Houston Aeros Cap Valiant Comeback Against the Syracuse Crunch with 5-4 Victory

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat the Syracuse Crunch 5-4 in a shootout in front of 5,188 at War Memorial at Oncenter. The deficit was the largest the Aeros (28-22-2-3) have overcome so far this season snapping a three-game losing streak to the Crunch (26-26-2-4). LW Ryan Hamilton netted the shootout-winning goal in the first shootout attempt.

Houston centerman Marco Rosa and defenseman Clayton Stoner each recorded their first two-point game of the season. Syracuse right wing Mark Rycroft recorded two assists to lead the Crunch in points. Winning-goaltender Barry Brust stopped 32 of 36 shots plus all four attempts in the shootout, his first shootout win this season. Dan LaCosta stopped 42 of 46 Aeros' shots and allowed two of four shootout attempts tin the net.

The first period was highlighted with three special teams’ goals including two short-handed markers by the Crunch. Syracuse got on the board first at 10:28 of the first as LW Joakim Lindstrom netted a short-handed marker. D Duvie Westcott and C Zenon Konopka earned the assists. C Derek MacKenzie also recorded a short-handed goal at 14:34 in the early frame assisted by Rycroft. LW Peter Olvecky ended the Aeros’ scoreless drought of 158:16, dating back to February 13, by scoring a power-play marker at 15:35 to end the first period scoring.

The second period mirrored the first as the Crunch recorded two goals to the Aeros’ one, this time all at even-strength. RW Adam Pineault and RW Derek Dorsett recorded the goals for the Crunch at 10:32 and 16:32 respectively. Ryan Hamilton set up a good play allowing Joel Ward to take advantage and bury the puck in the goal at 17:29 of the second period.

Stoner brought the Aeros back within one as he recorded his second goal of the season at 5:04 in the final period. D Brandon Rogers and Rosa recorded the assists. Aero LW Benoit Pouliot netted a power-play marker tying the game at 8:42 in the third period. Erik Reitz and Steve Kelly assisted on the marker that tied the game at four apiece and eventually taking the game to overtime.

The game couldn’t be decided in the overtime as the Aeros were out-shot 3-1 in the extra session. In the shootout Brust knocked aside all four shots faced as Hamilton and Pouliot recorded goals for the Aeros’ 5-4 shootout victory.

Notes

- Houston’s 47 shots on goal are the most the team has recorded since they had 57 on 11/21/06 last season in San Antonio, a span of 116 games.

- In the two games played between the Aeros and Crunch the team trailing after two periods has won each game. Syracuse recorded the only regulation-win against the Aeros this season when Houston was leading through two periods.

- The three-goal deficit at 4-1 was the largest the Aeros have overcome to win so far this season.

- Clayton Stoner scored a goal and an assist and Marco Rosa tallied a pair of helpers tonight for their respective first two-point game of the season.

- Erik Reitz earned his 150th professional point on an assist at 8:42 in the third period to tie the game. The 150th point came in his 363rd pro-game, six with the Minnesota Wild and the rest with Houston. All his points were recorded with the Aeros.

For full box score, please click here: http://stats.theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1004316

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