The Thirteenth strikes again.. Aeros loose in OT to Checkers

Even if it was not a Friday, the 13th seems an unlucky number for the Aeros.

 Alas, no Birthday Present of a win for Chilly who had invited friends to celebrate and entertain the  few 3,000 loyal fans who kept sneaking away to check on the Texans game ;-)!

Friends of Chilly's

To my big surprise the First Period saw heavy action, fast and furious skating and lots of slipping, sliding and pile ups in front and into nets :-D!
And some heavy crashing into boards ... a WILD game!

Foucault tried often

Despite that appearance, the Checkers were off to a slow start with just 8 sogs but 1 goal by Dalpe, Shugg and Beca, while Aeros managed to toss 10 on Muse all of which he stopped.

In the second period penalties multiplied  5 for Checkers who skated aggressively. They revved up their attack on Hackett to 14 but no goal. Aeros had progressively fewer sogs for the rest of the game.

 

Genoway on offense?

Genoway on defense

 

Glove Catch by Muse

.

Genoway takes on Sutter

Fredheim in action-no he did NOT trip Rutherford

Another pile up-save by Muse

Hackett lets puck go after save

One of the PP allowed Foucault, Phillips and Cuma the only goal for Aeros in the 2nd.
In the 3rd a visible slowing occurred; neither team scored. And so we went to OT.

What seemed to me happened at the very end of the period, or even just into the 2nd intermission was a huge fight. Mara and Sutter, which almost escalated - but did not - into confrontation between the two goalies, as well. 5 minutes to each Fighter plus a game misconduct-leaving the bench for Mara - and so HE was out for the rest of the game. I am sure Mills did not intend that when he hired Mara!

Somewhere in there is Muse, Fredheim hugs  Pistilli ;-)!

Mara and Sutter, Muse faces Hackett - lineman arm keeps them apart ?

Rau speeds by fallen Bellemore ;-)

Red Sweaters after Zucker !

Genoway seemed just about everywhere, on defense, on offense, taking on Sutter in a little "Hey you" broken up soonest by officials. McMillan skated like the devil was after him...and twisted and turned rapidly where needed.
Phillips, long locks flying, gave a lot. Larssen tried, as did others. Fredheim had long carry of the puck only to pass it to the wrong stick ;-)!
Cuma had a few good moments but overall was ineffective.

The Goal by Nash in OT-fuzzy pic due to shock ;-)! by photo taker :-)!

Zucker appeared to have become the whipping boy for the opponents, many times he was hemmed in by red sweaters.

Aeros, not so good NEWS

Per Russo-latest:

"The Wild will recall defenseman Marco Scandella and winger Kris Foucault on Monday to infuse some energy into a struggling lineup, sources say.
Scandella, who had six points and was minus-10 in 37 games with the Wild earlier this season, has five points in nine games with Houston. If Foucault, a 2009 fourth-round pick, plays Tuesday against red-hot Anaheim, it'll be his NHL debut. The winger has 10 goals and 23 points in 47 games for Houston.
I'd think this is an indication that Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) is doubtful.
He was hurt in the second period Saturday against Columbus.
The Wild took Sunday off. It practices at the X on Monday morning, followed by the Ducks"

So, methinks, Torchetti and Co. have their work cut out to integrate a Staubitz (who comes with an attidude-perhaps) into a newly diminished team.
And perhaps add more minor leaguers?
And what about the proven duo of Veteran Ortmeyer and Rookie Foucault?
A duo that produced goals in the past?
Does that bode well for Valentine's Day?
Or will it be a Massacre, as I hinted, I thought, jokingly, in a previous post?
Only time will tell.
And I, for one, will be glued to THE VOICE on February 14 clutching a heart as a talisman! :-)!

Aeros update, Wieder mal Deutsch, Gratifying it is...

to know that chers readers from around the world are clicking on artandhockey since its inception in 2009.
Amazingly, the most visited post is Slaying Dragons of the Mind, which was just a post written on a whimsical spur of the moment - with 'no mind boggling' contents :-).
On the other hand, Hackett is the most sought
out label/reference in the index.
Followed closely by a post of last January 16. when the Griffins came to town.

Whimsical Titles and foreign languages seem to draw readers' attention.
I guess it is time for another post in German.
Which shouldn't be too hard to do :-)!

Besonders, wenn man bedenkt, wie amuesant Google Uebersetzungen zu lesen sind.
Weil Google natuerlich weder Idioma noch Dialekt uebersetzen kann.
Aber davon in einem anderen Post.
Momentan flimmert es vor meinen Augen..
aber das hat nichts mit den zwei Staroperationen, die hinter mir sind, zu tun :-)!

Ich dachte, ich koennte mal was auf Spanisch oder Franzoesisch schreiben, aber fand heraus, mein Wortschatz ist in dem Jahr, als ich aufhoerte die Sprache ernstlich zu studieren, stecken geblieben.

So - bleib' ich halt beim Deutschen - hie und da.
Und hauptsaechlich dem Englischen, was sich nach '-zig' Jahren hier, schon natuerlicher anfuehlt, als die eigene Muttersprache. Leider.
Kommt wahrscheinlich davon, dass Deutsch weniger gesprochen und gelesen wird. Besonders das Lesen.
Buecher auf Deutsch, kommen mir schon so holprig an, mit ihren seitenlangen Saetzen unter anderem..
So, a la Thomas Mann und besonders in "Buddenbrooks"
wenn Leser(innen) auch Latein und andere Fremdsprachen beherrschen sollen.

Und die Klammern (), {},?, !, Beistriche ', - und anderes, was im Deutschen so haeufig angewandt wird, und die eben einen Satz in eine Schlange wandeln .

Da finde ich fast - ich sage fast - die knappe Schreibweise des Ernest Hemingways vorziehbarer. Death in the Afternoon z.B. koennte man, als Corrida und Matador aficionada, fast als Nachschlagswerk einreihen.
Das beste Werk jedoch, wenn es sich um die eigentlichen Stiere dreht, ist Angus McNab's "The Bulls of Iberia"- darueber hinaus sind mir seine politischen Ansichten schnurzegal :-)! Viele Authoren besuchten McNab in Toledo, z. B. Michener und Waugh. McNab war auch als Historiker bekannt.

Eine Freundin gibt mir woechentlich eine Deutsche Zeitung -
so zum Praktisieren meines Deutschlesens, LOL .
Nun, sie hat ja Recht!
Beim Sprechen kann ich nicht verleugnen, dass ich eine (fast) waschechte Wienerin bin. Beim Schreiben jedoch schleicht sich so manches aus dem Englischen ein :-)!
Ich find das ist auch so bei anderen, die, wie ich, schon jahrelang in Amerika hausen.
Na bitte, Feuilletons und dergleichen sind recht interessant zu lesen! Ja, wirklich!
Kommt es aber zur Nachrichten Seite, dann wird's schon eher blah.
Denn ich habe natuerlich nicht die blasseste Ahnung, was so in DEM Winkel Deutschlands passierte und noch heute passiert.
Das Format der Zeitung ist auch enorm. Jedoch der Geburtsort der Zeitung ist klein! Ich kann mir kaum vostellen, wie enorm eine Zeitung einer grossen Stadt waere!? :-)! Man braucht tatsaechlich einen grossen Tisch um sie 100% ausbreiten zu koennen. WSJ wirkt dagegen fast wie ein Zwerg, LOL!

And on the Aeros Front...
the "Sunshine Kid" Kuemper had its first shoot out win against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Stopping 34 of 36! We knew he could do it and he DID!
Hackett being called up for an ailing (again) Josh Harding. A youngster named Jared Everhardt from Lansing College sat as BUG. Which, I'm sure, tickled him no end-just to breathe in the rarified air of AHL hockey :-)!

Foucault chasing the puck

Goals to even the score came ONLY in the 3.-The "3.period Aeros" were in evidence once again. 
By Di Salvatore/Broda and Ortmeyer/Foucault on a PP (as mentioned before - this seems to be a winning combo of solid Veteran and hot-to trot Rookie! -LOL)
And one of the SO goals also by Di Salvatore with the decisive one by Foucault.

Of course, it was another WIN NOT AT HOME!
But we take any, eh?  To keep Aeros in contention for play offs... and it sure looks more and more that way.
Now if they JUST could add a few AT HOME wins {after all in playoffs, lotsa games ARE played there ;-)}

NO sunshine tonight

Sprawling did not help tonight

First OKC Goal in the 2. period opened floodgates

Even though the sunshine kid, Darcy Kuemper, managed to stop 23 of 29 shots the OKC Barons threw at him in front of close to 11,000 'fans' .. Yann Danis got the shut out winner of OKC 6 Aeros 0!


Despite the fact that Ortmeyer WAS back.
Despite the fact the the 1. Period started rather promising. So promising in fact, that I turned to Better Half and commented: "Well, sure looks like the guys came out full of pep tonight. Maybe all due to the Hot and Spicy Texas Caviar (Black eyed Peas.. a tradition at New Year's Eve Parties down here in the South)".

It was however the OKC Barons who spiced up the game...skating well, passing well, penalty kill well done, and making 4 of 9 7 PP opportunities count, plus 2 goals on 5 on 5. And badgering Kuemper who, it must be said, let in 2 that could have been stopped - and he did try - throwing himself into it (see pic).

Despite the fact, that some like Foucault, Rau, Fontaine skated like the devil were after them..
But some of the blame lies squarely with the less than stellar performance of the defense, the offense... two major penalties for fighting did not improve the game, except of course fired up the audience.

A stickless Almond keeps on skating ;-0.

I  do not really like fighting, but the Almond/Ringwald bout was IMO "legal".
Ringwald, not just once, but several times pulled the 'waiting forever behind his own net' trick to delay the game once too often to suit Almond. Why was there No penalty 'delay of game'?
Maybe because it's a newish thing and neither NHL (where it started) nor AHL have decided on how to regulate that.
Well whatever, Almond hot-headily started to 'regulate' on his own, and the fans approved! Those fans, that booed loudly every time Ringwald pulled that ruse!

Linesman holding Tremblay, to save Broda :-)!

The second fight between Tremblay and Broda, alas, ended with Broda subdued and loosing.
Which he seems to be prone to as seen in his previous fights.
Why start a fight when the outcome is negative? A Kassian he is not!

Desperate Measures to keep the puck away?

Despite the fact that in the 3. a bit more pep was shown by Aeros getting off 11 sogs.. all of which Yann Danis stopped handily-with the help of some outstanding defense, I must admit.

Final Assault - in vain - no, single, honor goal for Aeros

And insured that their coach Todd Nelson will be Head Coach for the Western Conference at the All Star AHL Classic Game in Atlantic City. That could have been a HUGE spur for the Barons, especially after their loss 3-4  to the Rampage at Cox Center Dec. 31.

It was NOT a pretty game. It was NOT an exciting game.
You know like some games win OR loose are exciting.
It was a poorly played, disorganized game on the Aeros part, IMO.
And resembled a sacrifice of the innocent ="sunshine kid'!

Enuf said!
Guys, Aeros you need to play more consistent.

20 ways of creative officiating?

No, really I mean that.

Between the officiating of the two Referees (Meyer and Croft) nothing resembled the Van Ryn Motto:"Keep It Simple (usually followed by Stupid-KISS)".

I lost count of the many three on five penalties both teams endured.
And some were called rather innovatingly:

• Delay of game BEFORE puck drop in Third? Duh? 
• Closing Hand on Puck? Double Duh?
• Others were the usual offenders.

At least in the end they were evenly divided 10 and 10, and both teams made two of them count!
Both Cuma of the Aeros and Pistilli (looked like) of the Checkers went down on the ice and needed attention from the teams' athletic trainers. Thankfully both came back to skate some more.
Neither incident was (apparently) severe enough for a penalty on the other team, this time!

Action around Murphy

Now after an unsually hectic fast paced first period in which the Aeros managed 5 Sogs to the Checkers 13,  the score was 1 Aeros - O Checkers..

Eyes-on-the-Puck Endras :-)

Endras simply making save after save - seemingly in most incredible ways...deep butterfly, stretched body, high glove catches, hard blocked shots (you could literally hear the puck striking his pads!)...

Just to recap Aeros Goals:
Taffe, Chenoway, DiSalvatore (1. period).
Foucault, Fontaine, Ortmeyer (2.)
Wellman, Taffe, DiSalvatore, Unassisted goal by McMillan, and finally empty netter by McIntyre, Fredheim all in the 3.

To the far right Ortmeyer and Foucault Goal 2

After Goal 1. PP by Taffe

Samson still looking (for a Delilah, perhaps? lol)

Checkers:
Soryal, Faulk, Staal;
Matsumoto, Samson, Faulk;
and Samson, Terry, Matsumoto all in 2.

Di Salvatore, Foucault chasing after puck



Soryal goal

Sutter (C) consoling Murphy after Houston goal 3

 McMillan=Number 1 Star with unassisted goal.

I truly believe this was one of the worst officiated games I've seen.

And the "Third Period Aeros" DID show up again to win this game against all odds...truly!

Almost unbelievable officiating (all those 3 on 5 calls) plus some less than stellar playing by several Aeros (Cuma, Bagnall (he ought to know better after all the years), Broda, Medved).
Did they, mayhap, mishear Van Ryn's "Keep It Simple"?

Well, whatever the case.
Aeros kept Checkers in check - but only by the skin of their teeth - especially in the second period.

Warming up in the 1. (as we now know they like to do).
Barely making it in the 2. (aided perhaps by ref's calls!)
And roaring back as the by now - almost expected  - AEROS OF THE THIRD!
Win with 5 to 3 vs Checkers.

One down - 75 to go!

It seemed a bit deja vu... didn't it? 

When Nr. 17 Casey Wellman faced down Matt Climie Nr 33 in goal for Chicago,
Wellman got 2 goals on Climie - not quite a repeat of that other game.
But exciting enough to keep us on the edge of our seats ...will he make a Third goal and get another hat trick?
Now that would have started the season off with a real bang.
Nevertheless, the game progressed nicely.






Goal One

From a reasonable (10 SOG  by Aeros vs 5 by Wolves), but scoreless First by both teams, the Aeros went gungho in the second with 20 Shots on Goal vs 8 by Chicago, scoring 2 goals in rapid succession by Wellman 17 (Helpers Taffe 22, Penner 5 and then McMillan 27) - later 1 by Ortmeyer, prominently wearing 41 (must remember that number change from 22 to 41), with Peters 25 and Foucault 13 assisting.

Matt Hackett keeping Chicago scoreless through 2 periods....and getting us to believe in a shut out!



 Goal 3 -Fans Happy

But no, Chicago came howling back in the third with 12 SOG vs  Aeros with just 4..one of which however was goal Nr. 4 by DiSalvatore 14 with Foucault 13 and Taffe 22.

Chicago Goal-fans unhappy!

The lone Chicago goal came at about 4 minutes into 3rd. by Mancari with Doell and Polasek..

 And at least twice it looked to me as if Mancari could have slipped the puck into Aeros net again! Were it nor for Hackett stopping 24 of 25 SOG..
whose glove catching facility has immeasurably improved over the summer! 
And Climie had to eat the loss with 30 stops of 34 SOGs.
Team Chicago a bit disconcerted by Aeros efforts needed 2 periods to regroup!


Sauve couldn't save...Last Aeros Goal

Was the two Too many men on ice, and one Delay of game penalties for the Aeros just a sign of a newly gungho team spirit? All those new Aeros raring to go?

Whatever it was, Chicago was unable to use the 9 penalty opportunities,

while Houston made 2 of their 7 count.

Three Stars of the Game were all Aeros:

Casey Wellman Nr.1,

DiSalvatore Nr.2 and

Rookie Foucault Nr.13.

 Kris Foucault 13, and Nystrom 23 skated well and fast with a certain "turn on a dime" agility which looked so easy.

Peters on the Draw



Caught me a Puck!


Peters, Rau and McMillan did most of the face off honors.

Two melees...at one time

Ortmeyer helps stop the puck!

Prosser 15, Palmer 19 and Taffe 22 played a very solid game.

Rau had some nifty moves as did Wellman.

Joel Broda

Hendry 24 and Broda 56 appear to have taken on the Kassian mantle!

Genoway 39 was somewhat invisible.

Early on Cuma 61 took quite a while to right himself after a collision near the bench.



Team speed and passing, plus puck possession seemed rather improved - but it is early yet!

Over all this first regulation game of the season was up tempo and exciting to watch by almost 10,000 fans!