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HHS Member,
The Houston Hockey Series was back in action at Toyota Center for the second game in 3 days after four weeks of inaction. The Willowbrook Wild continued their winning ways against the Sugar Land Hitchhikers in a 12 – 5 score-fest. The Wild came out of the shoot with sticks-a-blazing and notched 6 goals in the first period. Dave Herrmann and Michelle Pata both secured 2 goals between the pipes in the first period alone.
The second period saw an attempt by Sugar Land to cut into the lead with goals from Dan Fuller and Jireh Yue, but the defense of the Hitchhikers seemed to be a length behind and could not corral the Wild offense.
To Sugar Land’s credit, they were able to post 5 goals against the formidable Wild defense. It was “Ladies Night” at Toyota Center with Barbara Bartusiak and Kari Gibson each putting up a goal for Sugar Land. As well as Michelle Pata notching 3 goals for the Wild. Notable accomplishments for the Wild were a Hat-Trick for both Michelle Pata and Jesper Jensen.
The most electrifying athlete in sports entertainment today, Ojinga “The Blade” Green, had this to say after the game.
“We did a lot to beat ourselves in tonight’s game. We had trouble finding our rhythm on a night when the other team didn’t make any mistakes. You can’t have that happen and expect to beat a team like the Wild.”
Wednesday night was the last regular season meeting between the Wild and the Hitchhikers.
*NEWS*
It’s official. We will have an awards ceremony on Saturday, March 27th at the Maple Leaf Pub in Midtown at 5:30 pm. We encourage ALL Houston Hockey Series players to attend as we will be handing out individual and team awards for the regular season. This will be a fun night for all of us to get together at the same time and celebrate what has been a truly memorable season! We will also air the Aeros away game against Peoria at 7:00 pm after we hand out awards. The Maple Leaf Pub will be offering drink specials to ALL HHS Players during the evening.
$2.50 Bud Light and Miller Lite drafts
$3.00 Shiners
$3.00 Well Drinks
$3.00 House Wine
Don’t forget!!! Current HHS Members guarantee their roster spots beginning March 1st!!
-$100 deposit which goes to your fees for the 2010-2011 season!
Have a great week and GO AEROS!
HHS Member,
The Houston Hockey Series returned to Toyota Center last night after 3 solid weeks of inactivity. The Willowbrook Wild played their first HHS game in over 6 weeks having last seen action at Toyota Center on Wednesday, Dec. 16th! It was obvious from the start of the game that their extra Holiday practices had paid off (sources close to www.houstonhockeyinsider.com tell us that they bought ice on Christmas day). Needless to say, players from Space City and Willowbrook were more than ready to get back into the action at Toyota Center.
Willowbrook started the game off with a mid-period goal by team replacement Chris Kuny. Kuny is playing permanent substitute for Jody Wolosiak who has been placed on injury reserve for the remainder of the season. Mike Edwards chipped in the teams second goal at the end of the first period, giving the wild a 2 – 0 advantage going into the second period. It looked as if Space City as turning up the heat in the second period with an early goal by Forward, John Connolly. The Space Invaders kept the pressure on by keeping the puck on Willowbrook’s side of the ice and had 3 solid scoring opportunities, but couldn’t find the net. A major credit to Wild goaltender, Jon Acquafondata, who stopped 18 of 20 shots on goal during the game.
The Wild were able to capitalize in the middle of the second period with 3 consecutive goals by 3 different players. David Sutton, Dan Pata, and Dave Herrmann respectively, were able to give the Wild a comfortable lead. Space Invader’s Sharp Shooter, Darren Riggle, was able to find the net before the end of the second period making it a 5 – 2 game going into the 3rd.
It was all Willowbrook defense from that point forward. Posting a 3rd period shutout, the Wild were able to put two more between the pipes making the final score 7 – 2.
Space City Goaltender Mary Kidd said, “We were a little short-handed tonight and missed a few opportunities on offense. We also spent a lot of time in the penalty box. The good news is we are back at the end of the month and have a shot at redemption during the double-header on Feb. 27th.”
Team Captain / Coach, Jeff Stone, held a post game chalk-talk with his team following the loss. Something tells me they will be ready for the challenge…
Captains Meeting:
- The Captains met to discuss plans for next season last week. There were a lot of good ideas brought to the table to make sure we continue to improve everyone’s experience next season. We still have a lot to discuss before we finalize the framework for next year, but I can shed some light on a few topics so that we are all on the same page.
-The HHS will remain a Novice League. The Captains are working on ways to ensure good competition between each team next season and we will have more details on that as we get closer to the end of the year.
-Due to the amount of interest from players not currently in our league, it appears we will have to add teams to the roster next season. This is very exciting and can be directly attributed to our current players and how they represent the HHS to players in their other leagues! Our waiting list grows every day and will be first come / first served as far as roster availability.
-Beginning March 1st, current players will be able to place a $100 deposit for the coming season which will guarantee your roster spot for 2010 – 2011. The cost of HHS will not increase for our current players and all of your deposit will roll into your HHS fees next season. Beginning April 1st, we will open up our rosters to new players who will be able to place a deposit and get on a roster for 2010 – 2011. If you have not placed your deposit by April 1st, your roster spot will be made available to the public.
-Don’t forget about your other leagues. A requisite for playing in HHS is that you must participate in a local organization as well. Players who have not participated in a local league in the last year (August ‘09 – August ‘10) other than HHS will forfeit their roster spot to someone who has.
-Awards Banquet! We have not finalized a date yet, but we will be holding an awards banquet / end of season party in March. We are working on having this at the Maple Leaf Pub on either Saturday the 13th or Saturday the 27th. We will keep you posted once we finalize our plans.
One Last Thing: VERY IMPORTANT!!! The Aeros are having a full-team autograph session immediately following the game on Feb. 14th. ALL HHS Members are welcome to attend. It’s a great chance to get any of the promo items you’ve received this season signed by your favorite Aeros player. Please RSVP to afarlow@aeros.com and let him know if you would like to be placed on the list.
Sorry for the “long one!” See you on Wednesday!
HHS Members,
Friday night’s game against Space City and Sugar Land saw both teams improving their game and putting on a great show for the fans, friends, and family who stuck around. The game started with a great pass from Ivan Srut to marksman Robb Delprado of the Space Invaders. Sugar Land answered with a goal from speed-skater Sandro Hendry, tying the game at one goal a piece. Sugar Land took control in the second period with goals from Gabe Presas and Kari Gibson. At the end of the second period, it looked like Sugar Land had found the answer to their recent win drought.
The third period saw a lot of action between the pipes and Space City wasted no time in putting up a quick point tying the game at 3 goals a piece. That goal was Delprado’s 3rd, giving him a hat-trick on the evening. Sugar Land’s Dan Fuller was determined to keep his squad in the lead and found Invader goalie, Mary Kidd, off balance giving the Hitchhikers the lead once again.
The Invaders were able to tie it up with 6 minutes left in regulation on a solo shot from Don Rhodes. At that point, it looked like the Houston Hockey Series was going to see its first shoot-out of the season! The level of play really turned up in the last few minutes with both teams scratching to put in a goal before the buzzer.
Sugar Land’s fate was sealed, however, at the 11:42 mark with a goal by David Kaufman giving the Space Invaders the lead in the closing minutes of the game. Although this loss continued Sugar Land’s streak of losses, players from both teams agreed that it was one of the most exciting games of the season. It was a shame that someone had to lose that one…
www.houstonhockeyinsider.com/hhs is back to full strength! Allow me to introduce the Aeros new Hockey Program Assistant and League Administrator, Andrew Farlow. Andrew is replacing Brandon as our go-to guy for all matters Houston Hockey Series. If you need to contact him, his e-mail is afarlow@aeros.com. He has updated the stats through game 11 and will be updating today so that game 12 will be reflected in a few hours.
The Aeros play their final Home game for the month of January this Saturday, Jan 16th. This will also be Canada night as we will be facing-off against the Toronto Marlies. The Space City Novice Hockey League is playing an exhibition Play Like the Pros at 2:30 before the Aeros game at Toyota Center. Leo Skiba may still have a spot or two on his rosters if you would like to join them. You can reach him at lskiba@gmail.com.
HHS Member,
The Space City Space Invaders took on the Beaumont Roughnecks in their second December matchup last night. It was their 3rd meeting this season and Beaumont took the upper hand in the series with a methodical offense through out the game. Space City took the upper hand early in the game and looked like they had shaken off the rust from their last matchup with the Roughnecks. John Connolly was able to notch his first goal of the season in his first few minutes of HHS play. Two other ‘Vaders’ would put points on the board in the first period putting them up 3-0 at the end of the first period.
It was all Beaumont from that point forward. Speed Skater / Sharp Shooter John Leggett notched two quick goals in the early going of the second period putting the Roughnecks back in contention. Team Captain, Ryan Jones, had some motivating words on the bench for his team.
“I told them, hey, this is the same situation we were in last time with these guys. Down 3-0 and we stayed with it to make the come back.”
His words proved true as Leggett put in a Hat-Trick goal for the lead with break away goals from two of his team mates.
The Space Invaders showed great poise without Team Captain Jeff Stone (a recruiting trip to Indianapolis) by not allowing Beaumont to run away with the game. No doubt there will be a strategy meeting upon his return.
Be sure to catch the lone HHS game in January on Friday, Jan 8th as the Space Invaders seek redemption on the Sugar Land Hitchhikers. HHS action will take a 3 week hiatus for the “All Star” break and then return full-steam for the final push to the playoffs. DON’T MISS IT!
Attention Players! If you would like to play in a Novice Exhibition with the Space City Novice group at Toyota Center next Saturday, Jan. 16th be sure to contact Josh at 713-361-7937. This exhibition will play at 2:30 pm and will be a great way to get some extra time on the ice! There is limited space available on each roster, so let me know ASAP if you would like to join.
HHS Players,
It’s Brandon here, I just wanted to sign on one last time to say goodbye! My internship with the Aeros has come to an end and I will be packing up and heading home to Ohio this week for good. I have enjoyed every minute here in Houston and a big part of that was because of the HHS. It has been a blast working with such an innovative league made up of some very interesting players. I hope you all have had as much fun as I have and you continue too! A new intern will be here shortly and Josh and Ravi will have them trained in the routine in no time. You might even have a few surprise posts from me in the future, I doubt Josh will be able to figure out how to change the password to the site!
Good Luck The Rest Of The Season!
-Brandon Biller
Houston Hockey Series Member,
After a short (2 weeks) hiatus from HHS action at Toyota Center, the Beaumont Roughnecks did battle with the Space City Space invaders last Friday night. In a stunning upset the Roughnecks edged out the Space Invaders by one goal at the end of regulation!!! This marked the first “W” for the Roughnecks this season! Beaumont found success in passing the puck and capitalized on goals from John Gibson, Joe Gomberg, and Ben Wood. HHS Rookie, Jodell Almond, was able to contribute in her first game by notching an assist to Gibson for the first goal of the game.
It was obvious that the near double amount of shots-on-goal were what put the Roughnecks over the top. This is a credit to Space City’s Mary Kidd, who stopped 25 of 28 in the net. The Space Invaders had a hard time finding the offensive rhythm that has made them one of the deadliest offensive teams in the league on Friday Night. They will have a chance to redeem themselves on Monday, Dec. 28th as they face off against the Roughnecks once again. Team Captain, Jeff Stone, has issued team orders to watch their intake of Pie and Adult Beverages over the extended Holiday.
Last night the Willowbrook Wild took on the Hitchhikers of Sugar Land. The first period proved to be a dead heat with both teams notching 2 Goals. The Wild proved why they are the team to beat in the 2nd period by netting 3 goals. Jesper Jensen had a breakout game for the Wild by pulling off a Hat Trick in the 3rd period. This victory came on the heels of some bad news for the Wild who will be without team enforcer Gerard Van Der Werf for at least two months suffering a hamstring injury.
Dan Fuller of the Sugar Land Hitchhikers did his best to keep his team in the game by notching an early goal, but the Sugar Land defense could not contain the Wild offense. The Wild scored 8 goals from 6 different players.
After the game, Hitchhiker Captain Barry Price said, “We have to continue to improve every game. If we play our cards right, we could be in a great position to create an upset in the Tournament.”
You have your chance to catch more HHS action this Friday and Monday! The Aeros Front office is doing their annual Center Ice Holiday Special with $25 Center Ice seats for Houston Hockey Series Members! Bring your friends, family, and teammates to relax and enjoy some Hockey during the Holidays!
Have a Great Holiday and we will see you at the rink!
In what turned out to be one of the most exciting games in Houston Hockey Series history, the Willowbrook Wild edged out the Beaumont Roughnecks by a single goal at the end of regulation. The Wild were first to jump on the board with goals by Barry Bergedick and David Sutton late in the first period. The Wild managed to keep the puck out of their net during the first period of play and it looked like they were on their way to an easy street victory. Ben Wood would have something to say about that during the second period with a late goal to bring the Roughnecks within one. Beaumont’s defense was surprisingly stout against the high powered Willowbrook offense by not allowing any goals in the 2nd period.
The third period proved to be worth the price of admission for the lucky fans who stuck around after the Aeros game. Jim Brown set the tone for the Wild with a first minute goal stretching their lead to two. The Roughnecks would answer with two back to back goals in the same minute of play by Sean Lowe and John “Booger” Gibson. The Wild and Roughnecks would exchange goals once more before the final nail in the coffin by Wild sharpshooter David Sutton with 1:30 left on the clock.
Wild captain, Dan Pata, was impressed with the Roughnecks tenacious defense. “We just couldn’t get anything going against their D. They were able to hold their lines and really throw us off our rhythm. That was exciting!”
Goalie for the Roughnecks, Chris O’Quinn, had a lot of confidence going into this game. “I kept telling everyone not to judge us by our first few games. I really thought we could pull this one off.”
Beaumont will have a chance to prove they can maintain their high level of play as they face-off against the Space City Space Invaders for the second time on Friday, Dec. 11th. Space City will be coming off 4 ½ weeks of inactivity from HHS play. Rumors of team captain Jeff Stone holding midnight practices have yet to be confirmed…
Don’t miss the chance to take a long lunch on Thursday, December 3rd. The Aeros will host San Antonio at 11:05 AM for the “Kids Game”. Thousands of grade-school kids will take a field-trip to Toyota Center for the 5th annual “First Flight with the Aeros.” HHS members who would like to attend will receive an additional discount with $25 Center Ice seats. Feel free to bring along your co-workers to take advantage of this discount as well!
HHS Member,
The Willowbrook Wild have proven themselves as the team to beat in the early going of the season. The Wild posted 9 goals from 8 different players with Dan Pata, Michelle Pata, Jody Wolosiak, Paul Roberts, Barry Bergedick, and Dave Herrmann all scoring their first goals of the season. Needless to say, they were not playing the Space City Space Invaders that we have seen in the previous two games. The Space Invaders started off short handed and found themselves unable to get into the playing rhythm that has helped them cruise to victory in their last two matchups. Team Captain Jeff Stone said, “This is a good wake-up call for our team. Now we know what it is going to take to win this thing.” It was apparent from the start that Space City had to adjust their line-up and make some shifts in their lines. They were never able to find their groove both on the offensive and defensive sides of the puck.
Wild captain, Dan Pata, was surprised with his team’s performance in the game. “I was nervous going into this one. You could tell that they (Space City) were having an off-night. Our whole team stepped up and played a great game. It’s nice to get out to an early lead in the series.”
Space City has a one month hiatus from HHS action which should give them plenty of time to shake this one off and prepare for the “meat” of the season. The next matchup will be Friday November 20th as the Beaumont Roughnecks return to Toyota Center to host the Willowbrook Wild and attempt to deliver them their first tally in the “L” column. Don’t miss it!
Players, below you will find the locker room assignments for this Thursday’s game between
the Willowbrook Wild and the Space City Space Invaders!
NBA Visitors Locker Room: Space City
NBA Media Room: Willowbrook
Space City will serve as the Home team for this Match-Up.
Also, think your friends from your other leagues want to see what the HHS is all about, well don’t miss out on the chance to have your team (Adult, or perhaps a youth team you coach) play an actual game at Toyota Center in conjunction with an Aeros game! We only have 3 remaining dates available. Call Josh Young at 713-361-7937 for details. Also, log on to www.houstonhockeyinsider.com to see how you can get your Youth team in front of the crowd at an Aeros game including Birthday and End-of-season team parties.
Houston Hockey Series Member,
The Space City Space Invaders played host to the Sugar Land Hitchhikers last night at Toyota Center. The Space Invaders picked up right where they left off in the season opener by defeating the Hikers 10-3. Space City jumped on the board first with goals by David Kaufman, Claudia Brown and Darren Riggle. Sugar Land was determined to keep them within arms-reach with a crucial late period goal by Gabe Presas, leaving the score 4-1 Space City, at the end of the first period.
Space City proved to be too much to handle, however, and stretched the lead during the final two periods and finished in convincing fashion, the game ended with a final of 10-3. This continues a stretch of up and down play from the Hitchhikers, who have proven that they can be an offensive powerhouse when they are firing on all cylinders. The Space Invaders continued their winning ways and played with machine-like consistency despite a two-week break from competition. This sets up a highly anticipated matchup between two undefeated teams next Thursday as the Space Invaders will face-off against the Willowbrook Wild for control of the HHS in the early part of the season. Stay up to date at www.houstonhockeyinsider.com/hhs for all current info. Brandon has the Stats Page back up and running!
Don’t miss a minute of the action as HHS Players are receiving an exclusive discount from the Ticketing Department for $25 on Thursday, Nov. 5th (gate price $36). This is exclusive to HHS Player accounts, so get your friends and team mates together and come see which team will remain undefeated in the early part of the season. Oh yea, the Aeros will also be facing off against the defending Calder Cup Champion Manitoba Moose as well… This will be an exciting night of Hockey!
Saturday, Nov. 7th is our 6th annual Military Night. The Aeros will be hosting over 1,500 active and Veteran soldiers to join us for a night of fun and appreciation. For those of you who have attended this in the past, you know how great this night is for the soldiers and our fans. Due to our lease agreement with the arena, we are looking for your help in sponsoring these men and women so that we can continue to invite more to the game. No amount is too small. Call Josh directly at 713-361-7937. *If you are able to sponsor 20 soldiers ($200), I will get you a Reebok Hockey Stick signed by each member of the Houston Aeros.*
Have a great week and see you next Thursday!
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