The goal-starved San Antonio Rampage are now on their first losing streak of the season. After managing to go 2-2 to start the campaign, the Rampage dropped a home-and-home matchup against the Texas Stars this weekend. The Stars took the first game by a 3-1 count before 6,660 fans at San Antonio’s AT&T Center Friday night and then blew the Rampage out 6-0 at Cedar Park Center Saturday night.
Texas goaltender Cristopher Nilstorp got the best of San Antonio starter Dov Grumet-Morris in Friday’s tilt, stopping 26-of-27 shots. Grumet-Morris turned aside 33 of the 35 shots he faced before Travis Morin iced the game for the Stars with an empty-net goal with 22 seconds left on the clock.
Chris Mueller opened the scoring at the 1:19 mark of the second period before Garrett Wilson knotted things up for San Antonio, with a tip-in, later in the frame. Greg Rallo and Jonathan Racine picked up the helpers on the goal, which was Wilson’s first of the season.
Brendan Ranford, who set up Mueller’s goal, scored the eventual game-winner just 26 seconds after Wilson’s tying goal.
San Antonio went a toothless 0-for-8 on the power play, but on the flip side, went 7-of-7 on the penalty kill.
The scene shifted to the Cedar Park Center for Saturday’s return match. Veteran netminder Scott Clemmensen got the start and ended up taking the ugly loss for the Rampage.
Travis Morin would open the scoring at the 3:37 mark of the first period by beating Clemmensen on a penalty shot.
Despite surrendering the early goal, the Rampage would hold their own for the rest of the period, as the teams went to the dressing room with 13 shots apiece.
The Stars would proceed to blow the game open with three goals in just over a nine-minute span of the second period. Brendan Ranford and Toby Petersen scored at even-strength before Chris Mueller struck on a power play at 15:32. Mueller’s goal broke a streak of fourteen-straight kills by San Antonio.
In the third period, Morin scored his second goal of goal of the game and defenseman William Wrenn notched his first of the season to complete the scoring. Both goals came with the Stars on the man-advantage. Texas finished the game a scorching 3-for-7 on the power play.
Josh Robinson stopped all 26 Rampage shots on goal to post the shutout in his first career AHL action.
Greg Rallo had five shots on goal and Jed Ortmeyer added four more, while Alex Petrovic totalled 17 PIM for the San Antonio.
The Rampage allowed 41 shots on goal and went 0-for-5 on the power play.
San Antonio will next play host to the Oklahoma City Barons on both Friday and Saturday night at the AT&T Center.
For complete Rampage stats click on this link.