 |
| Power
Play |
28TH
- 13.6 |
| Penalty
Killing |
2ND
- 87.0 |
| FORWARDS |
| JOEL
WARD |
21-20-41
(+12) |
| RYAN
HAMILTON |
20-19-39
(+13) |
| ADRIAN
FOSTER |
15-23-38
(+5) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| BRANDON
ROGERS |
4-24-28
(+17) |
| JOHN
AWE |
5-17-22
(-6) |
| PAUL
ALBERS |
5-16-21
(-9) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| NOLAN
SCHAEFER |
19-13-0
(6 SO)
2.06 GA
.924 PCT |
|
| BARRY
BRUST |
24-16-3
(4 SO)
2.27 GA
.919 PCT |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Houston
vs Rockford |
|
|
SCHEDULE |
| 1 |
APR.
18 |
HOUSTON
1 - ROCKFORD 3 |
SEED
3 |
2 |
APR.
19 |
HOUSTON
1 - ROCKFORD 0 (OT) |
SEED
2 |
45-29-2-4
(96) |
3 |
TBA |
ROCKFORD
2 - HOUSTON 1 |
44-26-2-6
(98) |
| |
4 |
TBA |
ROCKFORD
2 - HOUSTON 1 |
|
| |
5 |
TBA |
ROCKFORD
5 - HOUSTON 2 |
|
| |
6 |
APR.
27 |
HOUSTON
at ROCKFORD |
|
| |
7 |
APR.
28 |
HOUSTON
at ROCKFORD |
|
| Rockford
Wins Series 4-1 |
|
SERIES
PREVIEW
|
| Adriel
Bettelheim - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Rockford
IceHogs (44-26-4-6, 98 points) 2nd in West Division
The Chicago Blackhawks’ affiliate made the post-season
tourney in its first season in the AHL and is facing a
division rival with whom it split six meetings this year.
Winger Troy Brouwer is the man to watch, especially on
the power play. Twenty-five of his 35 markers came with
the man advantage – a big reason Rockford’s power play
functioned at an 18.6 percent clip. Center Martin St.
Pierre finished second in the league in scoring with 88
points and second with 67 assists.
Goaltender Corey Crawford finished third in the AHL with
29 wins and is likely to get the bulk of the crease time
against Houston. But the X factor could be winger Petri
Kontiola, who finished the year with an 11-game point
scoring streak, dating to March 22.
Houston Aeros (45-29-2-4, 96 points) 3rd in West Division
The Minnesota Wild farm club is making its sixth Calder
Cup appearance in the past seven seasons. This year’s
edition thrived on defense, allowing a league-low 183
goals against, for which goaltenders Nolan Schaefer and
Barry Brust shared the Harry “Hap” Holmes Award. Schaefer
had six shutouts along the way.
Houston’s 96-point season was a 32-point improvement over
the 2006-2007 team’s record, the biggest one-year jump
in franchise history. Right wing Joel Ward led a balanced
attack, with 21 goals and 41 points. The only other skater
with 20 or more markers was left wing Ryan Hamilton, with
20 and 39 points.
|
|
| Game
1 |
Houston
1 - Rockford 3 |
|
by Adriel Bettelheim
- PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Rockford
Leads Series 1-0 |
Rockford,
IL - Troy Brower and Martin St. Pierre notched
third-period goals to give Rockford its first-ever AHL
playoff win and a 1-0 lead in the first-round series against
the Houston Aeros.
Gavin Morgan opened the scoring for Rockford at 1:56 of
the second period, flicking a rebound of a Kris Versteeg
shot past Houston goalie Nolan Schaefer. Ryan Hamilton
evened the score less than six and a-half minutes later,
picking up a loose puck off a shot by Joel Ward and poking
it past Justin Fletcher.
Game 2 will be Saturday night in Rockford.
|
|
| Game
2 |
Houston
1 - Rockford 0 (OT) |
| by
Don Money - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Series
Tied 1-1 |
Rockford,
IL - Entering this year’s Calder Cup playoffs,
Houston Aeros forward Ryan Jones was still looking for
his first AHL goal and point. Saturday night, he got that
goal and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Jones’ tally at 6:57 of the second overtime propelled
the Aeros to a 1-0 victory over the Rockford IceHogs,
tying their West Division semifinal series at one game
apiece with Game 3 set for Tuesday in Houston. It also
made a winner out of Houston netminder Barry Brust who
registered his fifth shutout of the season and first in
playoff action.
Following a bruising, physical Game 1 that Rockford won
on its home ice, the IceHogs had visions of sweeping the
weekend before heading on the road. Their plans got off
to a slow start when defenseman Jerramie Domish took two
penalties in the first seven minutes of the first period,
one being a five minute high sticking major. Houston cranked
up the power play but Rockford goalie Corey Crawford (37
saves) was equal to the task.
Brust had his most testing save when IceHog Kris Versteeg
had a clean breakaway but found only a brick wall in the
Houston net. By the end of the stanza, each team eight
shots on net and Houston’s John Scott and Rockford’s Bryan
Bickell had dropped the gloves but the scoreboard remained
locked at 0-0.
The second and third periods continued to be a showcase
for the goalies. Brust (30 saves) and Crawford matched
each other save for save. Each team had two man advantage
opportunities but failed to capitalize. At the end of
sixty minutes, nothing had been decided except that Houston
and Rockford were about to play the seventh game in Calder
Cup history that began overtime scoreless.
Crawford had the first chance to save the game in the
first extra period, denying Houston’s Adrian Foster on
a point blank drive and then a close in opportunity off
of the ensuing face-off. Brust then kept overtime going
when he dove out to the hash marks to poke the puck away
from Rockford’s Colin Fraser who was steaming in looking
for the game winner.
As the game headed for period five, it turned into the
AHL’s longest playoff scoreless tie and the 3001 in attendance
at the Rockford MetroCentre wondered which team would
blink first. Brust turned away two shots early on while
Crawford stopped Houston’s Ryan Hamilton on a point blank
chance. Finally, the Aeros caught a break when a Rockford
offensive zone fell onto the stick of Serge Payer. Payer
fed Danny Irmen who broke out two-on-one with Jones. Jones
took a pass from Irmen and swung wide toward the boards.
He shot toward Crawford, hoping that Irmen would be in
position for a potential rebound. The puck had other ideas,
hitting Crawford’s shoulder and flipping over the IceHogs’
goalie, dropping to the ice and sliding just far enough
across the goal line to light the lamp and tie the series.
Game notes: In the first two games of the series, the
teams are a combined 0-16 on the power play…Houston has
now been involved in two Calder Cup record overtime games.
They played in the longest ever game on May 30, 2003 against
Hamilton in the Calder Cup finals. That game lasted 134:56,
getting to the fourth overtime before Michael Ryder won
the game for Hamilton. Saturday’s game took 86:57 of playing
time to complete.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
3 |
Rockford
2 - Houston 1 |
|
by
Don Money - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Rockford
Leads Series 2-1 |
Houston, TX - For almost 58 minutes, Game 3 of the Houston-Rockford West division semifinal series had all the earmarks of
another overtime classic. Fortunately for IceHogs fans, Derek Nesbitt had other ideas.
Nesbitt tucked home the rebound of a Martin St. Pierre shot with 2:46 left in regulation to lift the IceHogs a 2-1 victory at
the Toyota Center Tuesday night, giving Rockford a two games to one lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is set for
Thursday night in Houston.
Rockford coach Mike Haviland urged his team to pepper the Houston net with shots in hopes that they would find a way to beat
Aeros net minder Barry Brust. They did so but it would be the Aeros who got on the board first at the 5:01 mark when a quick
center ice transition led to a Marco Rosa long shot that hit a stick and sailed over the shoulder of Rockford goalie Corey
Crawford. Houston’s first lead in regulation time lasted all of six minutes as following a defensive zone face off, Kris
Versteeg cashed in on a two-on-one break by taking a pass from Troy Brouwer and finally beating Brust. Crawford kept the game
tied late in the stanza, denying Houston’s Adrian Foster with a big blocker save.
As the second period started, the ice surface seemed to begin tilting downward toward Brust and the Aeros’ defense. He had to
be quick to stop a blast by Rockford’s Justin Fletcher that came thanks to a offensive zone face-off win by Colin Fraser. As
the IceHogs began piling up the shots, Houston was having problems getting near Crawford, going more than half the period
without a shot. Rockford out shot the Aeros 14-4 in the stanza but thanks to Brust, the score remained tied at 1-1.
Houston knew it had to fight back in the third and came close to regaining the lead when Colton Gillies unleashed a quick
shot that caught iron behind Crawford but stayed out. Moments later, Fletcher zipped through center ice and beat the Houston
defense for a testing drive that Brust knocked aside.
Just past the mid point of the period, Houston thought they had the go-ahead goal. Joel Ward got the puck back to Clayton
Stoner at the point. Stoner didn’t get all of it and the shot fluttered in, almost handcuffing Crawford. He made the initial
save and corralled the puck just before a Houston player poked it loose and in. Referee David Banfield blew his whistle a
split second before the biscuit came loose, stopping play and negating the lead tally.
Rockford continued to press Houston’s defense and it finally paid off. St. Pierre and Nesbitt broke out in a two-on-two
situation. Nesbitt hit St. Pierre with a pass and he headed for the front of the net. Brust made the first save but as the
puck bounded off the back wall, Nesbitt was there to grab it and tuck it home before Brust could recover to put the visitors
in front. Houston’s best chance to tie the contest came in the final minute when Peter Olvecky had a point blank opportunity
that Crawford (15 saves) stopped. The defense did the rest, holding one last Aeros power play at bay to secure the win.
Game notes: Brust’s shutout streak was broken at 98:03. He stopped 33 of the 34 shots Rockford had in the game…Versteeg
(1-2-3 pts.) has either scored or assisted on three of Rockford’s five tallies in the series…Crawford’s goals against average
in three games is now a microscopic 0.87. He trails only Brust who in two games is sporting a 0.82 goals against
mark…Rockford’s traveling party was minus radio play-by-play man Mike Peck who stayed behind with his wife and new baby. Peck
will rejoin the team for Thursday’s game. Tuesday night, Houston’s radio broadcast with Jason Shaver was simulcast in both
markets.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
4 |
Rockford
2 - Houston 1 |
|
by Don Money - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Rockford
Leads Series 3-1 |
Houston,
TX - The Rockford IceHogs and Houston Aeros combined
for eight goals in the first three games of their Calder
Cup Western Division semifinal series. It took Rockford
a span of 43 seconds in Game 4 to put a stranglehold on
the series.
Petri Kontiola and Kris Versteeg scored less than a minute
apart just past the midway point of the third period and
goalie Corey Crawford held the fort under a furious Houston
charge to give Rockford a 2-1 victory Thursday night at
the Toyota Center, giving the IceHogs a commanding three
games to one lead in the best-of-seven series. They can
close the series out in Game 5 Friday night in Houston.
Much like the proverbial broken record, the first period
was one for the net minders. Rockford’s Corey Crawford
- he of the 0.87 goals against average - and Houston’s
Nolan Schaefer dominated the stanza. Crawford robbed Cal
Clutterbuck on the rebound of a Marco Rosa drive. Moments
later, Schaefer denied Rockford’s Derek Nesbitt on back-to-back
shots. Crawford’s best save came when while lying on his
back, he gloved down a point blank shot by Houston’s Danny
Irmen. Not to be out done, Schaefer stoned IceHogs’ sniper
Martin St. Pierre on a breakout and Jake Dowell from close
in late in the period, both while the Aeros were on the
power play. When the horn sounded, each team had nine
shots on net but neither had scored. Play started to open
up in the early minutes of the second period. The teams
began going up and down the ice, keeping both goalie on
their toes. As the pace grew more and more frenetic, the
stretches of time between whistles seemed to get longer
and longer. Then at the 18:08 mark, Houston’s John Scott
drew two separate penalties in the same sequence, giving
Rockford a golden opportunity with a four minute man advantage.
Schaefer made a huge save on Troy Brouwer to keep the
game scoreless heading to the third stanza.
Rockford came out in the final period like they were trailing,
launching an all out assault on the Aeros’ net. The first
six shots of the stanza belonged to the IceHogs but Schaefer
somehow managed to get to them all. When the Aeros finally
got a couple of chances, Crawford was stellar, robbing
Rosa on a point blank chance. Finally, with 7:11 to go
in regulation, Rockford found a hole in the dam. Nesbitt
broke into the Houston zone with teammate Kontiola. As
Kontiola made a beeline for the front of the net, Nesbitt
threaded a perfect pass that Kontiola popped home to put
the IceHogs in front. Moments later, Versteeg took the
puck in his own zone, sprinted up ice and split the Aeros’
defense. His first shot was stopped by Schaefer but the
rebound came right back out and Versteeg didn’t miss with
the second chance.
Houston then mounted a furious attack, trying to get back
into the game. They were able to cut the lead in half
at the 16:02 mark when Rosa turned a Rockford turnover
into a goal. Down by just a goal, the Aeros spent most
of the final four minutes in the Rockford zone but weren’t
able to get the game-tying marker as Crawford turned away
several shots.
Game notes: The power plays continued to struggle
for both teams. Rockford and Houston are a combined 0-29
in the series…Crawford has played every minute in the
series in net for the IceHogs…Coming into the game, Houston
had held a lead in regulation for just six minutes in
the series while Rockford had been in front for 20 minutes
of playing time…Crawford finished the game with 30 saves
while Schaefer stopped 33 shots in the Houston net.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
5 |
Rockford
5 - Houston 2 |
|
by Don Money - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Rockford
Wins Series 4-1 |
Houston,
TX - Rockford IceHogs coach Mike Haviland characterized
his team as patient and opportunistic. Never was that
more apparent than in the IceHogs’ Calder Cup West Division
semifinal series against the Houston Aeros.
Capitalizing on a pair of short handed goals and two fortuitous
bounces off the end boards, the IceHogs ended the Aeros’
season with 5-2 victory and a four games to one series
win. They now await the winner of the Chicago Wolves-Milwaukee
Admirals series in the divisional final.
Before most of the fans had settled into their seats at
the Toyota Center, Houston was on a power play as Adrian
Foster drew a hooking penalty on Rockford’s Jim Fahey.
Even though the Aeros had a couple of chances, it was
the IceHogs who took advantage of the man advantage as
Kris Versteeg got around Erik Reitz and broke in alone
on Houston goalie Barry Brust. Versteeg faked to the backhand
then drew back to his forehand and beat Brust high to
the glove side, giving Rockford the early lead. Brust
and Rockford’s Corey Crawford were perfect the rest of
the way, handling the remaining shots on net in the period.
Feeling its season drifting away, Houston came out to
start the second with some urgency. Crawford was still
on his game, making several saves in close. Rockford continued
its patient play and it paid off at 13:22 of the period
when a drive by Fahey kicked off the backboards away from
Brust and right to Michael Blunden who popped it into
the wide open net to stretch the lead to 2-0. The Aeros
needed an answer and got it off the stick of Peter Olvecky
who followed his own rebound and beat Crawford at the
14:33 mark. Houston out shot Rockford 14-8 in the middle
stanza but still found themselves trailing 2-1 heading
for the third.
The end boards were unkind to Brust a second time early
in the final period. As the net minder went behind the
net to play the puck on a clearing, it took a weird hop
through the restricted area right to Bryan Bickell who
had a wide open cage to shoot into. The goal at 1:13 restored
Rockford’s two goal lead. The back-breaking goal came
again with the IceHogs killing a penalty. Jake Dowell
broke in on Brust who made the initial save. Dowell’s
momentum took him into Brust who lost the puck and Dowell
tucked it in to make the score 4-1.
A subsequent Rockford penalty gave the Aeros a 47 second
two-man advantage. Houston coach Kevin Constantine made
the unusual move of pulling Brust, giving his team a 6-on-3
advantage with more than half the period still remaining.
Even with the three extra players, Houston’s power play
was held scoreless, effectively taking both the team and
its fans out of the game. Morten Madsen gave the faithful
a glimmer of hope, converting a Olvecky pass at the 12:26
mark to trim the lead to 4-2. Constantine gambled again
with 6:41 remaining, pulling Brust for an extra skater
for the second time in the stanza. The strategy backfired
with 4:25 left when Derek Nesbitt got the puck in the
Houston end and from his knees buried the puck in the
open net.
Game notes: Rockford won two of the three games
between the two team played in Houston during the regular
season. In the series, the IceHogs took all three road
contests…Both teams were perfect killing penalties in
the series, joining the Manchester Monarchs with unblemished
PK stats. Manchester lost their series to Providence in
a four game sweep. In all, the Aeros and IceHogs combined
for an astonishing 0-39 in the series…Despite giving up
two goals for the first time in the series, Crawford stopped
27 out of Houston’s 29 shots in the game. His counterpart
Brust finished with 20 saves…Rockford’s lead at the end
of the first period was the first time in the series that
either team led going into an intermission. In the previous
four games, the score was tied at the end of every first
and second period…Four of the IceHogs’ goals in the game
were unassisted.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Power
Play |
7TH
- 18.6 |
| Penalty
Killing |
11TH
- 84.0 |
| FORWARDS |
| MARTIN
ST. PIERRE |
21-67-88
(+3) |
| PETRI
KONTIOLA |
18-50-68
(+17) |
| TROY
BROUWER |
35-19-54
(-8) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| PRESTIN
RYAN |
7-17-24
(+1) |
| JUSTIN
FLETCHER |
5-11-16
(+3) |
| DANNY
RICHMOND |
2-12-14
(+8) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| COREY
CRAWFORD |
29-19-5
(3 SO)
2.83 GA
.907 PCT |
|
| WADE
FLAHERTY |
13-8-1
(2 SO)
2.54 GA
.917 PCT |
|
|
|
