October 2, 2001

Aeros make quick work of Barons
Mary Schmitt Boyer
Plain Dealer Reporter

The Houston Aeros couldn't wait for last night's exhibition game against the Cleveland Barons in Gund Arena.  As soon as it appeared on the AHL schedule, the eight Aeros who spent last season with the Cleveland Lumberjacks circled the date on their calendars.

"We were joking about that," former Lumberjacks Brett McLean said after scoring two goals to lead the Aeros to a 5-4 victory before 817 fans who took advantage of the free admission.  "Obviously, we wanted to play well here.  We had some good memories here.  It was a tough year off the ice, but we all had fun here. We enjoyed the city and the fans."

"We definitely were looking forward to it.  Obviously we wanted to win the game, not just for the 'W' but to show people what they're missing."

The Aeros, 2-0, started shooting as soon as they stepped on the ice and took a 3-0 lead with 10:28 gone in the first period.  That was more goals that then Barons, 2-1, gave up in there first two exhibition games.

"We were taking pictures the first 15 minutes," said Barons coach Roy Sommer, who lost right wing Adam Nittel with a knee injury midway through the first period.  He will have an MRI today.

The Barons rebounded with a power-play goal by Graig Mischler late in the first period and another power-play goal by Steve Bancroft at 9:21 of the second.  But Houston answered with goals by Dan Cavanaugh and McLean and held a 5-2 lead after the second period.

Bancroft scored on the power play again, sliding the puck on the doorstep and Jonathan Cheechoo put in his own rebound as the Barons closed to 5-4 with 3:02 left in the third.  But they failed to convert when they had a two-man advantage for 1:07 in the middle of the third peri9od, and a tripping penalty on Cheechoo with 1:26 left wiped out the opportunity for a power play to close out the game.

"Too much thinking and not enough reacting," Sommer said in evaluating his team's performance.  "The system we're putting involves a lot of reacting.  It will take some time before everyone knows what their roles are."

Aeros coach Todd McLellan, the former Lumberjacks coach,  thinks the Barons will be fine.

"This is going to be a very good team," he said of the Barons.  "San Jose is very, very committed to doing everything they can to make it work and put together a very good and entertaining team."