All photos by Josh Huskin
The San Antonio Rampage have been below average in shootouts for as long as I can remember. The team had skaters that were good at the all-star game skill contest in the Phoenix days in Kyle Turris and Mikkel Boedker, but lacked goaltending. Lately, Jacob Markstrom and Dov Grumet-Morris would carry the offensively challenged teams on their backs for 65 minutes, and then proceed to give up 3 goals in 5 attempts in a shootout.
Last night, rookie goalie Michael Houser turned the tide in the favor of the home team for at least one game. After another game which saw the Rampage dominate most of the game, but fail to capitalize, the home town fans would put all of their hopes on the shoulders of Houser. He would pull through.
The Rampage struck first early in the first period. Newcomer Steve Pinizzotto, playing in his first game with the Rampage, would gather an Eric Selleck shot off the boards behind the Barons goal and score into the wide open net. Selleck and John Lee would pick up the assists.
Less than two minutes later, however, the Rampage would take the first of two "Too Many Men" penalties and just 13 seconds into the PK, the Barons would get the equalizer. After an initial shot from the point was saved by Houser, the puck sat in the crease long enough for Denis Grebeshkov to crash the net and poke home the loose puck.
Just over a minute into the second period, former Rampage winger Derek Nesbitt would carry the puck into the Rampage zone and fire a low wrister past a surprised Houser giving the Barons a 2-1 lead. This score would hold up for the rest of the period despite some good chances from both teams.
A common theme for this season continued Saturday night. The Rampage came out for the third period absolutely flying 5 on 5 and dominating puck possession. Another common theme, however, is the inability to finish chances and capitalize on the power play. The Barons, though, would give the Rampage a gift in the 10th minute of the 3rd period. Twenty seconds after Ben Eager was called for elbowing, Corey Potter would bat an airborn puck out of the air and into the netting behind his own goal, giving the Rampage 1:40 of a five on three advantage. With just 20 seconds left on the 5x3, Vincent Troceck would work his way down to the right circle and beat Tyler Bunz high bringing the Rampage even with 7:48 left in the game.
After a scoreless OT, the game would be decided by a shootout. After an unsuccessful Drew Shore attempt, Ryan Hamilton would give the Barons an early advantage on a pretty deke. Jon Matsumoto would eventually pull the Rampage even on a wrister and with Michael Houser closing the door on the Barons, Jared Gomes would net the eventual game winner for a 3-2 Rampage win.
The Rampage play again this afternoon against the Milwaukee Admirals at 4pm. I will miss most of this one due to family commitments but will listen to as much as I can and will have a recap tonight.
News and Notes:
- Jacob Markstrom has been assigned to San Antonio. I'm not going to say I called this a month ago, but I called this a month ago. He's going to get the lion's share of starts and could possibly push DGM out of consistent work.
- The Ryan Whitney assignment appears to be a "paper transaction". A roster spot was needed for Tim Thomas's return from IR. He was waived, opening a spot, and then returned to Florida when Markstrom was assigned this morning.
- There was a young man (late teens/early 20's) with a Go Barons sign in front of me last night, except his sign said "Go Barrons". The lady behind me, a teacher and curriculum writer, wrote him a nice note after the second period ended and when we returned, the extra R had been torn out of the sign. I have to say, he handled it really well.
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