Gameday! 2/25/2011: Rampage @ OKC

 



San Antonio Rampage
33-22-2-0 5th in West Div. - 68pts
Last game: Lost to Toronto (6-4) on Feb 21st.


Leaders
Goals: Brett MacLean 23
Assists: MacLean 26
Points: MacLean 49
+/-: MacLean +13
PIM: Eric Neilson 87
Wins: Matt Climie 20
GAA: Climie 2.44
Save %: Climie .922



AT






  
  Oklahoma City Barons
   30-20-2-5 6th in West Div. - 67pts
   Last game: Lost to Milwaukee (6-1) on Feb 23rd.





Leaders
Goals: Alexandre Biroux  28
Assists:  Giroux 34
Points: Giroux 62
+/- : Ryan O'Marra +10
PIM: Alex Plante 110
Wins: Martin Gerber 19
GAA:  Gerber 2.49
Save % : Gerber .917


Cox Convention Center
Oklahoma City, OK
7:05pm CST
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
www.ticket760.com



  The Rodeo Road Trip is finally coming to an end after 21 days, 9 games on the road, and over 10,710 miles traveled. Tonight, the Rampage travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Barons for the 8th time this season. After winning the first 4 games of the season series rather convincingly, the Barons have won the last 3 behind Martin Gerber's stellar goaltending. In the last 3 games vs the Rampage, Gerber has pitched 2 shutouts, stopping 95 of 96 shots faced. The Rampage are going to need to attack the net and attack hard tonight. They are struggling offensively and face a goalie that has owned them recently.

  This is the portion of the Gameday post where I editorialize a bit about the state of the Rampage. In my eyes, the young guys are mentally fatigued. The blue line is full of rookies (Summers, Stone, Gonch) who are playing their first full professional season. This is about the time those players will hit the proverbial wall. Mental mistakes have plagued this team all season, but even more so in the last 2 weeks. They need to re-focus and re-energize. The most important stretch of the season are coming up and without discipline and focus, this great season we have experienced could slip right down the drain. Another problem facing this team is the lack of true playmakers. With Ebbett and Boedker up in Phoenix, the team doesn't have a bona fide playmaker with speed. Guys like Watkins and Hollweg have good speed, but don't have the ability to generate offense with that speed. The team needs to shift mentality and become the Texas Stars of 2010. Grinding and physical play is needed. Make the other team dred coming to San Antonio because they know they will leave battered and bruised. This is the time we need Alex Picard and Bracken Kearns to get in the goalies comfort zone and make teams clear the crease. No more finesse.

  The guys return home tomorrow for the first game in 28 days as they take on the evil Stars for Military Appreciation Night. We need to show up loud and proud and let them know we are here for the stretch.

Until then, LETS GO RAMPAGE!!