Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Gameday! 12/29: Rampage vs. Oklahoma City

 



San Antonio Rampage
22-9-1-0 1st in Western Div. - 45pts
Last game: Lost to Houston (2-1) on Dec 27th.


Leaders
Goals: Brett MacLean  14
Assists: MacLean/Stafford 17
Points: MacLean  31
+/-: Chris Summers +11
PIM: Eric Neilson 46
Wins: Matt Climie 13
GAA: Climie 2.45
Save %: Climie .924



VS






  
  Oklahoma City Barons
   16-12-1-4 7th in West Div. - 37pts
   Last game:Lost to Texas (4-3 in SO) on Dec 28th





Leaders
Goals: Liam Reddox/Colin McDonald 15
Assists: Alexandre Giroux 20
Points: Giroux 30
+/- : Liam Reddox +11
PIM: Alex Plante 68
Wins: Martin Gerber 11
GAA:  Gerber 2.45
Save % : Gerber .917


AT&T Center
San Antonio, TX
7:00pm CST
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
www.ticket760.com



  The Rampage look to continue their success against OKC tonight as they take on the Barons for the first time at home. The Rampage have played the Barons 3 times in OKC, winning all three games. Tonight is the first of two consecutive meetings with the second game being played New Years Eve.

  The Barons are a high powered offensive team but can have issues keeping the puck out of their own goal at times. They have NHL experienced goaltending with Martin Gerber between the pipes, but their defense is more geared to provide offense. Alex Giroux is a former 60 goal scorer and definitely a player to keep an eye on at all times.

  Monday night, the Rampage fell to Houston 2-1. After jumping out to an early lead on a Bracken Kearns power play goal, the Rampage would give up 2 goals in the first period on bad defensive breakdowns. On the first goal, Nick Ross failed an attempted backhanded dump in a bouncing puck played by Aeros goalie Anton Khudobin, having the puck bounce over his stick and setting up Carson MacMillan with an easy entry into the zone. MacMillan beat Al Montoya with a wrister glove side, putting the puck in the only place he could. On the second goal, Defenseman Michael Stone made a horrible read on a pinch in, got turned around the wrong way, then seemed to quit skating leading to an easy 2 on 1 that Robbie Earl finished off. Neither goal can be blamed on Montoya. His defense just left him out to dry...again.

  Speaking of Montoya, some very misguided Rampage fans should probably learn the game a little more before booing Montoya for a whole game. Yes, he has had a couple stinkers. So has Climie and almost every other goalie in the AHL. As I walked out the other night, a certain fan was lamenting how it was somehow Montoya's fault that he gave up 2 goals and lost. All while the offense got off 40 shots and couldn't net more than 1 goal. I'm all for criticism when it's due, just ask the people that sit around me, but Montoya deserves our respect and cheers until he does something poorly. And Monday night, he did very little wrong.


  For anyone that DVR'd the game Monday, my wife and I can be seen right after the lone Rampage goal cheering. We each have white jerseys on and are on for about 4 seconds. /shamelessplug

 Injuries and callups are affecting this offense. The loss of playmakers and speed was very apparent Monday. Yes, they got off 40 shots. But very few of those were solid scoring chances. When Ryan Weston is second on the team in shots taken, depth is an issue.

  Defenseman Nolan Yonkman was placed on waivers by Phoenix yesterday. If he is not claimed, he will, in all likelihood, be re-assigned to the Rampage. This will make the already murky veteran situation even more so. The Rampage already have to sit one vet a night. If/when he returns, that number will go to two unless someone gets released.

  Coyotes Taylor Pyatt skated with the Coyotes yesterday in their pre-game skate and is expected to be removed from the IR list any day now. When that happens, I expect Mikkel Boedker to return to San Antonio. Boedker, however has played well in his 2 games since being called up so anything is possible.

  In former Rampage player news, Tim Stapleton was assigned to the Chicago Wolves earlier this week. This can mean only one thing, he will get a hat trick the first time these two teams play again.

That's all for now. See you at the rink and LET'S GO RAMPAGE!!!!

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