Rampage Blanked In Texas

CEDAR PARK, TEXAS (November 15, 2012) – San Antonio Rampage (4-7-0-1) goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 28 saves, but the Rampage fell to the Texas Stars, 3-0, at Cedar Park Center on Thursday night. The loss marked the first time San Antonio has been shut out this season.

The Rampage were outshot, 31-21, in the game and went 0-for-6 on the power play, while Texas (5-6-0-1) went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

Texas outshot San Antonio, 11-10, in the first period, but neither team was able to light the lamp. Rampage forward Jon Rheault had the best opportunity of the frame when he walked in on Stars goaltender Cristopher Nilstorp with eight minutes remaining in the period. Rheault made a good deke, but Nilstorp stuck with him and made the save down low.

San Antonio opened the second period with more than three minutes of power-play time, as Nolan Yonkman was the recipient of a high stick late in the first period. The Stars took another high sticking penalty at 2:11 to give the Silver and Black a 5-on-3 power play for 1:02. Despite good cycling of the puck, the Rampage were unable to convert with the two-man advantage.

Texas converted on their first power play of the game at 5:53 of the second period when Matt Fraser snuck a sharp angle shot under Markstrom. But the Rampage netminder kept it a one-goal game with seven minutes remaining in the period with a fantastic post-to-post save to deny a Stars forward streaking to the backdoor.

However, less than a minute later, Fraser fired a shot past Markstrom from the low slot for his second goal of the game. The Stars opened up a three-goal lead at 15:26 of the middle frame with a goal from Scott Glennie that sent San Antonio trailing 3-0 entering the third period.

The Rampage recorded eight shots, compared to six by Texas, to try and get on the board. Markstrom also made several impressive saves in the third period, including a highlight-reel glove save with just over eight minutes remaining in the third period.

Despite outshooting Texas in the final frame, Nilstorp was able to keep the Rampage off the scoreboard and San Antonio dropped their third straight game.

The Rampage open up a two-game home series against the Charlotte Checkers, starting at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) and concluding at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tomorrow’s game is a KZEP Dollar Drink Night at AT&T Center, while Sunday’s tilt is an Express-News Sunday Funday.

Individual, and season, tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at the AT&T Center Southeast Box Office, by calling a Rampage representative at 210-444-5554 or online at sarampage.com