Iowa Wild fall to hot-sticks of Texas Stars, 7-3

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

CEDAR PARK, TEXAS (November 26, 2019) In a game that saw a great deal of offense and not much defense, the Texas Stars (5-13-0-2) got their second win in a row, and fifth of the season as they downed the Iowa Wild by the score of 7-3 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park on Tuesday evening.

The Stars got off to a good start, scoring two goals in the first 3:36 of play. Left wing Michael Mersch scored at the 2:04 mark with fellow left wing Anthony Louis finding the net with 92 seconds later. The Wild cut the Stars lead to one when right wing Gerald Mayhew final got Iowa on the scoreboard. Centers Rhett Gardner and Joel L'Esperance added to more for the home team, pushing score to 4-1 in favor of the Stars. Mayhew added a second goal for the Wild with 6:32 remaining in the first period to take the score to 4-2 after 20 minutes of play. In the first period, Robinson served two minutes in the penalty box for high-sticking while Mayhew sat out for two minutes for hooking.

In the second period, the Stars increased their lead to 5-2 on a goal by left wing Joel Kiviranta. They also added penalty minutes when right wing Nick Caamano was given two minutes for goaltender interference and a minor bench penalty for too many players on the ice. Robinson served the two-minute penalty for Texas.

One-minute, four seconds into the third period, Wild forward Brandon Duhaime cut the Stars' lead to two with a goal, taking the score to 5-3. Texas responded 18 seconds late when Caamano scored his second goal of the game. He got the hat-trick five minutes later on a break-a-way for his fifth goal of the season, to close out the game. In the final period, L'Esperance served two minutes in the box for for holding. In addition, Wild left wing Mike Liambas, with 8:05 remaining in the game, was assessed two minutes for charging (major) and 10 minutes for game misconduct as related to the charging call/

Houston Aeros Release Two Players

It is being reported by the Houston Aeros, via press release, that forward Mike Bartlett and defenseman Jordan Hendry have been released from their professional tryout contracts.

Bartlett appeared in three games for the Aeros and recorded one shot on goal. Hendry played in 10 games and collected two assists along with 10 penalty minutes.

The Aeros will next play the Lake Erie Monsters on Thursday at 6 p.m. CDT.

They will return to the Toyota Center on Sunday for a 5:05 p.m. CDT game against the Toronto Marlies.

The Areos are a member of the American Hockey League and are an affiliate of the Minnesota Wild.

MINNESOTA WILD RECALLS GILLIES, MCMILLAN FROM AEROS

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 3, 2011) Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled forwards Colton Gillies and Carson McMillan from the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Gillies, 22 (2/12/89), has appeared in three games with Minnesota making his season debut Oct. 28 vs. Washington and has not recorded a point. He has posted 26 points (11-15=26) and 82 penalty minutes (PIM) in 64 games for the Aeros this season. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound native of White Rock, B.C., skated in 45 games with Minnesota in 2008-09 and tallied seven points (2-5=7). Gillies was selected by the Wild with the 16th overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

McMillan, 22 (9/10/88), has tallied 22 points (10-12=22), 80 PIM and a team-best three shorthanded goals in 78 games with Houston this season. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound native of Brandon, Manitoba has not appeared in a NHL game. He was selected by Minnesota in the seventh round (200th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. McMillan wears No. 45 with the Wild.

AEROS TAKE SOLE POSSESSION OF THIRD PLACE WITH SHOOTOUT POINT

HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 16, 2011) The Grand Rapids Griffins battled back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 shootout win, but earning a point in extra time was enough to launch the Houston Aeros into sole possession of third place in the AHL’s West Division race. Robbie Earl and Patrick O’Sullivan scored for the Aeros in the Sunday afternoon matchup before 5,486 at Toyota Center.

Thanks to a 5-2 San Antonio loss at Chicago, the Aeros inched a point ahead of the Rampage in the West Division standings. Houston, which has won four of five overall and five of their last six at home, now sits two points behind the first-place Milwaukee Admirals.

The shootout mirrored regulation for the Aeros. Up 2-0 on goals by O’Sullivan and Casey Wellman, the Griffins mustered three unanswered tallies to steal the extra point. Jamie Johnson, Jamie Tardif and Chris Minard provided the offense in extra time for Grand Rapids.

The Aeros opened up a 2-0 lead within a span of 1:55 in the first period. Earl put Houston up 1-0 with his team-leading 12th goal of the season, beating Griffins goalie Adam Pearce with a wrist shot for an unassisted tally at 7:05. O’Sullivan followed up at 9:00 for his second goal in as many games with the Aeros this season.

Tardif cut the lead in half for the Griffins at 15:41 to pull into a tie for his club’s goal-scoring lead. After Grand Rapids successfully killed off a five minute major penalty in the early stages of the third, Derek Meech tied the game at 9:42.

Matt Hackett took the shootout loss for Houston with a 35-save performance.

HOUSTON AEROS SIGN JED ORTMEYER TO PTO

HOUSTON, TEXAS (Janaury 1, 2011) Houston Aeros General Manager Jim Mill today announced the American Hockey League (AHL) club has signed right wing Jed Ortmeyer to a professional tryout (PTO) contract.

Ortmeyer, 32, is in his eighth professional season and was most recently a member of the San Antonio Rampage. In 20 games with the Rampage this season, he notched three points (2-1-3) and 16 penalty minutes (PIM).

An Omaha, Neb., native, Ortmeyer has appeared in 306 National Hockey League (NHL) games. Last season he played in 76 games with the San Jose Sharks (NHL) and collected 19 points (8-11-19) and 37 PIM.

His NHL totals include 51 points (21-30-51) and 145 PIM in games with the New York Rangers, Nashville Predators and San Jose.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has appeared in 463 pro games and has registered 118 points and 285 PIM.

Ortmeyer attended the University of Michigan (CCHA) and skated in 145 career games with the Wolverines, collecting 117 points (51-66-117) over the course of four seasons (1999-2003).

AEROS SCORE FOUR UNANSWERED GOALS IN WIN AT PEORIA

PEORIA, ILLINOIS (November 14, 2010) Three Aeros collected multiple points, including defenseman Maxim Noreau who had a goal and two assists, and the Houston Aeros scored five times in the second period en route to a 5-2 win over the Peoria Rivermen Sunday at Carver Arena.

Carson McMillan and Jared Spurgeon each added a goal and an assist and Matt Hackett made 21 saves for his first win since Oct. 15 and third overall this season.

After a scoreless first period, Houston’s Petr Kalus scored 28 seconds into the second for his fourth goal of the season.

Peoria’s Derek Nesbitt responded 52 seconds later to knot the score at 1-1. Ian Cole gave the Rivermen a 2-1 lead just 1:17 later.

Houston began a run of four unanswered goals starting with Spurgeon’s first as a pro, on the power play, at 4:50. Noreau scored the eventual game-winner at 10:36 and then Joel Broda tallied with another power play marker at 13:55. McMillan added a shorthanded goal, the team's first this season, at 15:13.

The Aeros went-2-for-7 on the power play and have scored on the man-advantage in six of their last seven outings.

Peoria goalie Jake Allen (17 saves) suffered the loss, his first as a pro, and was relieved after Houston’s fourth goal. Ben Bishop made eight stops in 23:46 of mop-up duty.

HOUSTON AEROS SIGN G TORDJMAN AND C KAIP

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 8, 2010) Houston Aeros General Manager Jim Mill announced today that the Aeros have signed goaltender Josh Tordjman and center Rylan Kaip each to one-year contracts, respectively. Per team policy, the terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Tordjman (TORJ-man), 25, signs a one-year contract with the Houston Aeros after spending the previous four seasons with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. Tordjman played in 45 games during the 2009-10 season for the Rampage with a 20-22-2 record, a 2.96 GAA and a .902 save percentage.

During the 2008-09 season, the Montreal native appeared in 51 games for the Rampage with a 25-22-2 record with a 2.61 GAA and a .909 save percentage. Tordjman set AHL career-highs in wins (25) and shutouts (6) while ranking second in the AHL in shutouts and t-12th in wins.

Tordjman was named Reebok X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month in January 2009 when he recorded a 9-4-0 record with a 2.01 GAA and a .933 save percentage.

Kaip (KIPE), signs a one-year contract with the Houston Aeros after spending the previous two seasons with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Kaip, 26, played in 68 games for the Chicago Wolves during the 2009-10 season totaling 11 points (4-7=11) with 59 PIM. Kaip also played in nine games during the 2010 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs with eight PIM.

The Radville, Saskatchewan, native made his professional debut against the Aeros on October 11, 2008 with the Chicago Wolves.

Kaip, played college hockey at the University of North Dakota (WCHA) where he totaled 38 points (15-23=38) and 230 PIM in 143 career games, serving as captain during his senior season.

Kaip was originally selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the ninth round (269th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

THE AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE ANNOUNCES DIVISION ALIGNMENTS, SCHEDULE FORMAT FOR 2009-10 SEASON

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS (July 11, 2009) American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced that the league's Board of Governors has approved the following conference and division alignment for the AHL's 2009-10 season (NHL affiliates in parentheses):

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Lowell Devils (NJ)
Manchester Monarchs (LA)
Portland Pirates (BUF)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (EDM)
Worcester Sharks (SJ)

East Division
Adirondack Phantoms (PHI)
Albany River Rats (CAR)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Hershey Bears (WSH)
Norfolk Admirals (TB)
Syracuse Crunch (CBJ)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

Western Conference
North Division
Abbotsford Heat (CGY)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL)
Lake Erie Monsters (COL)
Manitoba Moose (VAN)
Rochester Americans (FLA)
Toronto Marlies (TOR)

West Division
Chicago Wolves (ATL)
Houston Aeros (MIN)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
Peoria Rivermen (STL)
Rockford IceHogs (CHI)
San Antonio Rampage (PHX)
Texas Stars (DAL)

The 2009-10 regular season will begin on Oct. 2. The Houston Aeros complete schedule will be announced later this summer. Houston is slated to host 28 games within the West Division, 11 against the North Division and one versus the East Division. The Aeros opponents and number of home games are as follows (Houston plays each team an equal number of times on the road):

West Division
Texas Stars – six games
San Antonio Rampage – six games
Chicago Wolves – four games
Milwaukee Admirals – four games
Peoria Rivermen – four games
Rockford IceHogs – four games

North Division
Grand Rapids Griffins – three games
Abbotsford Heat – two games
Lake Erie Monsters – two games
Manitoba Moose – two games
Hamilton Bulldogs – one game
Toronto Marlies – one game

East Division
Syracuse Crunch – one game

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 84 percent of today's NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the eighth year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2008-09.