Gameday! Rampage @ Abbotsford Dec. 4th 9:00pm CST

San Antonio Rampage

6-11-0-3 15pts 15th in Western Conf.

Last game: Lost to Lake Erie (4-2) on Dec. 1st

Leaders:
Goals: J.Rheault/G.Rallo – 6
Assists: Rheault – 11
Points: Rheault – 17
+/-: M.Caruso - +5
PIM: E.Selleck – 79

Wins: J.Markstrom – 4
GAA: D.Grumet-Morris – 2.64
Save %: DGM - .915
Shutouts: DGM – 2

AT

Abbotsford Heat

13-3-2-2 30pts 1st in Western Conf.

Last game: Lost to Hamilton (3-0) on Dec. 1st

Leaders:
Goals: R.Horak – 11
Assists: B.Street – 12
Points: Street/S.Baertschi – 17
+/-: 3 players w/ - +8
PIM: Z.McKelvie – 43

Wins: B.Brust – 6
GAA: Brust – 0.66
Save %: Brust - .973
Shutouts – Brust – 3

Dec. 4th 9:00pm CST

Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre

Abbotsford, BC

Radio: Ticket 760

Sirius 207/XM 92

  I’ll be honest; poring through the daily stat sheet to come up with information for these next two games has been eye opening…and a bit depressing. I know that sports, particularly are unpredictable and the old cliché that “anything is possible” is well…possible. But the numbers don’t look promising and, quite frankly, stealing 2 points out of this trip to southwest Canada is about as optimistic as I’m going to get.

  The Abbotsford Heat are the best team in the AHL. They are also the top home team in the league with a 9-1-1-1 record while outscoring opponents 38-15 in 12 games. They possess the #1 ranked PK at home, allowing just two goals in 45 chances (95.6%), and the #2 ranked PP at home, converting at a 28.3% clip. They have two of the top three goalies in the league in Barry Brust and Danny Taylor and as a result, are the best defensive team in the AHL allowing just 1.80 goals per game.

  I don’t really feel the need to continue dissecting the Heat’s stats. They are good. They are very good. The Rampage will need to stay out of the box and hope that their hot hands stay that way. Greg Rallo has scored a goal in three straight games (all on the road) and Tyson Strachan has a four game assist streak. The offense has found a bit of a groove on this most recent road trip scoring 12 goals in the first three games (2-1). They will need that to continue if they hope to finish the trip the way it started.

  Jacob Markstrom is expected to get the start in net tonight. Markstrom has a 1.96 GAA and a .937 save % in his last 4 starts (2-1-0-1) and is starting to play like the #1 goalie that many, me included, believe he is. (s/t to Dan Weiss for the stats).

  After one more tilt tomorrow in B.C., the Rampage will return home for a Saturday night contest against the always dangerous OKC Barons. It’s the annual Salute to the Badges game with specialty jerseys auctioned off after the game. More to come on Saturday…