Pictures from the Chicago Beatdown

Props to Chris "Hoss" Jerina not only for the first-hand account from last night but also these fabulous pictures. My favorite of which is Kassian's goal:

Poppin' the bottle from one knee... badass.

Hackett, ready to redeem himself.

You talkin' to me?

Robbie making 'em work

All photos by Chris Jerina. Thank you, Chris!! You can check the rest here.

Aeros trounce Wolves 6-1

After a couple of days of feeling a great disturbance in the force, life in Aerosville feels good again after a 6-1 drubbing of the dastardly Chicago Wolves tonight.

Our Midwestern Correspondent, Chris Jerina, was there for last night's game in Milwaukee and tonight in Chicago and he said the officiating was just as big a factor, but for a change, it killed the other team instead of the Aeros.

Chicago had 5 power play opportunities and, granted their lone goal was during one of those chances, the Aeros did kill off one 5 on 3 pretty handily. Other than some shenanigans here and there, it was a much more confident game for the good guys.

Moreover, the power play was so damn good, converting 4 of 10 chances, you almost can't lose with that kind of production.

I happened to be in the car during the pre-game show Joe does and heard Yeo's comments on the last two games, and I thought they were worth sharing.

He essentially fell on the sword and said he was pushing the wrong mentality: We need these wins. Get the win.

And what's been successful all season is not "get the win" but "play the system, stick to the process."

So when the team faced some adversity and the win was slipping away... what's left to hang your hat on when "get the win" is the message? Things just unraveled.

But when "stick to the process" was the message... it doesn't matter what happens. Process, baby, and the results will come.

Something that flummoxed a lot of people was Matt Hackett getting the start again, after getting the hook two games in a row. I was surprised, too, but Yeo's reasoning was sound: Hackett is their starting goalie and he can't prove to them that he deserves the job, and he can't work through the adversity, if they don't give him the chance to.

I think it showed a couple of things: One is that in the end, they have faith that Matt has the maturity to gather himself and fix his mistakes. It also shows Yeo's sensitivity to what his goalie needs, and as y'all know, extra goalie TLC warms my dark heart.

I thought that was a really thoughtful decision and as Matt has done several times this season, he pulled himself up by his leg pad straps and earned yet a little more trust from the coaches, his teammates, and I'd guess in himself as well.

Here's the score sheet if you want to see the goals and rap sheet, er, monumental list of penalties. The highlight is that Matt Kassian returned AND got a goal (pictured above by Chris Jerina). Good gravy, are we ever glad to have you back, Matt!

Also, the Stars were shut out by OKC. This is a very good thing. 6 point difference, 4 games in hand for Texas. Keep on losing, Stars.

Now the Aeros go on an 8 day break and will hopefully get a few guys back from Minnesota between now and then. Noreau, Falk, McMillan, and Gillies have all been called up in the last 2 days. Is the Wild season EVER going to end? Jesus. (But great and deserving call-ups for all those guys, so it's hard to complain. It doesn't stop me from complaining, but I'm an overachiever like that.)

That's all for now. Everybody breathe! Phew......

Thoughts from Last Night and Daoust Audio

Gosh, last night was just a miserable affair. Not only did we have to suffer through the rousing success of Andre "The Giant Dbag" Deveaux, but also the utter failure of the team I lauded just a few days earlier for playing exactly the opposite of how they played last night.

It was to be expected, though. Well, maybe not expected, but it didn't come as a total shock. The level of intensity required for this team to put up decisive wins is pretty high, especially against a team fighting for their playoff lives. You can want it really badly but still not find the will to suffer for it when push comes to shove.

And to tell you the truth, I don't think home ice matters all that much. I don't have numbers to back it up, but it seems to me that the big key has just been to get in the door. And what you do from there is what really matters... not so much where you do it. But like Yeo said last night, it's more about the mentality going into the playoffs. How hard is it going to be to flip that switch back into playoff mode if they're phoning it in the rest of this weekend?
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Anyway, one bright spot was talking to JM Daoust after the game. He was a scratch but was nice enough to take a couple of minutes to talk to us about his Man of the Year selection by the Aeros. Honestly, he could read the newspaper to me in that French-Canadian accent and I'd be smiling and cooing, plus he's just a funny guy.

It's kind of hard to hear, but the gist of the convo is he's talking about some of the things he and the guys do to help out around the community. First thing he talks about is going to the outdoor rink at Discovery Green and skating with the kids. He said the rink is small and the kids don't know how to skate, so they just go from board to board and BOOM into the boards. And their parents can't skate either so they can't help.

Then he was trying to say something but could only think of it in French. He managed to get out what he wanted to say in English and Andrew asked for it in French anyway (which I was grateful for because I just wanted him to keep talking). No dice but he was still hopelessly charming.

Here's a link to the audio in case this embedding thing on Blogger doesn't work.

Aeros Embarrassed by Chicago, Lose 5-3

Okay, I know what the AHL website says, but seriously, I just watched the Aeros play tonight, and they did not look like a playoff team to me. They looked like a team that's been eliminated from the chase and just doesn't give a damn.

The Chicago Wolves took the 5-3 win tonight in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated. They kicked the collective asses of the Aeros in every way imaginable. Matt Hackett was run midway through the second period -- not all entirely Hackett's fault as his defense and the penalty kill were non-existent, but he did lose his composure and Max Noreau and Warren Peters were not able to calm him down though they tried at various points during the game.

Mike Yeo was not very happy after the game. Yeo's usually mild and somewhat measured with his words after games (at least compared to Kevin Constantine), but despite his best efforts, his anger and disappointment with his team were evident.

So I figured, instead of me sitting here and describing what happened, why not just let Yeo do it. So...

ON THE TEAM'S HORRENDOUS EFFORT

"We had a handful of guys that were ready to battle the right way, but we had way too many that weren’t. I don’t think we put three good plays in a row together because of that. If one guy goes out and he’s working hard, and they’ve got five guys on the ice every time, you’re not going to be too successful. I just chalk that one up to not being ready to battle, not being ready to play with the type of urgency you need in a hockey game, especially against a team that’s playing for their playoff lives right now, and they showed it tonight."

HANGOVER FROM HAVING CLINCHED A PLAYOFF SPOT

"We were afraid of it, and we talked about it, but I said in the coach’s room before the game, I’m anxious to see how we come out tonight because your fear is we’re going to do exactly as we did. Having said that, we have to understand that we have things to play for. Just because there’s an “x” besides our name doesn’t mean all is good and right.

"It would have been nice to win this game and to go into Milwaukee and have the chance to play for first place. We’ve got to make sure we win hockey games to give ourselves a chance at home ice advantage. For me, again, the biggest thing is, I don’t want to keep playing hockey games like this and then try to flip a switch once the playoffs come. And that’s something the players have to understand. I’ve got to keep saying it, but at some point they’re going to have to believe me and start taking action or else we’re going to have to put it to test in the playoffs."

CONTINUED AWFUL PLAY OF DEFENSE AND PENALTY KILL

"Brutal. First of all, we’re taking way too many penalties. We talk about it before the game then we go out and take three straight penalties to start the game against a team, you give them power plays, they get into the game, they feel good about themselves, and I think we’re taking bad penalties, too. We’re taking lazy penalties. We’re not moving our feet. We’re hooking guys. We’re holding guys. We’re not going back for pucks. We’re slow on pucks. We’re just taking undisciplined penalties. That’s got to stop.

"Defensively it’s not even good enough. It’s not even close to being good enough right now. We’re giving up – what, have we given up 14 goals in the last three games, for a team that usually – pretty seldom gives up two in a game. It’s just a matter of commitment, of urgency, of battle level. Obviously the penalty killing is going to have to pick it up big time."

IS THIS A WAKE UP CALL

"It’s going to be interesting. We’ve been able to push that button a lot this year, but again, if it doesn’t come from within, if the players don’t see it as – if they don’t see a reason for us to start playing hard before the playoffs come, then it’s going to be more of this. More of this. And maybe we go hard tomorrow, and Saturday it’s the same thing. I really hope that that’s not the case.

"If we keep going like this, one good game, one bad game, it doesn’t mean that we’re going to lose in the first round of the playoffs, but it – you don’t set yourself up to give yourselves the best chance, which is what we want to do."

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND COMMENTS

1. The return of Matt Kassian to the lineup can't come soon enough. It's obvious that the rest of the division has figured out that the Aeros don't have an enforcer, and the play is getting really physical. Pascal Morency will fight, but he just doesn't have that physical ability to make a person hurt that Kassian does.

2. That said, Yeo told us that Kassian was being checked out by the doctors tonight, and if all goes well, he'll be playing with the team this weekend. He is definitely making the trip.

3. Nate Prosser lost some teeth when he got creamed in the first period, and he wore a cage over his face after he returned to action.

4. Forecheck, this is a note from me to you. I have tended to disagree with you about the officiating in the AHL. My thinking has been that you've got to expect some uneven officiating in a developmental league. But that said...my god, is there nobody in the AHL that knows how to officiate a game? I thought the crap I saw over the weekend was bad, but Jamie Koharski lost control of this game as soon as the puck was dropped to start the game, and he never made any attempt to regain control.

Yes, I like physical games, and yes, I like games that don't have a lot of penalties, but damn, this game tonight wasn't just physical, it was one team that was allowed to beat the crap out of another team without any fear of penalty.

5. Speaking of which, just what does it say about Jeff Penner's game tonight that he was called for three penalties in the first period? Do you know how hard it is to get Koharski to blow a whistle? But those penalties were so blatantly obvious that he had no choice but to send Penner to the box.

6. Mr. Hackett. I understand your displeasure with your defense, and with the officiating -- both have been sorely lacking recently. May I suggest you contact a family law attorney and see if there is someway you can sue for spousal support because they sure appear to have abandoned you.

7. If Robbie Earl, Chad Rau, and Jarrod Palmer don't show up tonight, just how bad is the final score?

8. If this is the first Aeros game you've attended this year, are you asking yourself how it was that the Aeros were able to win 44 games this season?

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.

Stats Schmats & Photos from Chicago

So, it's not to say that stats don't matter... they just don't determine whether I like a team. Hockey may go down for posterity on paper, but in the moment, it's all played in the heart and the mind. It's blood and sweat and happiness and pain. It's the rollercoaster of confidence and doubt, success and failure. Momentum and emotions shifting by minute, by periods, by games.

And that's what's different about this year's Aeros: I like them. I look forward to games. I feel like there's always a chance. I feel like these guys like each other and play for each other. They have a pulse.

And regardless of how similar this year's stats are to last year's at this time, I never felt that way last year. I didn't like the team, I didn't like watching them play, I felt like they were all a bunch of islands adrift on the ice. They meant well individually, but they never were a unit. No pulse, no spark, no passion.

Little things keep happening to endear me to this team, to give me a sense of its pulse. Hackett insisting on the start last Sunday. Earl, as I wrote a few days ago, getting so little recognition but still being a stud on a nightly basis. Guys stepping up for each other. Scoring (or at least scoring threats) coming from every line. Guys come up, come down, are in and out of the line-up, and it doesn't seem to rattle them or mess with the chemistry.

This is not a season of biding time. This is a meaningful season. This is a team I'd want to be on. That's about as big a compliment as I can give them. I hope my gut feelings about them are accurate, because if they are, I think regardless of what happens in the post-season, we'll all be left with good feelings about this squad.

On that note, let's look at some pictures:

While I'm making my Sunshine Club speech, this pic from warmups seems to fit. DiSalvatore and McMillan all smiles and possibly doing a Vaudeville routine.

This situation usually doesn't end well for the goalie. 

And in fact it did not end well for Mannino. Buck, who got the primary assist on DiSalvatore's goal, celebrates.

I was really proud of Tordjman's game. He looked very sharp and came up BIG BIG BIG in the shootout, not letting a single goal in. And with DiSalvatore the only Aero able to convert in the shootout, he needed to stop them all. Gotta feel good for a solid AHLer who's been stuck in the Coast all season to come up and get a big win like this.

Tordjman has talents beyond goaltending. That's a quality spit stream, bud.

This was an unbelievable save by Mannino, sliding across to shut down this backdoor shot. Robbery!

God, I love this shot. Chad Rau ties it, bitches!

The band of brothers returns to work after celebrating the game tying goal. 

As usual, thanks very much to Chris "Boom Boom" Jerina for the fantastic photos. If you want to see the rest, go here.

Woof: Aeros lose 5-2 in Chicago

I didn't see the game and really, when you talk about a loss, what can you say if you haven't seen it?

• I know Khudobin was pulled midway through the game after allowing the third goal in 9 shots. 
• I know Michael Ouzas, the emergency back up goalie, got his first career AHL minutes in relief. 
• I know the Aeros avoided a bigger embarrassment by putting two goals in in garbage time. 
• I know Chicago is pretty happy to get their slump busted. Who isn't?

But whatever. The beauty of pro hockey is that redemption, a chance to do better, is around every corner. And today, with a bevy of dogs in the stands, the Aeros have a chance to put some bite behind their bark against the Stars. (And per the tweet that just came across, they might get to do it with Marco Scandella back in the line-up as the Wild have sent him down.)

To whet your appetite, we've got some fantastic pics courtesy of Chris "Hoss" Jerina, who went to the game last night in Chi-town. 

My absolute favorite, because the whole "goalie's cross paths as one gets pulled" can be so awkward, and I think he captured that perfectly here. 

Ouzas allowed 2 of 15 shots, so better than Khudobin and not bad for coming in cold to his first AHL game. 

I don't know what happened to him, but here's DiSalvatore having an "I should have been an accountant" moment and trainer Jody Green tending to him.

Something about this shot I just love. Maybe because I have a special place in my heart for trainers. So much crazy shit happens in hockey and the boys put their bodies on the line and just have to trust that the trainer will take care of them. It's a relationship in the locker room that you don't hear much about, which naturally means I'm interested in it.

Here's Gillies' goal at 12:33 in the third:

And here's Kalus admiring his own handiwork at 15:28:

And here's a lady who mistakenly thinks an uprising is afoot. Don't worry, ma'am. 

On to less happy things, this kinda sums it up. Mama said there'd be days like this....

Wooo! Look at the 'stache on Gillies! Nice upper lip work there, kiddo.

Anybody know what's depicted on Ouzas' mask here? Pretty neat paint job. (Thanks to reader Steven... it's a Hangover theme... the movie, not the condition. Knew I should know it, but couldn't place the "short guy"... oh yeah, the baby.)

Anyway, you can see the rest of them as there are a bunch of nice ones, over here. Many thanks for the shots, Chris. 

Oh, and bonus video from Binghamton for my fellow Brusty fans:

11/17/10 -- Aeros v. Chicago -- Howl At The Moon Edition

So it's about midway through the third period tonight, and I remember that there's a NFL game tomorrow night, which means that I have to get my lineup submitted for one of my fantasy leagues that demands the roster be submitted the night before the game. So I start grab my iPhone and I start working on that. Heather hits me in the arm and tells me I'm missing a good game.

Cut to post game, and we're down there waiting for Coach Yeo, and Heather is still going on about how she couldn't understand how I could work on my fantasy football lineup while I was missing a good game. And out comes Yeo and guess what he starts with: "It might have been our worst game of the year, to be honest with you. Right from the start you could tell. I think the energy level wasn’t where it needed to be."

Now if you didn't see the game, and you were going only by Yeo, you would think the Aeros got blown out. But then you think on Heather's comment and realize that, with 14 minutes left in the game, the Aeros were up 3-0, and the Wolves were doing their best impersonation of the Aeros from last season. The Aeros went on to get to the 3-2 win, and were never really challenged. So I tend to think both Heather and Yeo were exaggerating just a bit.

Truth was the Aeros didn't play that exceptional of a game, but it definitely didn't look like they were playing the worst game of the season. So, the hail of bullets:

1. There seems to be a pattern to the Aeros this season. They come out aggressively and take a lead, then they just start half-assing it and do everything they can to lose the game.

2. "I think we weren’t that bad to start, then we got the lead and then we started to get too cute," Yeo said.

3. Good game by Petr Kalus. He got the game's second goal, and it was his work on the boards digging for the puck that set-up the team's third and final goal. That's why he was the number one star.

4. In a change of pace, I was the one arguing for Matt Hackett to get one of the three stars. Normally Heather argues for the goalies, but she was falling all over herself praising Kalus and making sure he wasn't ignored.

5. Here's some more Yeo comments: "That was ugly [the game]," he said. "It was difficult to snap ourselves out of. To be honest with you, it was game that I was worried about yesterday. I tried to address it…We had an average practice yesterday, I felt, and kind of carried it in today. It’s okay – there’s going to be times when you’re energy level’s not there, it’s not 100-percent, but you have to upgrade in other departments, and I felt our execution within our system was not very good. It led to too many odd-man rushes. I thought our puck management was poor.'

6. Yeah, hard to believe the Aeros won the game.

7. I kept wondering why the breaks were so long, then I remembered the Aeros were playing Chicago, which meant that the game was on TV.

8. Can anybody remember when the Wolves were so bad?

9. Was I the only one who heard it announced in the arena that the starting center tonight was Colton McMillan?

10. Andrew had to head out to Chicago at the last minute, so Heather was handling his Chronicle story. And she basically had the thing written and just needed a celebratory quote from Yeo to wrap it up. You should have seen the expression on her face when Yeo started talking about this being the team's worst game of the season. I wonder if she's done with the re-write, yet?

To play us out, in honor of the Wolves, and in honor of their playing the exact opposite of this song's title, here's Duran Duran -- the band so nice they named it twice -- with "Hungry Like The Wolf."

Aeros sign Lampman, host Chicago tonight at 7:05

I think the Aeros made a good move when they signed veteran defenseman Bryce Lampman to a PTO Tuesday. What can it hurt? While it may take him awhile to get going, he should be servicable sooner vs. later assuming the guy has been working out.

Lampman (pictured right in a photo by our boy Chris Jerina) is a solid two-way guy with a heavy shot that should definitely help out on the power play. He was a fourth-round pick by the Rangers and has appeared in 400 professional games, registering 117 points (33-84-117) and 298 penalty minutes (PIM). The 6-foot-1, 201-pound defenseman played in 10 NHL games, all with New York, recording two penalty minutes over three seasons.

Lampman, 28, played in 57 games for the Peoria Rivermen last season and collected 20 points (7-13-20) along with 22 penalty minutes (PIM).

Aeros head coach Mike Yeo said Lampman would not be out there tonight, but could be "maybe this weekend."

"(We) want to give him a fair shot to get into game shape and get his timing," said Yeo.

Is it a trap?
Tonight is a quick home game, and then it is back on the road for two more in the Midwest.

There are several trap games on the schedule this year, and this is one of them. First game home after a long trip and couple that with a quick turnaround; these are the tough games ... hard games to win. To be fair, Sunday was one of those trap games, too. Last game of a long trip? That is a situation that many coaches know poses a big challenge to the group. They stepped up, battled hard and hit one out of the park in that game. Let's see if they can go 2-for-2.

Scouting the Wolves

Man, oh man ... what have we here? These impostors dressing as the Chicago Wolves have dropped six in a row and are coming off quite the shellacking in Cedar Park last night. They have not scored more than two goals in any of those losses, and they are THE worst team in the West. They had an off year a few years ago, but I don't think I have ever seen them in last place.

They still have a decent offense, but they have allowed a Conference-high 66 goals in 17 games. That works out to 3.88 per game, and that is just not going to cut it (even in the ECHL). A win tonight, and the Aeros are back to two games over .500 for the first time since they were 2-0 after the OT win at Oklahoma City.

I am not going to make a prediction on this one, as I don't really have a gut feeling one way or the other. If they Wolves have yet to hit rock bottom, the Aeros have to hope that doesn't happen for two or three more games. If so, this could be a break out game for Krog, Haydar and company.

Avoiding the sweep: Aeros 4, Wolves 3

I guess one of us should write something about last night. I know how hard it is to write about this team when there's no "future" so I can't imagine how hard it is to get up for games as a player.

Obviously, as Constantine spoke to us about last night, there are still scouts coming to the games and a large portion of the team has next year's contract to play for, or will be trying to make it to the Wild. And of course personal pride of effort to play for.

As he said (and this struck me because I've learned this personally from playing goal), you're gonna go home after a game either feeling good that you did your best and gave an honest effort, or you're gonna go home feeling like poo because you didn't. There's not a lot of middle ground there and by his estimation, the team was a little embarrassed by Wednesday's 4-0 drubbing.

So, another enjoyable, but meaningless game in the books. Nice to avoid a season series sweep by the dominating Wolves, but thanks to several of their ringers for being out with injuries. No question that helped muffle the Wolves offense.

Of course, I'm still trippin' on the new goalie love for Darcy Kuemper, and wrote some more about it for one of my other gigs over at InGoal Magazine.

It was a real joy to speak with him after the game. He was about to go supernova, he was so excited, and it really epitomizes why I love covering this level of hockey.

BTW, the Wild are swapping Dubielewicz for Khudobin today as they are headed for a couple of games in Canada. So, Anton will be back with the Aeros for a few days.

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What's with the oddball refs lately? The guy last night, who is the son of NHL ref Kerry Fraser, really made me miss the low-interference of Jeff Smith. Long discussions after several plays and lots of penalties really affected the flow of the game IMO.

Honestly, the whole game felt a bit odd, but perhaps that's because the guys were playing with purpose like they haven't for a while. It was revealing watching the Kings vs. Canucks Thursday night because, between the Aeros and Wild, I've been mostly watching hockey from teams who have no playoff interests. There's a definite difference.

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Only two more, gang. Unless you plan to get to Austin tonight or San Antonio for Game #80 on April 11th. But April 10 will be the last time we see this team. As I mentioned, we went through the roster during a break last night and there are lots of UFAs and guys with AHL contracts on this roster, so it will look very different next year.

What I would love to see is the occasional guy come back. I know other teams do this, but the Aeros haven't for a while. I suppose it's a testament to Kevin Constantine and his staff that so many guys play well and the Wild/Aeros simply aren't willing to shell out for their increased market value.

I think Daoust is a guy they should try to get back. And Rau seems like a good fit, too. But we'll talk more about the changing state of the Aeros roster after the season. Andrew will probably have some good stuff there later on.

Meanwhile, Happy Easter, if you celebrate it. Otherwise, enjoy 75% off chocolate at your local CVS or Walgreens on Monday! See you Tuesday when Rockford, who clinched a playoff spot last night, comes to town.

3/31/10 -- Aeros v. Wolves -- Everybody Hurts

After being absent recently because of other, somewhat more pressing mothership duties -- I was off covering the NCAA Regional Finals (aka the Sweet 16 and Elite 8) -- I returned to Toyota Center for last night's Aeros game versus the Chicago Wolves. And let's just say that I don't think I've missed too much as the Aeros lost 4-0.

I had three highlights.

Number one: I generally bitch about the audio guys and their music selections a lot. But last night, they had a genius moment. After the third Chicago goal -- one on which Wade Dubielewicz appeared to be screened by his entire team -- the sound guys busted out R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts." It was just serendipity. It was perfect. Kismet. Never has a song so matched the moment. And as Heather said, someone is so getting fired.



Number two: during the first intermission, there was a group of kids singing "God Bless America." Right in front of those kids, there was another set of kids signing "God Bless America." Heather, who was in her own world, looked up from whatever she was doing, saw the kids, and wanted to know why they were doing "YMCA" during "God Bless America."

Number three: I talked to Matt Kassian last night about his being team's Humanitarian of the Year, which makes him the nominee for the league's award. I remember talking to Brandon Rogers when he got this last year, so I know how much this stuff means to the players. And Matt, who is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, gave me some really great stuff for a story I'm going to write for the mothership.

That Kassian story was going to be for today's mothership story, but the Houston Cougars interfered last night and decided to name a new coach for the men's basketball team, so the Kassian thing will run next week.

Do I have any thoughts on the game? Are you kidding, did you see the game? I don't think there were any highlights. Because the wireless was screwed up yet again, I spent the third period down in the press room, writing my mothership post on the Cougars, so I didn't get to see the young kid, Darcy Kuemper, play. I'm sure Heather will contribute some words on that later. Andrew talked to him after the game, while I was with Kassian, and he says Kuemper looks to be about 13.

The Aeros give it another try to tomorrow night. So maybe they'll have some better luck. Hah, who am I kidding? Did you see them play last night?

Sparing you the gore, but photos from Chicago

Not that you want to relive it in photos, but hey, how often do we get pics of the boys anymore? Thanks Aeros!

So, here are Chris "IcyHot" Jerina's shots from the 7-1 slaughter in Chicago on Saturday.

Of all the pics of goals going in and sad goalies and happy Wolfies, this one makes me the saddest... that of the Aeros' most versatile defenseman/centerman, Brandon Rogers, in the stands with an injury. He's been super glue for the Aeros most of the season, playing wherever he's asked, doing whatever is needed. I haven't heard officially what the injury prognosis is, but I'm sure we'll find out on Thursday if he's not back on the ice.


Colton Gillies uses his big frame to protect the puck.


Cool shot of Sifers letting one rip and Sterling dropping to block it (and inside thinking, "not the face not the face not the face").


And because I'm me and Brusty's Brusty... O hai!


Okay, there are lots of other great pics in the set, but honestly, it was too miserable a game for me to want to relive in any depth. Still, much appreciation to Chris for shooting the Aeros.

ALL PHOTOS by Chris "Aeros all the way, bitches" Jerina

Dubie up, Brusty up, and photos from Chicago

Busy day in Aeros land, particularly for the Goalie Express, which is filling the skies with rainbows of puck-stopping delight in a couple different directions today.

It starts at the top with the Wild's Niklas Backstrom having a stiff back. He's been shut down to rest it up for a few days, which means Harding needs a back-up for the Wild games tonight and Saturday.

Dubielewicz got the call over Khudobin this time. Russo seems to have been told by the Wild that this was because Khudobin is the starter for the Aeros in Milwaukee tonight. Problem with that is that the Aeros don't play in Milwuakee until tomorrow night. But maybe that's what they meant. Sure.

Anyway, now Anton needs a backup, and according to sources, this time Brusty gets the call instead of a proximity call-up like they did in Abbotsford. And as one person suggested to me, Barry did completely kick butt in Milwaukee last time he was with the team. Maybe he gets the start?

But eventually Khudobin's going to have to get a chance to sort himself out, so my prediction is that he gets the start. These are some biiiiig games this weekend though, so who know what KC's thinking will be. Personally, I'd play Brusty, but I think that goes without saying, nevermind the multiple interpretations. ;)

The other part of this, on the Wild end, is that Harding's also playing through a hip injury, and was in visible discomfort at times last night against the Red Wings. I've found that my physical world revolves around my hips and knees as a goalie, so continuing to play on hurting hips is not going to help them heal.

So it wouldn't surprise me if somehow Dubie gets some playing time before Backstrom has recovered. And I'm sure it would be pretty special for him if it came tonight, since he played for the University of Denver during his college career.

Ahhh, I do love me some goalie activity, especially when it's the upward-bound kind!

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Okay, enough of that and moving on to the fabulous, witty, and talented Chris Jerina's photos from last night's whoopin' in Chicago. Here's the full photo set, but I picked a few out below that I particularly liked.

Aeros lost 5-2 and it sounded like they just couldn't get it together. I only listened to the game (as opposed to watching it) after they went down 2-0. This team just doesn't come back from that.

First up, it's Red Anton and Green Anton

Okay, not really. Dubie is still wearing Anton's old mask (green). I think we need to start a friendly wagering pool as to when he'll finally wear a mask of his own.

Look who's back! Peter Zingoni! He's been out forevah!

Cody Almond interrupting the passing lane

JM Daoust tries to put Chris Chelios into retirement for good. Great facial expressions here.

Brandon Rogers launches the puck with his teammates on their feet behind him.

And just as a little goaliephile extra, this was Atlanta Thrasher Kari Lehtonen's second game back after being out all season and, I believe a good chunk of last season, with a couple of back surgeries. His first game during this rehab stint with the Wolves was shaky but it sounds like he's finding his rhythm now. Lucky Aeros!

Chris got some great pictures of him, but I'll just post a couple since he's not ours. They're just pretty to look at.



I don't know much about Lehtonen, but he must have the most, um, colorful pads in the league. They're so loud, it doesn't even matter that his Wolves gear clashes pretty badly. All you see is pads. My theory is that the Aeros were mesmerized by them.

ALL PHOTOS by Chris Jerina

Thanks again to Chris for getting these great shots of the boys on the road. And our apologies for sticking you with another crappy game.

Roster changes

Just to provide a quick update, as the Wild has made some moves that will affect the Aeros (though I make no claims as to the degree of effect).

As you might have heard, the Wild traded Craig Weller, a (college) prospect, and pick for Boston's Chuck Kobasew. This gets the Wild some help up front and drops Weller's $600k+ salary from the Aeros budget.

The Aeros don't get anything in return, but frankly, I don't feel like they lost a lot either. Weller was sent directly to Providence to play for the Bruins AHL team.

However, part of adding Kobasew is that they had to clear a roster spot for him, so they waived Jaime Sifers and he cleared waivers today. They can send him down to Houston any time now, and as you could see on Saturday night, another proven guy on defense for the Aeros wouldn't hurt matters one bit. (UPDATE: The team has sent Sifers down to Houston, per Russo.)

Also, to add to Andrew's post below about the Wolves, they fired their coaches yesterday, too. After not making the playoffs and starting the season with a string of losses, the organization felt like a fresh perspective behind the bench was warranted. Nobody's been hired yet.

How about Cheli's Chili at Toyota Center

Reports are coming out of Chicago, and the rest of the hockey world for that matter, that long-time and ancient blueliner Chris Chelios wants to play hockey this year and could sign an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves in the near future.

Talk about sure-fire veteran presence there, something many AHL followers will note the Wolves surely missed in 08-09.

Cheli's time dwindled in Detroit last year, but he wasn't horrible.
My opinion is that if he's willing to do it to help some of Atlanta's young blueliners and he still gets to play the game he loves, then why the heck not.

Makes me wonder now if Darren McCarty is thinking about another run with Grand Rapids.

Kiwi won't help Wolves win another AHL title

Why?
Because he found out this week that you can't honor two contracts at the same time for leagues on opposite sides of the world.

There are a lot of people that will tell you never to sign more than a one-year deal in the KHL because they simply hate playing there. They find out the money actually isn't worth it.

But, Joel Kwiatkowski will play in Russia this year instead of dressing for the Thrasher's AHL affiliate in Chicago.