Gameday! Rampage vs. Peoria: Jan 4th 7:30pm

San Antonio Rampage

13-17-0-4 30pts 14th in Western Conf.

Last game: Defeated Charlotte (5-2) on Dec. 30th

 
Leaders:
Goals: G.Rallo – 12
Assists: D.Shore – 17
Points: Shore – 25
+/-: M.Caruso - +5
PIM: Selleck – 132

Wins: J.Markstrom – 9
GAA: D.Grumet-Morris – 2.57
Save %: Markstrom - .915
Shutouts: DGM – 2

Vs.

Peoria Rivermen

14-14-2-2 32pts 13th in Western Conf.

Last game: Defeated Abbotsford (2-1 in shootout) on Dec. 31st

Leaders:
Goals: D.Nesbitt– 11
Assists: T.J.Hensick – 19
Points: Hensick– 28
+/-: M.Cundari - +6
PIM: C.Bruton – 53

Wins: J.Allen – 8
GAA: M.McKenna– 2.65
Save %: McKenna - .922
Shutouts: Allen- 1

Jan. 4th 7:30pm CST

ATT Center

San Antonio, TX

Radio: Ticket 760

  The Rampage head into a huge "3 in 3" weekend with the first of two against the Peoria Rivermen. After tonight's contest,the Rampage will make a quick roadie out to Houston for a Saturday night tilt against the rival Aeros, then return for a rematch against this same Peoria team on Sunday.

  The Rampage have secured at least a point in four straight games, winning three of those contests outright. After a thrilling 2-1 OT win over Houston on Saturday night, the Rampage dismantled a struggling Charlotte squad, 5-2, on Sunday. The newly appointed top line of Drew Shore, John Sim, and Casey Wellman has been on fire in the last couple of weeks and the Rampage have gotten top-flight goaltending from both Jacob Markstrom and Dov Grumet-Morris.

  Peoria has won seven out of their last ten games, themselves. Led by former Rampage winger Derek Nesbitt and University of Michigan star TJ Hensick (Go Blue) up front, the Rivermen have a relatively balanced scoring attack. Adam Cracknell has a point in 7 straight games and has really turned it on as of late. Mike McKenna is having a decent season in net as the backup, but Jake Allen has started 2 of 3 games this season and put up rather pedestrian numbers.

  These are two pretty evenly matched teams. Their goals for and goals against are pretty similar. They both have trouble matching their opponents in shots on goal. There are two differences, in my eyes. First, the penalty kill. The Rampage have a top 8 PK while the Rivermen are sitting near the bottom. The Rampage need to capitalize on the small number of penalties the Rivermen do commit. Secondly, the difference in records could be a direct result of strength of schedule. The Rampage, by all accounts, play in one of the toughest divisions in the AHL. The Midwest division, however, isn't quite as imposing.

News and Notes:
- Tyson Strachan is back to skating with the team. Coach Weber called him questionable for this weekend and Dan Weiss speculated that he's more likely to play next weekend, lockout not withstanding.
- Greg Rallo, who left Sunday's game with an undisclosed injury skated this morning and it appears he will try to play tonight.
- Not official, and no one really knows for sure, but it sounds like Eric Gudbranson may NOT be coming to San Antonio after all. You can check out the audio from Coach Weber here.


  Finally, the Rampage and Hamilton Bulldogs pulled off an "NHL lockout" version of a trade yesterday as they "loaned" defensemen to each other. The Rampage sent usual healthy scratch Jason DeSantis to Hamilton and received 6'3" Brendan Nash. Nash had 1-7-8 and a +5 in 26 games with Hamilton. He missed all of last season recovering from shoulder surgery, but he had decent numbers in 2010-11. In 76 games, Nash scored 30 points and was a +22. From what I've read, he's big and uses his size well. He's a good puck mover and an asset on the PP. He needs work on his defensive zone coverage, however, and according to Bulldogs fans, has been questionable at his decision making. In other words, he'll fit right in.



  Big weekend so show up ready to get loud! See you at the rink and LET'S GO RAMPAGE!