Another quick look at the week that was, with the AHL Aeros and around the Wild prospects in junior hockey...

In the AHL - ah, you have to love minor hockey.  The Aeros got stuck playing three days in a row over the weekend, sandwiching two home games with Milwaukee around a quick Saturday jaunt over to visit truly awful San Antonio.

Friday, defenseman Clayton Stoner broke a 0-0 deadlock just six seconds into the third period, scoring his second of the year (a fluke that took a weird hop and rolled into an uncovered net) and setting an Aeros record for fastest goal to start a period.  However, Milwaukee tied the game, and former Aero Ryan Jones, traded to Nashville in the off-season for Marek Zidlicky, got the game-winner in overtime to knock off the Aeros.

Saturday, Houston got back on the winning track, beating San Antonio 3-1 behind two goals from Krys Kolanos, who apparently is starting to get the lead out a bit.  It's his third multi-goal game this year.  Peter Olvecky missed a penalty shot as well, but got an assist to record his 100th AHL point.

Sunday, the Aeros fell behind 2-1, but then got things going with two moves: pulling rock-steady starting goalie Nolan Schaefer for backup Barry Brust, and what has to be forward Morten Madsen's first fight since the third grade.  Houston ended up with the 4-2 victory, as Corey Locke scored twice to break a 13-game drought, and Krys Kolanos netted his third of the weekend.

For the year, Kolanos remains the team's main standout; he has 12 goals in 13 games with Houston. Locke leads the team with 5-15--20; Stoner leads all defensemen with 2-12--20.  In goal, Schaefer has the majority of the minutes and has posted a 2.47 GAA and a .910 save percentage.  Brust has posted 2.38 and .916, playing about once every three games.

Amongst the youngsters, we start with defenseman Tyler Cuma, whose Ottawa (OHL) 67's split a pair of games with the Oshawa John Tavareses and picked up two wins over the weekend against the Doug Gilmour-coached Kingston Frontenacs.  Cuma had his best stretch of the year so far, picking up an assist in three of the four games - although he was a -1 in both games with Oshawa and in the second against Kingston.

Meanwhile, Val d'Or (QMJHL) defenseman Marco Scandella had one assist in three games and was a -1 - but the Foreurs remain on the bottom of the QMJHL, despite picking up just their fifth win of the season against Cape Breton.

Cody Almond's Kelowna (WHL) Rockets played only one game, whacking Chillwack 3-0.  Almond picked up his 11th assist of the year, helping on a short-handed goal, and has 23 points in 23 games.

Meanwhile, Calgary continues to dominate the WHL Eastern Division - the Hitmen scored 13 goals in two games, and forward Carson McMillan picked up a goal and two assists in the two victories. McMillan has 13-14--27 in 25 games - but is still only fourth in points on the high-powered Hitmen.

In the college ranks, Sean Lorenz (D-Notre Dame, CCHA) didn't score in either game, as the Fighting Irish got three points against Western Michigan and moved up to become the nation's #1 team.  Kyle Medvec (D-Vermont, Hockey East) was +1 in each of two Catamount wins. Anthony Aiello (D-Boston College, Hockey East) played in two Eagles wins, but apparently has been demoted to checking-line center.  And Chris Hickey (F-Wisconsin, WCHA) didn't play over the weekend, and continues to struggle to crack the Badgers' fourth line.

Wild Minor League Player of the Week: Krys Kolanos, Houston, 3-1--4 in three games.
Wild Prospect of the Week: Tyler Cuma, Ottawa 67's, although mostly because none of the WIld players in juniors particularly knocks anybody's socks off.