San Antonio Rampage
36-25-3-0 6th in West Div. - 75pts
Last game: Lost to Manitoba (7-2) on Mar. 12th
Leaders
Goals: Alex Picard 20
Assists: Garrett Stafford 28
Points: Mathieu Beaudoin 41
+/-: Nick Ross +7
PIM: Dane Byers 130
Wins: Matt Climie 23
GAA: Climie 2.60
Save %: Climie .916
VS
Grand Rapids Griffins
31-25-2-8 6th in North Div. - 72pts
Last game: Defeated OKC (5-2) on Mar. 12th
Leaders
Goals: Jamie Tardif 26
Assists: Ilari Filppula 36
Points: Filppula 56
+/-: Derek Meech +22
PIM: Greg Amadio 197
Wins: Jordan Pearce 15
GAA: Pearce 2.76
Save %: Pearce .912
AT&T Center
San Antonio TX
4:30pm CDT
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
www.ticket760.com
I will keep the comments about last night's embarrassment to a minimum. With the exception of the usual hard working guys, the team didn't show up to compete. Injuries have really taken their toll on the team and the lack of depth is starting to catch up with them. Finally, to completely meltdown like Matt Climie and Max Goncharov did is completely unprofessional and juvenile. And for fans to cheer those actions is even more embarrassing. A quick rundown of the events.
Climie gives up a tough goal early on a bad defensive breakdown. A couple minutes later, a deflected puck shot by a Moose player goes high in the air near Climie's net. He attempts to bat it away with his goalie stick but misses. Chris Summers attempts to keep the puck out of the net with his left hand, but his hand hits the post and jars the puck loose. The puck falls to the ice and it isn't immediately clear whether it crossed the line completely. Light goes on, goal judge says it's in. Referee, having not seen the play, confers with judge for about 5 seconds, and calls it a good goal. Matt Climie proceeds to lose his mind. First jawing at the ref, then the two linesmen. When the players are heading back to center ice, Climie says something and makes a motion to the goal judge, goal judge shrugs his shoulders as if to say, "I saw what I saw". Climie proceeds to skate behind the net and take a full two handed overhead swing at the pane of the glass in front of the judge with his stick. 10 minute misconduct. Goncharov is selected to serve the penalty. He heads to the box, proceeds to slam his stick against the bench, and sends the broken blade flying into the stands, hitting a fan in the process. Climie is initially sent to the locker room and a Game Misconduct is announced. About 10 minutes later, Climie returned to the bench. Both times, he got a pretty big round of applause from the "idiot fans" as I called them.
For the record, I was initially angry at the call as well, but after seeing the replay, I'm pretty sure the correct call was made.
Moving on...
This afternoon, the Rampage take on the Grand Rapids Griffins in a Sunday matinee. The Griffins head to San Antonio on the last day of a 3 in 3 after splitting a couple of high scoring contests with the Barons in Oklahoma City. The Griffins have really kicked their offense into high gear as of late. They are still prone to giving up goals in bunches, but they can really put the puck into the back of the net.
Next week/weekend, the Rampage will have 4 straight games vs. the top 2 teams in the division. After back to back home tilts with Milwaukee, the Rampage will have a home and home with 2nd place Houston. These 4 games will quite possibly make or break this 2011 season. They need to get healthy fast. More importantly, they need to get their heads screwed back on. More crap like last night will only dig this team into a deeper hole.
I'll be at my first pre-game skate of the year. So look for the guy that makes Alex Picard look like Brian Boitano. Until then, LETS GO RAMPAGE!!
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