Cody Reichard mans up at the game

and keeps the Rochester Americans in check through quickness, flexibility, glove catches and using his chest to deflect pucks - just to keep them from going into the net, except for 2 in the second period, and,alas, the third in the SO by Biega, which wins the game for Rochester 3-2.
Overall it was kind of nail biter game. And gained the team 1 point!
Reichard showed his mettle by stopping 27 of 29 SoGs. IMO he has real potential. He may need more practise facing 'shoot out foes'. Good JOB!

Even with a foe on top of him in his net, Reichard did make the save

Leggio, who has improved from last season for sure, stopped 38 of the 40 he was peppered with by an 'energizer bunny' team  in the first and second period. 
Rau with McMillan scored first.
Both teams held onto their 2 goals each on OT  but Rochester scored 3 vs the Aeros' 2 goal in SO. Leggio appeared (to me) to give advice to a Cody McCormick.. maybe how he saw Reichard react? But to no avail, McCormick did not score.
Despite the fact that Rochester sits in 1st place in their division with their penalty kill, Aeros' Phillips with Scandella and Granlund (again laying up for good shot) scored on one of their 4 PP.

Again, IMO, the Aeros' passing was good, the penalty kill much more effective, this speedy and rather physical game made tonight worth watching.

And a fight broke out ;-

Yes, I know they lost 2 to the 3 vs  Rochester BUT it was only in the SO the others gained the upper hand. Otherwise the pace of game was fast and furious with a total of 70 - yes - 70 sogs by both teams.
Granlund really seems to have iron lungs, he was out there so much - it seems he never took a break.

McMillan tried, oh how he tried, only to have the perfect pass from Granlund go stratospheric.

 He tried, McMillan did!

Save by Reichard

Here you are ref.. a puck!

Starting with helmet malfunction?

.

Rau and Larsson inplace at the right time, but no goal afterall.

in the 2nd.:More helmet problems?

Playing hard 'puck' and not taking any gaff from the "foe"-this was an Aeros team not much seen in the first months of the season. 

If they keep this up.....Calder Cup may not be just wishful  thinking after all :-)!

Now - if the referee would have done HIS job better.....

Unhappy, even mad Coach! ;-)

well it was obvious that coach Torchetti was NOT happy with Kosharsky in OT-above.

And the fans boooed rather loudly the ;'non-decision by Koharsky, as well.

Aeros check Checkers 4-1

in front of a measly crowd (but it IS a Thursday night) of  4000 - absent STH must have been counted as well, because it just did not look that full to these old eyes :-)!

But even though they won with the empty netter by McMillan and Fontaine by 4 to the sole goal by Checkers' by Terry, Welsh and Raymond in the 2nd period, IMO it was not as exciting a game to watch as others have, and this one could have been. it was a win at home and that makes up for a lot, right, chers reader-hockey-fans?
Right?

First in line is Phillips.. last is Kuemps ;-)!

Kuemper did extra well, stopping all but that one, which did come on a PP for the Checkers.
Yes, the team's passing has rather improved.
Yes, 2 of 4 PP resulted in goals, by Phillips, Kampfer and Petersen, and Fontaine, Connelly and Petersen in the First.
Scandella with Granlund (he does a good job lining up pucks for others to score with) and Kuemper, put Aeros on the board about half into the First!
Yes, there was some grappling, and one real fight, and yet, IMO, it was just an average game.

Muse Nr. 1 during 1.period

Fredheim on guard

Granlund keeps a sharp eye on puck after face off

Save by Kuemps- first of 3

Second of 3

Saved-Third of 3

All looking, open mouthed, at Kuemper's saves from earlier in the game ;-)

Checkers switched goalies after Muse let in 3 in the First.

Madore Nr. 30 stops one of the 16 SOGS

And Rob Madore (also a 'short' goalie at 5'10), was so good in the 2. and 3. periods that Aeros could not score with any of the 16 Shots on goal. BTW the 2 Shots on Goal they managed on Madore in the Third were - shall we say - less than stellar!:-(
But a win and 2 points that's what counts, right!

Loosing is hard LEM 5 Aeros 4

Zucker after his goal heading to the bench

especially after a fast and furious game in which the Aeros showed some gumption against a strong and aggressive Lake Erie Monsters. Now it would be so easy to blame this or that Aeros player as many 'expert' fans are wont to do.
I disagree.
Yes, the game was lost in a SO against Hackett (some fans undoubtedly disappointed that Kuemper sat this one out again). And, yes, some Aeros action on the ice was not exactly wunderbar!
BUT what made me sit up at the edge of my seat was the 'Energizer Bunny" effect by the same team that played soso hockey last night. That game was boring.
This game was, to say the least, exciting and to watch, at least to me. 
Of course hockey experts will disagree, especially since "OUR" team lost.
Although loosing in either OT or SO, still gains a point!

Another safe by Aittokalloi

Some personal thoughts on tonight's game: The presence of a healthy Scandella was a boon. I liked Larsson. Palmieri (except for his sin bin presence which allowed the PP for LEM ;-). Zucker looks to become quite a scorer. Fontaine, too.
Rau was, again, visible although he only scored once in the 3. He is not a flashy player, but a reliable one.
Palmieri got an unassisted goal in the 1. After Pock and Sgarbossa put the Monsters ahead on the scoreboard.
In the second period Fontaine evened the score, but Agozzino placed Lake Erie ahead again.
The 3. period showed some more mettle with Rau's goal. Sgarbossa (again) scored on a PP, whilst a wild Palmieri sat for high sticking. Zucker then brought the score to 4:4 and the game went OT. No scores there for either team.

I got that one chest high!

Lots of action at the Aeros net, poor Hackett was buried, literally, under a slew of bodies. He did look (but then he doesn't show much on his face) a bit bemused.

I am padded but. all those bodies piled on me..ouch I say

BUT tonight there was neither break nor toss of his stick! :-)

Connolly and Connelly joined at the hip :-)

Pock 22

As an Austrian born I saw with red-white-red pride (lol) Thomas Pock not only carry an A on his red Nr. 22 LEM jersey, but also score a goal (the first one) and an assist later. Maybe being from Klagenfurt with its monster (Lindwurm) made him an ideal LEM member :-).

A respectable crowd of over 7.000 cheered,
and groaned, as well.

Lookee the Puck stops there :-)

LEM Goalie, the Finn Aittokalio stopped 26 of 30, while Hackett did the honors  for the home team with 27 of 31.

Alas, the SO went against him,  as Sgarbossa (bossy aint he?) and Lerg scored, while all 4 Aeros shooters did not!

Coyle's Try...stopped by Aittokallio

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! :-)!

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!

    

Winding roads lead to Wines. Scandella back up with Wild.



Oak Barrels-from them to this


<><>while sipping, one enjoys this view

The Spicewood 'Waterscape'

AEROS update:

                                           Marco Scandella recalled to the Wild - again.

 

Ups and downs in Hockey

just in: 
Justin Falk 'swooping back down' to Houston.
Scandella with the Wild  scores THE  goal.

Can't see this anymore...

Tired, just so tired watching the furious but futile efforts this evening.

I counted at least 15 missed opportunities, besides the 32 shots on goal that were thwarted by Wolves' Goalie Peter, "the Man"nino.

Who gave Wolves a shut out win with 4 goals vs.Aeros 0.

Darcy Kuemper, the young (20yrs), lanky (6'4") goalie from the WHL Red Deer Rebels probably felt right at home :-) with this Aeros team..

He acquitted himself rather well against the ravenous Wolves when he was sent in to start the 3. period as replacement to "Dubie".

As I expected Marco Scandella brawled lustily, dominating his opponent and grappling him to the ice.

Scandella skated as Nr. 21 and Kuemper as Nr. 35.

It started with the Wolves goal just a few seconds into the First by Greg Stewart. with Anthony Stewart and Doell. And ended with goal # 4 by Kulda, Anderson and Machacek late in the 2nd.

5 PP on either sides yielded no goals.

Daoust, Rau, Kalus, Noreau, DiSalvatore, Milroy, Fraser, Hrkac, et al. slapped hard shots at Mannino. Only they went high, to the sides, or "The Man"-nino caught them in his glove, stopped them with pads, stick ....it was wonderful to see that IF you were a Wolves fan ;-)!

Not so, of course for AEROS fans...:-( :-(!

And now I shall turn in-am completely drained watching the guyz skate so furiously, shoot so hard... only to be downed by the hungry Wolves....and more of such slaughter, perhaps, on Friday! Photos manana! IF I find a couple cute ones - LOL.

Good News on the Irmen Front: Baby Boy Irmen bowed in this afternoon, Mother, Father (a healthy scratch-natch) and Baby doing well.

And Mr. Hockey, Gordy Howe, celebrated today his 82nd Birthday!

New faces again at Aeros ?

with "Dimples" recalled to Minnesota Wild, we may see here on an ATO:
Goalie Darcy Kuemper
and Marco Scandella
this suspension must have been taken off,
if the kid (20 yrs) will be on an ATO here in Houston, per Russo.
He did skate a bit here last season.
But could another young "roughie"on defense perk up Aeros?