I think that's why the players were so willing to give it all for those teams he played on. If he was willing to die for the game, then the least his teammates could do was do everything possible to win the game.

3. Mitch Love: it's hard to believe that Love only played one season with the Aeros. But it was a fun season. Love eagerly embraced the enforcer role, and he was one of Kevin Constantine's top energy guys. The crowds at Toyota Center loved him, and he loved them. I loved talking with Love after games. He loved the game, he loved talking about the game, and he loved his role on the team.

2. Barry Brust:  Heather's list of favorite players probably consists of the name Barry Brust listed 5000 times. Brusty was always a fun interview. He had a sense of humor, and he realized just how ridiculous he could be at times. It often seemed that the worst he played, the better the interview, the funnier he was. If something went wrong, it was his fault, not the team, not his defense, not the coaching staff. Him.

1. Jon DiSalvatore: he was the captain of that incredible squad that went to the Calder Cup finals two years ago. Jed Ortmeyer might have been the soul, Patrick O'Sullivan might have been the gunner, but DiSalvator was the anchor, keeping it all together. He was probably the guy we talked to the most for four years. It couldn't have always been easy for him, because when the team lost, he was usually the guy we talked to. But he came out every night, never tried to blow us off, and did his job.

The Aeros Are Dead. Long Live the Aeros!

It's all over. There is no more.

The Aeros lost 7-0 to Grand Rapids tonight ending the team's Calder Cup hopes. And with that loss, the team's time in Houston is no more.

Don't tune us out immediately, folks. We have a few things planned for the next week or so, a few thoughts on our favorite players, our favorite moments, etc. So hopefully you'll come back from time to time, read our final thoughts, and leave a few of your own.

But with that said, I want to kind of end on this note. Everybody who reads should know that I'm a fan of The Beatles. The last album The Beatles ever recorded was "Abbey Road" -- "Let It Be" would come out afterwards, but the songs were recorded and mostly in the can before the guys went back to the studio for "Abbey Road."

"Abbey Road" ends on a flourish, the last side a series of melodies blending into one another in a mad rush of inspired musicianship. The last melody consists of "Golden Slumbers," "Carry That Weight," and "The End," then nothing and a final piece of Paul McCartney whimsy, "Her Majesty."

It's the final lyrics from "The End" that I want to give you, picking up after Ringo Starr's only drum solo on a Beatles record, then a series of guitar solos by John Lennon, George Harrison, and McCartney. As the solos end, McCartney sings:

"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love
You make."

I've loved my time writing about the Aeros here. I can only hope you shared part of my joy.

And don't forget, please check back for our closing posts.

Aeros Not Dead Yet...

In a do-or-die game, with the existence of the franchise hanging by a thread, the Aeros came through with the 4-1 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins in Grand Rapids tonight, tying the series at 2-2.

Mike Condon came up with the Darcy Kuemper-esque game, stopping 41 of 42 Grand Rapids shots. The Aeros meanwhile had only 20 shots on the night, but scored on four of them. Mikael Granlund, Chad Rau, Steven Kampfer, and David McIntyre got the goals for the Aeros -- McIntyre's being an empty netter to ace the game and Granlund and Kampfer both scoring on the power play. Justin Fontaine assisted on three of the goals and Brian Connelly had two assists.

So the team's not dead yet. There's still the chance they're coming home again, if they can pull off the win in Grand Rapids tomorrow night.

The Aeros need to win tonight ... or it's over. Forever, over.

It's simple really.

Play desperate. Play for your season, play for your fans, especially for those of us
who are not ready to say goodbye.

Just win, baby.

Aeros on the brink of extinction after 4-2 loss in Grand Rapids

Michael Caples photo

They scored first. Rookie goalie Mike Condon was good enough.
They played a great road game, but the Aeros allowed two late third-period goals and lost 4-2 to the Griffins in Game 3 of this best of five series.

The Aeros as they know them will cease to exist after Friday night unless the team can muster enough to force a Game 5 on Saturday at Van Andel Arena. Don't count them out just yet, but it's dicey and the loss of three key players might just be enough to wipe the Aeros off the map.

Erik Haula gave the Aeros a 1-0 lead late in the first, but the Griffins scored the next two to take a 2-1 lead. David McIntyre answered shortly thereafter to make it 2-2, but Grand Rapids scored the go-ahead goal with just about 3:30 left in the game to take the win.

They added an empty-netter, and now all the pressure in the world is on the Aeros to keep this thing going. They have to win Friday, or it's lights out ... for good. If they do force a Game 5, all the pressure then shifts to the Griffins. The cliche is that anything can happen, but it'll be tough for the visitors to win two straight in the same visiting barn.

The last time that happened this year in back-to-back nights you ask? Well ... first the bad news: the Aeros are just 1-for-6 in situations where they play in the same road arena two nights in a row and won both games. The good news, though, is pretty good: the only time they did that was IN Grand Rapids back in late January. That was the weekend they turned their season around with two straight wins at Van Andel.

History will have to repeat itself or the Aeros are gone.

What do you think they need to do better? Well, it has to start with the power play, and Condon is going to have to be just about perfect. Two goals allowed and they have a real good chance, but if Grand Rapids gets to three, it's more than likely over.

Game 3 Preview - It's the Mike Condon Show!

People have given up on the Aeros. It's the playoffs and no one is visiting our humble little blog any more. Hits are down, and only a few people called me out for my over-the-top posting with the Tombstone yesterday. 

The picture here is what the Houston Chronicle did in the middle of the Astros' 2005 season. That team rebounded late and got within one game of the World Series.

In case you missed it, Nik Backstrom got hurt during warm-ups for the Wild, and Josh Harding got the call and played really well. But with their No. 1 goalie hurt, the Aeros will lose their No. 1 goalie at THE WORST possible time. 

Mike Condon played really well down the stretch during the regular season, but it's assumed that he will get his first pro playoff start tonight against Grand Rapids. It's not literally a must-win game, but it is a must win game for the Aeros, who need to win two of three on the road to get to the next round. 

With Zucker and Scandella and now Darcy Kuemper on recall, just about everyone is putting the Grffins down in ink to advance this weekend. 

My brain agrees with that, but if the Aeros win tonight ... somehow, some way, we'll see what happens in Games 6 or 7. 

Here are some notes from the Aeros press office. What are your thoughts on the series?

After two games in Houston, the series shifts to Grand Rapids, continuing a best of five series with Game Three on Wednesday. Houston claimed Game One with a 3-0 shutout on Friday night. Grand Rapids took Game Two with a 3-2 victory at Toyota Center on Sunday. Houston has outscored Grand Rapids 5-3 through the two games. The Aeros took two out of three games in Grand Rapids this season.

 

The Aeros and Griffins meet for second time in postseason history. In 2003, Houston defeated Grand Rapids in seven games of the Western Conference Finals. The Aeros went on the win the Calder Cup after jumping out to a 3-1 series lead, only to see the Griffins come back and force Game seven with a pair of overtime wins. Grand Rapids forward Jeff Hoggan and Houston forward Stephane Veilleux both played for the Aeros that season.

 

The two teams met six times during the regular season. Grand Rapids claimed four wins, including a shootout victory at Toyota Center. Houston was 2-3-0-1 against Grand Rapids, including an 0-2-0-1 record at Toyota Center. The Griffins were 4-2-0-0, including a 1-2-0-0 record at Van Andel Arena. Grand Rapids won the last three meetings of the regular season. Each team posted a shutout in the series, while Grand Rapids outscored Houston 13-10. The road team won five of six games. Three of the games have been decided by one goal. The teams are a combined 4-for-45 on the power play with Houston going 2-for-23 and Grand Rapids going 2-for-22.

 

The Aeros hit the road for the first time this postseason. The team posted a 19-15-2-2 mark away from home in the regular season. Houston finished 7-3-0-0 over the last ten games of the regular season. Houston was even in scoring on the road, matching the home team with 102 goals per side. The Aeros have won seven of their last nine games.

 

Grand Rapids posted a 21-12-3-2 record at home in the regular season, outscoring the home team 109-100. Grand Rapids finished the year with a 4-4-1-1 record over the last ten games of the regular season.

 

In the regular season, Houston and Grand Rapids have played 74 times in AHL history. Over the course of time, the Aeros are 36-28-10 against the Griffins, who are 32-33-9 all-time against Houston. Over the last five years, the Aeros have a 13-9-0-2 mark versus Grand Rapids and they have posted a 6-4-0-2 mark at home.

 

Justin Fontaine led all Houston skaters in scoring with four points in six games against GR. Griffins forwards Jeff Hoggan, Riley Sheahan, Jan Mursak, Francis Pare and defender Luke Glendening led their team in scoring. Hoggan and Chad Billins led all skaters with three goals apiece in the season series. Hoggan tied with Mursak (4a) for the team lead with four points. Pare, Billins, Sheahan and Glendening each had three points. Houston goalie Darcy Kuemper was 2-2-0 against GR, posting a 1.72 goals against average and a .942 save percentage. Grand Rapids goalie Petr Mrazek went 1-2-0 with a 1.98 goals against average and a .929 save percentage. Tom McCollum was 3-0-0 with a 1.00 g.a.a. and a .964 save %.