Some Thoughts From Game 79

I've sat awhile tonight, wondering what to write about this last game (home game) of the season. Maybe I should have sat on my deck with a beer, like Heather, then again, seeing as how I live off of Milam, not far from a bunch of bars and clubs, sitting here, watching my tape delay of the Astros game (I wanted to hear how Jeff Bagwell did in the broadcast booth) and working on an unrelated assignment for the mothership, I still find myself unsure of just what to say, so here we go.

It's been a difficult season to cover the team. Not access wise. And the guys have always been willing to sit after a game and talk. It's just that it has been tough to write about them this year. There's been multiple games this season that have ended with the close loss. A close loss resulting from goalies that were perfect for just 58 minutes. Or from Aeros shots bouncing off of a post. The game the Aeros won 4-2 tonight was, in many ways, a perfect example of the type of games the Aeros have lost the entire season -- see that second period where they got off 24 shots but could only score once, then saw Texas score on two of their first four shots of the third period to take the lead.

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I'll probably do a proper write up later in the week -- Andrew's going to San Antonio tomorrow for that purpose, and hopefully I can get some stuff from him to use in the mothership, and here. So for now I'll just reference some other things from the game, and just throw out some general thoughts.

Heather referenced Carson McMillan's expression when he scored the go-ahead goal in the third. I spoke with him about that afterwards. What struck me about his response was that he wasn't trying to take credit for the goal. He thought it was a great shot by Jamie Fraser, and he wasn't going to take credit for the tip-in, but Duncan Milroy went up and told the officials that McMillan tipped it.

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Luke Strand was at the game, again, visiting with his friends Kevin Constantine and Troy Ward, and taking in the game. I talked to him a bit after the game, while the guys were out on the ice for the jersey auction. He was just amazed, after watching the team, that they were out of the playoffs. He just didn't see the quit that you normally see from a team that doesn't give a damn anymore. And there was the talk about what could have been as he noted the guys and goal scorers from last year's team that were no longer here, and just how different things could have been had they been here this year.

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Congratulations to Max Noreau for second team AHL. Maybe if certain people would have remembered to send the voting info to Andrew and myself -- as the guys in the past did -- he could have got up to first team. Still, Noreau's a class guy. He came up with a rocket shot, became a very good offensive defenseman, and this year worked on his defensive play. And just think of how bad the power play would have been without Noreau.

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The Aeros will finish the season with at least 80 points, and at least the .500 mark. And depending on what happens tomorrow, they might not even finish in last place. Not that that means anything other than the guys didn't quit.

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You guys have indulged me all year with my Beatles obsession. So as the season ends, I can think of no better way to close out than with my favorite song of all-time. So here's The Beatles with "Hey Jude."

Luke Strand departs for USHL

Sioux City's USHL team has a new coach, former Aeros assistant Luke Strand.
Here is the article ... and here is a nice quote from Luke about his new gig:

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be back in the USHL and especially with the Sioux City Musketeers. I appreciate the opportunity afforded to me by the Musketeers management and look forward to leading them to success both on and off the ice. The USHL is undoubtedly the best junior hockey league in the country and I am thrilled to be a part of it; but even more excited about the chance to lead the ‘tradition rich’ Musketeers organization."

Best of luck up there, Luke!

I know I can speak on behalf of everyone at T3I.info when I say it certainly has been a pleasure working with you the last two years.

Again, all the best.

Constantine and Staff to return in 2009-10

Here is the story.

(And an update ... Russo in MSP confirmed with Fletcher on his fantastic blog)

Highlights:

Constantine, 50, said he's talked to Chuck Fletcher, who took over as Wild GM for the departed Doug Risebrough, and the Aeros' coaching staff was lauded by the new boss and welcomed back for 2009-10.

"I am looking forward to relaxing this summer after a long season, and I am looking forward to continuing our staff's work with the Aeros next year," said Constantine

Assistants Troy G. Ward and Luke Strand will return to work with Constantine next season.

In addition to the playoffs, the Aeros are 83-60-4-13 under Constantine, including a 46-25-3-6 mark at Toyota Center.

Observations From The Morning Skate -- Quick Notes Edition

By now you've heard the big news for today. And as Luke Strand told me, it's that Matt Climie is starting in goal tonight. I spoke to Kevin Constantine during the skate, and the decision had not yet been made -- he and the staff wanted to wait until after Nolan Schaefer and Climie skated to make a decision.

As for Anton Khudobin, Constantine said that he's got a lower body injury. He got the injury during the third period on Wednesday night. During a time out of the third, Khudobin informed the trainers that he was hurt, then he skated back out to the net. The trainers checked him out at the end of the third period, and told Constantine that he could not play. "So we had no choice but to play Schaefer," Constantine said.

I don't really have much else for you. There was some off-the-record talk about players' beards. I did overhear Constantine talking to Manitoba's radio guy for an interview to be played during the game, and Constantine basically said he's not sure of what to expect from Climie.

The obvious scratches for tonight are Dane Crowley, Barry Brust, and Anton Khudobin. Paul Albers, Jesse Schultz, Marco Scandella, Jason Ryznar, and Carson McMillan all skated with the rest of the guys in the skate. Krys Kolanos did not skate, but I've rarely seen him out on the ice at the morning skate, so that doesn't mean anything.

A quick inside the numbers give us some basics. Only two teams in AHL history have ever come from 0-3 to win a series: Rochester in 1960 and Adirondack in 1989. But the Aeros are 3-0 this post-season when facing elimination. All-time, the Aeros are 7-5 in Calder Cup play when facing elimination. And in Game Fives, Houston is 7-10 all-time and 4-5 in Calder Cup action.

Corey Locke leagues the AHL is Calder Cup scoring with 20 points (11-9). Matt Beaudoin is second with 16 points (7-9=16).

The Moose/Cory Schneider have allowed just eight third period goals in 14 games, but the Aeros are responsible for five of the eight. The Aeros have 23 third period goals in the playoffs, compared to just 24 goals combined in all of the first, second, and overtime periods. The Aeros are outscoring their opponents 23-14 in the third period.

The big key again will be the first goal. The Aeros are 8-2 when scoring first, and they are 6-0 when leading after the first.

So what happens tonight? That's a damn good question. I think if the Aeros can get the first goal and if they can give Matt Climie some time to settle in after that first goal, then they might be okay, and they might be able to get back to Winnipeg for a Game Six. But frankly, the odds aren't in the favor of the Aeros. But if there's one thing we've learned this season, it's to never count out the Aeros (still, you have to wonder about just how many goalie injuries this team can take).

My bold prediction: the first team to score wins.