Aeros moving forward

You could say so, this afternoon in San Antonio, the team only lost by 1.
And both Aeros goals were scored by the new boyz on the ice.

Per Voice of the Aeros (to whom we listen faithfully when the team plays away) the first goal was by Coyle with assists by Granlund and Zucker.
Now then the second goal was by Zucker with assists by Connelly and Coyle!
Now how sweet is that! A double dose of Zucker surely qualifies for sweet!

Which just shows the new boys have the talent, despite grumblings from fans that the OLD guard should play and the NEW boyz should sit and take notes ;-).

Matt Hackett was in goal versus Markstrom for the Rampage.

BTW... former Aeros Casey Wellman, in case you are interested, got a assist.

Is the 'system' working?
Are the new boyz stepping up?
Are the old guard on guard to guide the newbies?
Only time will tell.

Meanwhile my suggestion is:
sit back, enjoy a game of hockey, watch the new boyz fly across the ice, and  keep wishing.
At least, WE have AHL to watch and entertain us.

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.

In tune with Inner Self?

so, while I have been doing that for a while - in the world of Aeros and Wild things are going on.
Revolving doors keep Aeros on the move, up and down, as the case may be.

Plus Endras heading back to Europe, so he can actually play!

Kuemper heading to Houston.

Now, how THAT will turn out? Your guess's as good as mine!
Hackett will just have to share his spot in the limelight.
Well, the powers that are better make sure that IS so.
After all, one does not call a very successful goalie to the team only to have him sit and rust. So as not to - hmmm - put out the nose of the Wundergoalie of last year! :-)!

Meanwhile Wellman gets HIS chance with the Wild,

Jim Mone, AP

but Peters and Prosser are back with the Aeros.

While I have been "tuning to my inner self"- very much needed, let me asssure you -
Hockey and Opera have taken back seats.
One's attention span just could not be shared, or else!

Since it feels the way to normalcy has begun,
I start to focus on other things happening, here, and in the world.
Alas, events are not inspiring to flights of  'touchy feely' sentiments.
What in the heck...is everyone going bananas?
And I do not mean bananas in a humorous way!

It's all so very nauseating!
So maybe THAT :-) was the cause of the misery of last week and the hospital stay!
Just kidding - there is at least one physical NOT just a perceived mental reason! 
And now off to Doctors' offices for follow up!

But 'nuf said!

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!

The Red Tide washed away Aeros

Despite large attendance at the game and the corresponding NOISE  Rockford wins 3-2 over Aeros.
The Icehogs skated as if it mattered not and they really have nothing to loose, sitting at the last spot in the West with just 55 points.
In the 1. no goals, lost of furious skating, no penalties.

At start of 2. Rockford scored (Taafe), then Klinkhammer (kinda appropriate lol).
Then on a PP, Casey Wellman scored a goal for Aeros and for quite a while in 2. and 3.
it seemed destined to be a lonely goal! 

Scuffle



Hackett rising from the red sea



Dangling legs and open ears ?

There was seldom a cohesive play!
Lots of scuffling-no penalties called for that:
Earl loosing pucks, passing it behind him directly onto the stick of Rockford player.
Pretty passing wasting PP minutes-sounds all to familiar!
Collisions with Icehog players send a few Aeros to the bench for Jody Green's tender care-thankfully nothing serious!
Most showed up for the autograph session, including the healthy (Fraser, Kalus) and injured (Cuma) scratches.

In the 3.Makarov made it 3-1 for Rockford.
Both teams had 3 on 5 PP chances, but only Gillies, with a puck from Buck, raced toward Toivonen and SCORED a shorthanded goal (5 on 3)! It really was an awesome thing to see. It happened so darn quick I could not catch it with my camera at all.
A real beauty of a goal! For that alone the afternoon was a winner!
Even if the AEROS lost by 1 point!

RED KNIGHT!

And in the last couple minutes Aeros poured it on, but could not prevail against Hannu Toivonen,
a RED knight for The Icehogs saving 36 of 38.
He just had a real good afternoon, saver after save!
He's real quicksilver, and so flexible.
Matt Hackett in net for Aeros with 18 of 21, a couple times he too, tried saves with everything... doing a reasonable Khudobin imitation..sprawling.
Revenge will be enacted, we hope, on Wednesday March 2.
In the West Aeros trail Admirals, followed by Texas, while OKC and Peoria are tied for 4, Rampage and Wolves tied in 5
all photos below by artandhockey..


Catch!




Ah, that feels good!




Ortmeyer faces 4 foes




If one can't beat Hannu, one just joins him in the net!




Twin Penaltie:Elbowing & Slashing



Puck behind the net?



A save  a la  Khudobin




Falk on defense




oops that went in: Taafe Klinkhammer goal,.




Hackett and the "lost" puck





 


Toivonen just falling on it





And about to fall on that one

A fist connects

En Guard

Wellman Goal

Aeros Eclipse Stars with a 3-1 win.. with an add on

In the West:
Peoria and Admirals are also tied with 55 points!
Aeros are now tied with Oklahoma City with 54 points!

Beaudoin

Rampage trails with 53 points after a big comeback tonight (meant to write that Beaudoin, after being out for weeks, came back on the ice AND scored one goal of the many - just for all those  loyal fans still following Beaudoin)  
Stars and Wolves tied with 52.
Icehogs with 43 points still firmly last!

Unbelievable how tight this race is!

And without further ado:

Mr Hockey drops first Puck





Let the game begin



 Stars goal first




BUT Hackett saves the rest



After the Wellman Goal










 

IMHO both goalies did well, with the bigger share of spectacular saves going to Hackett, back in his  Wundergoalie reincarnation.

It was quite an eventful game.

Stars gave chase, passed well. Pounded the net of Hackett. 

But Aeros were flying from one end of the rink to the other, skirmishing, stealing pucks and digging for it everywhere. Inserting and excerting themselves between the Black clad Stars. And catching up the Stars by shots on goal.

Stars' followers were few, their usual screamed 'STARS

 during the anthem sounded rather puny, for a change.



O'Sullivan and DiSalvatore after the empty netter



A bunch of Real Happy Campers

To some hot headed and fiery hearted fans, there was ONLY one fight, and one that was rather un- impressive, between Sawada of the Stars- clearly the winner - and Palmer of the Aeros.
And not much of slamming against the glass either.
So the fans' sound level seemed much reduced. But - ah well I shall NOT go there!

"Unexplained" is the fact that when ever I do NOT wear an Aeros Jersey, the guys win! 
Yes, really.
Of course I am NOT superstitious.
Not me, oh no!
But they do win when I wear one of my others!

And so they did, after 3 periods of fluid motions and 1 goal each.
I still can't wrap my eyes and mind around the saves by Hackett, using all he got. Eyes behind the head maybe? You all saw that one: Reaching back and plucking the puck out of the air-SAVED again!

Feet, legs, pads, body... all used to make save after save!


Actually I thought that empty netter was due earlier - but Bachman, hurriedly putting on the brakes to skate backwards to the net, and his defense guys did an admittedly super job getting the puck away from the net. Only to have one slapped into it, after all that exertion, by Di Salvatore from O'Sullivan just seconds after Bachman, again, scooted towards the bench in favor of 6th Star.

BTW for Beaudoin fans: he's back on ice, and he gets one of the goals tonight.