I needed 12 hours to cleanse my soul and return to a normal state of mind after last night's Rampage loss to the Stars. That should tell you all you need to know about what happened on the ice at the ATT Center. The Rampage team that we watched and listened to for the first two weeks of the season were nowhere to be seen. Instead, last year's version showed up. Terrible passing, no flow, and an anemic power play, including one of the four minute variety in the 3rd period that saw exactly zero shots on goal.
The first period was scoreless thanks to one person, Rampage goalie Dov Grumet-Morris. DGM was outstanding and prevented what probably should have been a multi-goal lead for the Stars in the first ten minutes of the game. The first period was also where we got a glimpse of the return of last year's team. The Rampage were outshot 14-7 in the period and registered what seemed like one shot in the final 9 minutes.
The Stars struck first just over a minute into the 2nd period as some confusion behind the Rampage net and an unfortunate bounce led to an easy one-timer for newest Star Chris Mueller. For the majority of the period, the game was rather uneventful with limited scoring chances for either team. The Rampage, however, would strike in the 16th minute as Garrett Wilson took a beautiful cross ice feed from Greg Rallo to beat Christopher Nihlstorp and tie the game at 1-1.
The fun was short-lived. Just 26 seconds later, the circus music cued up and the Stars would regain the lead. Rampage defenseman Denny Urban was "beat" down the ice on a long Stars clearing attempt and Grumet-Morris felt his only play was to come out to play the puck. Unfortunately for the Rampage, he cleared the puck right to Brendan Ranford who promptly deposited the puck into the vacated net.
The Rampage continued the early-season trend of dialing up the pressure in the 3rd but were unable to capitalize despite being gifted a four minute power play on a "high stick" that caught Colby Robak just under his left eye. The hockey gods would have none of it, though and the Rampage were held without a shot with the advantage. The best chance coming on a Bobby Butler shot that beat Nihlstorp cleanly but rang off the crossbar.
The Stars would add an empty-netter with 21.8 seconds left after two failed offensive zone faceoffs which saw their best faceoff guy, Vincent Trocheck, on the ice but inexplicably not taking the draw.
The Rampage will get a chance at redemption tonight in Cedar Park as they take on the Stars at 7pm.
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