By Jen Sharpe
www.moosehockey.com
The Houston Aeros defeated the Manitoba Moose 4-1 Saturday night, sweeping the four-game season series between both clubs. Manitoba-born Barry Brust stopped 39 of 40 shots for his sixth win of the season, defeated only by Moose forward Jason Jaffray, who was playing in his first game since being reassigned by Vancouver.
>> Click here to see official scorer's sheet
First Period
Within the game's first five minutes, Manitoba and Houston traded a trio of penalties, with the Aeros netting a two-minute man-advantage at the tail end of the infractions. As Jason Jaffray served time in the penalty box, Houston's Peter Olvecky tipped Jon Awe's slapshot behind Moose goalie Cory Schneider to score the first goal of the game at 5:42.
As the period progressed, Ryan Hamilton and Steve Kelly extended Houston's lead. Poised in front of Schneider, Hamilton fired one shot on the Manitoba rookie then pushed his own rebound across the goal-line to put the Aeros up 2-0. Four minutes later, Kelly posted his tenth of the year to extend that lead to three.
Tempers flared after Kelly's goal. Following a collision near the benches, Moose d-man Zack FitzGerald and John Scott met for a bloody encounter that resulted in fighting and match cross-checking penalties to Manitoba's #18, as well as fighting, instigating, and misconduct penalties to Scott.
A tripping penalty to Houston's Paul Albers at the 18:00 mark gave Manitoba a period-closing powerplay, but the Moose were unable to beat Barry Brust and headed to the first intermission down 3-0.
Second Period
1:32 into the second, Benoit Pouliot offered the Moose their third powerplay of the game by taking a five minute high-sticking major. With 1:15 left in the man-advantage, the Aeros took a second penalty and Manitoba benefited from a five-on-three.
Houston managed to clear the puck a handful of times, but Jason Jaffray eventually connected on the powerplay and fired the puck past Brust to put the Moose on the scoreboard at 5:51.
Though a Michael Grabner breakaway failed to put the Moose within one, a behind-the-net bust-up between Greg Classen and Maxim Noreau got fans on their feet. Five-on-five play resumed after the fight, but Houston and Manitoba soon earned their fourth and sixth powerplays respectively.
Though neither team added to their goal total, Manitoba surged ahead in the shot department, firing 15 shots to Houston's three in the second period.
Third Period
A hooking penalty to Kelly late in the second put the Moose on the man-advantage to start the third, but Houston successfully killed that powerplay and stayed up 3-1.
As the game approached the midway point of the final frame, Pouliot gave the Aeros some extra breathing room. With help from Cal Clutterbuck and Paul Albers, Pouliot beat Schneider on Houston's 19th shot of the game to give the home team a 4-1 lead.
An eighth Moose powerplay late in the third offered the visitors their final good chance to narrow the gap, but Brust and Aeros penalty killers held strong to secure a 4-1 win and sweep this season's four-game series with Manitoba.
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| SCORING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Manitoba |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Houston |
3 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
Jan 12, 2008 - Toyota Center FIRST PERIOD:1. Houston, P. Olvecky (7) (J. Awe, S. Payer) 5:42 PP 2. Houston, R. Hamilton (6) (B. Rogers, C. Clutterbuck) 12:02 3. Houston, S. Kelly (10) (P. Olvecky, P. Kalus) 16:18 Penalties - B. Moran Mtb (hooking) 1:19, P. Albers Hou (hooking) 1:29, J. Jaffray Mtb (hooking) 4:21, M. Raymond Mtb (tripping) 6:19, Z. FitzGerald Mtb (fighting, match - fighting 47.14) 16:33, J. Scott Hou (instigating, fighting, misconduct - instigating 47.10) 16:33, P. Albers Hou (tripping) 18:00 SECOND PERIOD:4. Manitoba, J. Jaffray (11) (B. Moran, J. Sharrow) 5:51 PP Penalties - B. Pouliot Hou (major - high-sticking) 1:32, B. Rogers Hou (tripping) 5:18, G. Classen Mtb (fighting) 8:10, M. Noreau Hou (fighting) 8:10, M. Grabner Mtb (tripping) 10:45, P. Kalus Hou (holding the stick) 12:36, S. Kelly Hou (hooking) 19:54 THIRD PERIOD:5. Houston, B. Pouliot (6) (C. Clutterbuck, P. Albers) 8:56 Penalties - D. Irmen Hou (interference) 15:40, S. Kelly Hou (hooking) 19:11
| SHOTS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| Manitoba |
10 |
15 |
14 |
39 |
| Houston |
10 |
3 |
7 |
20 |
POWER PLAYS:Manitoba Moose 1-8. Houston Aeros 1-5. GOALTENDERS:Manitoba Moose Schneider 21-12-2 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 59:51 SV: 16 GA: 4 [L] Houston Aeros Brust 24-16-3 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 60:00 SV: 38 GA: 1 [W]
Attendance:
8,178
- HOU - Peter Olvecky
- HOU - Barry Brust
- HOU - Cal Clutterbuck
- The Moose bus out to San Antonio for a matinee match-up vs. the Rampage tomorrow. Manitoba closes out its four-game Texas road-trip Tuesday night in San Antonio.
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Updated: Jan. 12, 2008 at 10:13 PM CST
