Winners everywhere

While the Aeros recorded their first at home win over the Texas Stars WITH Hackett in goal (more on that below), I was delighted to find out that three of IMO best singers won the Concert Of Arias (Eleanor McCollum Competition) last night.

A truly impressive line up of 9 finalists sang their hearts out in front of a full house and 3 judges (Tenor Griffey, Maestro Summers and HGO Managing Director Leech).
The slate included singers from as far away as Russia, South Wales, Canada and China.

Prize ($ 10,000) plus Audience choice award went to the 22 years old soprano

Andrea Carroll,
HGOs Assoc. Music Drirector Eric Melear was the accompanying pianist for all!

2. prize to Welch born Natalya Romaniw  (24) and

3. prize to Bass Chen Peixin (30) from Beijing.
Carroll sang with purity and an extraordinary expressive voice from Mascagni and Massenet.. proving her familiarity with Italian and French works.
Romaniw sang from Mozart and Gounod with flexible strength and a depth that showed off her big voiced soprano.
Chen, a huge bass, with room to spare, and great stage presence wowed most by his choice of Verdi and even more so Rossini, showcasing his grasp of comedy.

After hearing all 9, my Nr. 1 too,  was Carroll, but followed by Chen as Nr. 2.
Carolyne Sproule (23), a mezzo with, to me at least, interesting vocal shading in her Strauss, and a very impressive presentation of an aria from Julius Caesar by Handel, would have been my Nr. 3.
And Romaniw I had definitely pegged as the audience choice.
I got three right, just not in the final order, lol.

Now to the three goals last night: Wellman - a single handed goal in the 2., Genoway (Fontaine ,Wellman) on a power play, and Broda (Fontaine) in the 3 on the empty net!
Sure looks like a very lucky night for the Aeros.
And yet, a sad ending to this has to be reported: Wellman was traded by the Wild to the New York Rangers! 
They also re-assigned Rau to Houston.
And re-signed C.J.Stretch to the a PTO. Poor guy having to pack and unpack his satchel in such a short period!
Now they'll play in Houston Saturday Lake Erie, AND Sunday..at HIGH NOON Milwaukee-not to conflict with the Super Bowl Parties awaiting football fans LOL.

AEROS WIN

 tonight at Home in OT in front of a larger crowd than usual. 
 Am a bit late in posting, had to borrow a computer.. mine crashed yesterday morning-nice x-mas present, :-)!
The Rampage's Caruso with Timmins, scored first in the Second period. And on a Hackett, once more wayyy out his position.
And that after he had  made a great save, on a regular SoG then immediately after he also caught a 'flying' rebound!
After two so-so, IMO, periods, the "Third Period Aeros" (with 10 sogs) came out, and Rau, Fontaine, DiSalvatore evened the score on a PP.
And kept the momentum going into OT with the winning goal by Taffe, Disalvatore, Fontaine.
Which came as Rallo sat for Slashing from the 3. into  OT.
So part of the thanks for that goal ought to go to Rallo.. not that his teammates will thank him, :-)!

a sprawl by Hackett=a save this time

Rau gettin ready... goal

after the Winning goal in OT



Celebration is finally due!



Some of the crowd.. looked bigger than quoted by AHL

In the goals:
Hackett, as expected and
Markstrom for the Rampage, also as expected.  Peters and Palmer are still WILD!
As much as I hate to say it, this game was not one of the most exciting ones.
But a win is a win and in front of the home crowd...FINALLY! 
Why??
 Better Half and I were NOT wearing Aeros jerseys.
Another fan went ahead and got popcorn even though the Aeros had yet to score which is when they usually get their popcorn ;-)!
Maybe Santa Claus brought some new ooompf to the skating! Lol.
Or maybe it was that Ortmeyer was back, even though he interfered with Markstrom and sat for it!
Just kidding, of course.  :-), :-)!!
Briefly, it appeared that Aeros PP has improved (2 goals/ 6 opportunities)
Also improved IMO penalty kill - 5 PP opportunities for the Rampage were safely killed by Aeros.
The three stars (in ascending order)
Caruso, Rau and Taffe.. all the scorers.
Markstrom, making 24 saves in regulation outsaved Hackett's 20 of 21, seemed to me the better goalie.

Markstrom saves a try to score by DiSalvatore, this time.

But then what do I know about goalies!

Just in case...

CHAD RAU

you did not see, hear or attend it.

Aeros won over Rampage this afternoon in the Shoot Out -

 game winner by Chad Rau=WOW.

Which puts them into First separated by JUST one point from the Admirals who have 3 more games in hand.

Aeros have only 8 more to play.

Texas on Tuesday at Austin, then a three in a weekend at home versus OKC,

followed by Chicago at home, and after  two away (Mil and Chi) weekend,

the last game at home vs OKC on April 10 with ONE FULL week in between