The all important question is this AM..



Gillies, Peters, O'Sullivan in action around Hackett R2G3

will/can Aeros keep the momentum displayed last evening going?

http://youtu.be/XRYpzkzBi_c

A win would be great when going to Milwaukee for the last one or two games. 

But: Will the Ads adjust to the 'newish' Aeros play?

But: Will the ice conditions make that much a difference?
Ah, well all these questions will be covered exhaustively tonight and the after the game by various  parochial bloggers, the "official blog of the Aeros", the semiofficial bloggers at T3I, and the actual print media guy.

So I shall meander over to the IIHF and report on results there from yesterdays games for those of you, cher readers, who can't or won't spend time on the net:

But I feel it is interesting to say the least, since several of those skating there now are in, or will be with the NHL and AHL teams next year.


Jason Zucker (IIHF Juniors) signed by Wild

That second half of the trade for Anton Khudobin (BTW since with the Bruins he played 4 games and recorded a  .942 % svs), Mikko Lehtonen,
for instance, has been reported to have signed with KHL for next season, so the Wild managed to get ONLY Penner for Anton for sure. Of course, it is possible the Wild may buy out that contract.. but....


So my poor country Austria again the loser with 2 versus Belarus with 7
(and Belarus was not exactly a forerunner up to now) SIGH!
Slovakia vs. Latvia 5-2, Russia vs Denmark 4-3 and  Norway vs Switzerland 3-2.
Hmm, that begs the question: are Austria and Switzerland - being so 'hilly' and better known for other winter sports (skiing), - less prone to manage flat surfaces (just kidding).
Also you may notice that Italy, also a 'hilly' (in the North) nation did not field a team competing.

And France (also hilly) was not exactly a "burning up the ice" team as well. Again am kidding! Although Austria has supplied a few, a very few, good to excellent hockey players to the NHL

(Vanek, An
dreas Nodl 

 
Michael Grabner..etc.).
Not sure why Slovakia,  Czech Republic and Slovenia (all hilly countries to some extent, as well) do so much better in hockey? Goalies (Vokoun, etal), giants-not in basketball (Chara) - and many other skaters.
Is it because these neighbour states of the former USSR followed the example of state athlete training -get them young and they'll do better (vide China's 'baby' athletes!!).
But then where IS Hungary?
Any way just some nagging questions while sorta following the IIHF over there!

Deeply regret...

to have to inform you of a loss tonight.

The Aeros lost to the Admirals at Milwaukie 3-1 in game 1 of round 2.

The honorable exception the lone goal by Gillies, O'Sullivan and Peters in the third..
Maybe the insertion of some new blood (Bulmer) or re-covered blood (Scandella) may have played havoc with the lines.
Or maybe they all got up early to witness THE WEDDING! 

Plus adding Windsor Spitfire Ryan Ellis (he assisted on one goal) fresh from the Minors to the Admirals roster did work out - tonight anyway.

From all heard via the Voice, Hackett was not quite up to it.
So, maybe flustering him by much flurried activity in front of his net,
did work to throw him off his stride, as some Bloggers suggested.

But then..maybe, perhaps, hope so....

the Aeros were just warming, and waking, up after their looong rest!

And the following games will be different!  

Yes, indeed, fellow Aeros fans.

                          Go Aeros!

    

Bullfight favors Aeros..

let me just say this: it was a game to keep fans on edge of their seats.
Four goals by Houston - all in the second period..
Seemed to me like bang, bang, bang and bang..especially those two in tandem by MacMillan.
Followed in the Third by the 'icing on the cake' goal by Daoust.
I mean really, that Number 5 goal wasn' t needed to make this game a winner!
And the crowd of an almost unprecedented number - over 11000 - just roared.
And honked horns on the way home!
What a game.
One felt as if the 'Good Old Days of Howe' were back in Houston.

Anyway, I kept an eye out for 'soft spot' of olden days ;-),
but also kept watch for the 'invisible man' Penner.
What a surprise, he was very visible..see photos below.
And could he skate!  Man, could he skate!
And seemed to be in the right place more often than not!

And to the fans delight TWO fights broke out!
And more stuff went on.
What with misconducts and several being 'escorted' out from the game towards the end.

And a bitter end for the Rampage!
Even that stunning goal by 'soft spot' Mathieu Beaudoin in the Third,
couldn't make the Rampage feel much better!

Alas, the Aeros Powerplay went a bit...soft!
They had a 3-5 opportunity and they could not score.
But really they didn't need to.
Their goals were more then enough to get a big win!

The Rampage, who started out so superbly in the season, are on a downward slide.
It seeems to me, the decline started with the December games.
They just keep sliding!
And having Climie injured, that hurt.
Though Fallon did yeoman's work stopping 35 of the Aeros' onslaught of 40.
It just wasn't enough!

There was one instant when Hackett just lifted his glove
and, hey presto, the puck sailed right into it..
Well at least, it seemed that way to me..so just shut mouth already!

And now a few pictures by artandhockey,
videos, or at least one, will follow manana! 
It takes so darn long to upload into the blog - gotta have lots time to do it/
Perhaps while listening to Joe O'Donnell reporting from San Antonio!

Almond Kearns Fight

Traffic Jam in front of Hackett



 Beaudoin in the midst of  it



Face Off

DiSalvatore and Weston battling for the puck

 The Fritsch and Penner Duo

May and Palmer have at each other, too!

O'Sullivan - DiSalvatore Goal



MacMillan-Ortmeyer-Falk Goal Nr. 2



Daoust having a trial run ;-)!

O'Sullivan pinned down.

Duh, did you see where that puck went ? ;-)



A save by Hackett



Penner-Frisch line of  Defense

The Shadowing (Penner) of Hackett :-)?

Hackett: "Hey Hollweg  get outta way, you aren't made of glass"!

Collision on front of Fallon

A well placed stick makes a puck fly behind the net

Beaudoin Nr. 26 and  Stone Nr. 28 en guard at Fallon's net!

Nr. One Star MacMillan

That's what counts!

Aeros outfox Admirals

Hackett



What a game!

Aeros, in Green, came out firing.

And yet, Dekanich, in goal for Milwaukee, stopped all 12 SoGs.

Hackett, for the Aeros, had it a bit easier he only had to stop 8.

The one powerplay was wasted by Aeros.



And so the first period ended 0:0.



Sully goal

Admirals regrouped in the second period and sent 14 shots toward Hackett, who stopped them all but the one PP Goal by Bourque, which was soon to be followed by a PP Goal by O'Sullivan.  And ecstatic fans are happy to see the light flick on (lol)

Despite two more powerplay chances, the Aeros could not get another goal on Dekanich, he stopped all  other SoGs the Aeros threw at him.
And so at the end of the second Aeros 1 Admirals 1

The Third period saw another pp goal by Bourque.
And then, an unassisted slam-bang one by O'Sullivan which not only caught Dekanich by surprise but also the fans.
Hands flew up to mouth in an "Oh, My God" - "Did you see that?" moment of pure bliss about the lucky shot! And so we were even again and into OT.

Not too far into it, with the second SoG Earl slapped in the winner.

And the Aeros won 3 - 2 over Admirals, which now ties the two in First slot.

Earl' s  game winner

Three stars:

3. Bourque for Ads with 2 PP goals

for Aeros 2. O'Sullivan  (1 PP goal, 1 unassisted) and

1. Earl  with the OT game winner

and a few more 'save' pics for your enjoyment .by artandhockey



After the save.. Hackett



BTW: Scandella recalled to Wild, who still have Peters and Spurgeon.

Dekanich Saves



 

Dekanich



 



A little action behind Ads net!



'Welman' back, Aeros

T'was the night of the come back.
Aeros leave Stars less brightly shining.
In the first period the Stars, by Wathier, slammed one past Anton Khudobin. Moaning by fans started,  quickly extinguished when Prosser with Buck and Scandella evened the sore. Later followed by a goal by DiSalvatore with O'Sullivan and Rau.


McMillan vs Tousignant



Kassian vs Gazdic



A fight broke out between

arch enemies MacMillan and Tousignant,

And shortly thereafter Kassian went fist to fist with Gazdic..and skated to the box pumping his victory fists! (remember Love?).

In the Second, Texas came back with a goal by Gazdic. 

Despite having 7 PP opportunities Aeros managed only 2 conversions into goals, in the 1. and  in OT, later more on that!

Missed that one, sorry guys!

Kinda seemed to me that the Aeros went flagging a bit in the second, they had 14 SOGs in 1. only 11 in  2. but ratcheted it back up with16 in 3.

While the Stars faded visibly from 13 to 6 with a brief flare of 17 in 2

Nevertheless it was an exciting game.

Both Goalies made good to great saves.

A defense was present.

And the offense was pushing.

And another fight broke up the rapid flow - Lukowich vs Noreau at the end of the 2.

And with  Aeros 3 :  Stars 3 we went into OT.

At only 29 seconds into OT, Casey Wellman, he of the Hat trick earlier in the season,

slammed home the winning puck..with a little help from O'Sullivan and Noreau.

And so the Aeros left the field victorious, as they have done several times vs the Stars!

Khudobin really heated up his saves...33 out of 36.

Bachmann was not far behind in save percentage.

HE stopped 39 of 43.

I guess, opponents have O'Sullivans number!

He seemed to be the prey of many a Star.

They squeezed him at the glass.They boxed him in!

And yet, he had 3 assists.

Looks to me the combo O'Sullivan, DiSalvatore,  now again Wellman, and/or Noreau is working  rather well. McMillan showed some talent in getting face offs, as did Rau.

So having Peters called up North did not really leave that big hole.

Kalus did a reasonable imitation of an avalanche "get out of my way or else" ,

As did DiSalvatore-battling for space in front, ready to score!

Buck is looking real good, he almost had a goal. He gained confidence in chasing after the puck,

passed well. He forechecked effectively as did Gillies. 

Earl did OK, not great, but OK as did Daoust. And others.

Anyway, it was a joy to behold an inspired-fired up (those 20 minutes or more seclusion after the last miseerable loss must have done it!) team of skaters and scorers. 

2 PP goals in one night for the Aeros, almost a miracle. 

Although the Stars also had one, with fewer PP opportunites, I may add!

3 Stars - natch all Aeros this time :

1. Wellman, 2. DiSalvatore, 3. O'Sullivan

A typical Anton save

Bachman in prayer?

Penalty Killers right?

Bachman is ready!

Wonder what Bucky is saying to Anton? Hmm?

 I think I know what the linesman is: "Enough with the chat, guys, let's play hockey"

The Stars caught an Earl ?

Hey Bach.. got that one in a clinch! He'll be no good now!

Aeros Goal Nr. 3

Somewhere in the bottom of the heap IS our goalie!

Kalus in motion

O'Sullivan in place

They have his Number - don't let him get away or he'll score again!



Wellman at the draw!



If you don't get out of my way, I'll kick you out of my way-gotta score!

Action behind Anton in 1.

Bachy, my how you can stretch, says Jordie!

Everything you can do I can do better..!

Ecstatic Fans

Ok, now you know how I did it! Am off to whoop it up!

Intermission feature-duck or catch a ball & get some golf!

                             And there you have a few photos of tonight's action, all by artandhockey

      Good Night y'all. Be sure to listen and watch Aeros in Oklahoma. And again, see you on Sunday.