Two Weeks, Four Games, Zero Answers.

       The San Antonio Rampage are four games into this 2012/13 season. We fans know as much as about the team now as we did 4 weeks ago before training camp started.

       We know they have above average goaltending. We know their defense will work hard and give maximum support to the two goalies. We know the talent level isn't on par with the other teams in the division not playing in Cedar Park.

       None of these statements are revelations to anyone that's been paying attention. The team is still a defense first squad that is going to have major issues scoring on a consistent basis. Yes, they went out and acquired a couple of 20 goal scorers in JF Jacques and Andre Deveaux. But lets be honest here, those guys are not going to make us forget about Jon Matsumoto or Bill Thomas. They are finishers that can score the greasy goals, like say... a deflection off a skate while getting ridden out of the crease. That's not to say those types aren't needed. They are.

       What this team doesn't have are established play makers. Rookies Quinton Howden and Drew Shore are playing well. And they have the potential to be those play makers we so desperately need. But, they are rookies, after all. Casey Wellman is supposed to be that guy, but through four games so far, he has been a passenger watching as the Rampage struggle to not only put pucks in the net, but struggle to even get pucks on the net. In three out of four games, the Rampage have been held under 20 shots. In the fourth, a 3-2 victory over Houston, they managed 15 through 20 minutes and just 13 more for the remainder of the game.

       Now, you're reading this and thinking, "That's an awful lot of doom and gloom this early". All is not gloomy. The goaltending is as advertised. Dov Grumet-Morris has been outstanding through two games going 1-1 with a 1.01 GAA and stopping 57 of 59 shots seen. Phenom Jacob Markstrom was outstanding in the Houston victory holding a high powered Aeros squad to just two goals despite 9!! penalty kills. Markstrom didn't have good numbers in OKC on Friday, but by all accounts, the Barons were running the Rampage out of the gym and he had little to no defensive help.

       The whole team plays with an edge, which I like. The edge needs to be fine tuned though. The Rampage took 17 penalties in the first two games and spent roughly 1/3 of each game on the PK. The last two games, the discipline has been better, but the edge was still there. We need more of this all season.

       The Rampage won't win many shootouts in this year's AHL. But they can do their best to limit the damage created by the opposing teams. The need to cash in on opportunities and keep the physicality ratcheted up at a high level. Saturday's win over Milwaukee was vintage Rampage hockey. The casual fans will be taking to Twitter and Facebook to gripe, I'm sure.
       Me? I'm going to embrace this rough and tumble group. This is old time hockey folks. And it may not be pretty, and depending on the lockout, it may not be playoff worthy. But, for this fan, it's a blast to watch.