Sizzling Thunder tops Aeros for seventh straight victory

You might say Las Vegas Thunder coach Bob Bourne was in seventh heaven following Tuesday night's 2-1 shootout victory over the Houston Aeros at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The victory over the Aeros (35-8-6), who entered the game on a record International Hockey League point pace, was the seventh in a row for Las Vegas (16-25-5). And this one came in dramatic fashion as left winger Russ Romaniuk squeezed a shot under the arm of Houston goalie Manny Fernandez in the 11th round of the overtime shootout.

It was only the second time in 25 games that Fernandez (18-2-5) has lost in net this year for the high-flying Aeros.

But Thunder goaltender Petr Franek was the better netminder this evening, stopping 39 of the 40 shots he faced in regulation and nine more in the shootout.

With the victory, Las Vegas, which now has 37 points despite a dreadful start, finds itself just 11 points out of the sixth and final playoff spot in the IHL's Western Conference that is occupied by Kansas City (48 points).

"I don't even know what to say," Bourne said after the Thunder defeated Houston for the first time in eight games this season. "I know we're playing well. Did they have an off game? Maybe. But I feel real justified with our performance."

Las Vegas, which had just nine victories in its first 39 games, now has rolled off seven consecutive wins heading into a three-game road trip that begins Thursday night in Detroit.

Why the dramatic turnaround?

'There are three main things," Bourne said. "The goaltending of Petr Franek. (Captain) Kevin Kaminski has come back (from a facial fracture injury that sidelined him 29 games).

"And we've had the same lineup for the last three weeks. We have a lot more continuity out there. Things are becoming more automatic because guys are used to the guys around them."

The victory over a Houston squad that has nine more points than any other IHL squad was a big one mentally as well as for the playoff race.

"This is a huge confidence builder for us," Bourne said. "We've played some real good teams during this stretch. It definitely feels a lot nicer to go back into the locker room after a game like this."

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