Coach Todd Nelson frustrated after Barons loss

Houston outshot and outplayed the Barons, but the teams somehow were tied after two periods. The Aeros continued to control play, scoring two third-period goals to leave the Cox Convention Center with a 6-4 win.

“This is unacceptable,” said Barons coach Todd Nelson. “It just comes down to getting ready for the game. There was no emotion today in the pregame skate. There was no emotion on the bench. We've got to come ready to play.”

The Barons played most of the final two periods without Edmonton Oilers 19-year-old star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who left early in the second period after some of his teeth were pushed back after he took a stick to the face.

“That had an impact,” Nelson said. “But it wasn't just that. As a group, we didn't come to play tonight. We were very lethargic in a lot of different areas.”

The most glaring stat was Houston outshot OKC 39-20. The Barons were fortunate to be tied 4-4 after two periods.

“We just got outcompeted,” said winger Jordan Eberle. “We were sloppy in our own end, moving the puck up. Once we got the puck up (ice), we turned it over too many times at the blue line.”

The Barons fired 30 or more shots on goal in each of their first five games and were among the league leaders, averaging nearly 33 shots a game.

In Friday's loss, it was the Aeros who were peppering Yann Danis, the reigning AHL goaltender of the year.

“He was left hanging when you give up (nearly) 40 shots,” Nelson said. “That's something we don't normally do.”