Rampage Fall To Monsters

SAN ANTONIO (January 10, 2013) -- The San Antonio Rampage (15-19-0-4) had their four-game home winning streak snapped Thursday night as the Lake Erie Monsters (19-15-2-1) defeated the Silver and Black, 5-1, in front of 3,389 fans at the AT&T Center.

Former Rampage winger Bill Thomas made the most of his return to San Antonio, potting two goals and an assist on his way to being named First Star of the Game. Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves off 25 shots in the loss.  He had allowed only six goals in his last four games leading up to Thursday’s contest.

Lake Erie has now won seven of their last ten games and handed San Antonio their first lost at home since December 16th.

The Monsters struck first at 14:45 of the first period on the power play. Dean Strong took a cross-ice pass and fired a shot over the left shoulder of Markstrom to make it 1-0. It was the second goal of the year for Strong.

The Monsters would once again strike on the power play when Paul Carey took a pass from Andrew Agozzino at 6:43 of the second period. Agozzino carried the puck across the crease then sent a pass to a waiting Carey who buried it into the net.

Ten seconds later, Thomas lit the lamp against his former teammates. Carey found Thomas coming in on the right wing side and he fired a slap shot that beat Markstrom to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. 

The Rampage would get a goal back at 2:36 of the third period courtesy of Jon Sim, who stuffed in a wrap around attempt that trickled through the pads of Lake Erie goaltender Calvin Pickard. The goal was Sim’s sixth of the year.

Agozzino would return control to the Monsters at 8:17 of the third period when he broke into the Rampage zone on a two-on-one. Agozzino checked his options then fired a shot high that found the back of the net to make it 4-1.

Thomas would add his second goal of the night while the Monsters were shorthanded at 14:05 of the third period to seal the victory for Lake Erie and give the Monsters the edge in the season series, 2-1-0-0.

The Rampage won the shot battle, 29-25, but Lake Erie ended the night 2-for-4 on the power play while San Antonio was 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

The two clubs will square off for the final time this season tomorrow (Friday) night at 7:30 p.m. on a KZEP Dollar Drink Night.

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.