The San Antonio Rampage won all four contests this week to build an impressive five-game winning streak. The torrid run put the Silver and Black on top of the AHL’s West Division. San Antonio trails the Western Conference-leading Utica Comets by just a single point.
Rampage 9. Checkers 3
The Rampage opened the week by setting a franchise-record for most goals in a game, pinning a 9-3 rout on visiting Charlotte. Andrew Yogan opened the scoring with an unassisted goal just 78 seconds into the tilt. Mark Mancari scored, from Connor Brickley and Jesse Blacker, a mere 1:39 later. Charlotte got one back on a Brendan Woods power-play goal at 17:43. Blake Parlett notched his sixth goal, with the assists going to Corban Knight and Greg Zanon, to put the Silver and Black up 3-1 after one. Brock McGinn scored for the Checkers 51 seconds into the second period to halve the deficit. John McFarland answered later in the frame to restore San Antonio’s two-goal lead, with the helpers going to Wade Megan and Shane O’Brien. O’Brien set up Brett Olson for a power-play conversion at the 2:09 mark of the final frame. O’Brien got a goal of his own less than two minutes later, with the lone assist going to Blacker. Quinton Howden and Tony Turgeon got the helpers on Yogan’s second of the game at 4:44. Woods notched another for the Checkers, again on the power play, to cut the Silver and Black’s lead down to 7-3. The Rampage came up with two more power-play tallies to close out the scoring. Matthew Corrente bagged his first in a Rampage sweater, from Yogan and Jonathan Racine, at 14:34. Olson got his second of the night, from Knight and Rocco Grimaldi, with 1:06 remaining in the game. Michael Houser made 24 stops to post the easy win. John Muse started and surrendered the first two goals on three shots. Drew MacIntyre turned aside 25 of the 32 shots he faced in relief to take the loss.
Rampage 4, Barons 3 (OT)
Blake Parlett scored 2:06 into overtime, from Bobby Butler and Corban Knight, to give the visiting Silver and Black a 4-3 win over Oklahoma City. Knight opened the scoring at the 1:57 mark of the first period, with the assists going to Brett Olson and Matthew Corrente. The Barons got goals from Mitch Moroz and Jordan Oesterle to take the lead. Wade Megan lit the lamp, with the lone helper going to John McFarland, with 3:31 left in the frame to forge a 2-2 tie. Quinton Howden notched his first of the season 55 seconds into the middle stanza to put San Antonio back on top. Olson picked up his second assist of the game on Howden’s shorthanded marker. The Barons would even things up on Joshua Winquist’s third period power-play goal. Michael Houser finished with 22 saves to get the win. He was backed up by Jacob DeSerres, who just signed an ATO after completing his collegiate career with the University of Calgary. Laurent Brossoit stopped 31 shots for the Barons.
Rampage 4, Bulldogs 2
The Silver and Black returned home to face the Hamilton Bulldogs in a two-game set and took the opener by a 4-2 count. Matthew Corrente set up Connor Brickley for his twentieth of the season to open the scoring at 4:22 of the first period. Nick Sorkin tallied for the Bulldogs to even the game 4:34 later. Andrew Yogan notched his eighth goal, from Wade Megan, with one minute to go in frame to give San Antonio the lead back. Bobby Butler’s second period power-play goal put the home team up by two. Rocco Grimaldi and Dany Heatley collected the helpers on Butler’s team-leading twenty-fifth. Garrett Wilson lit the lamp in the third period, with Quinton Howden and Blake Parlett picking up the assists, to put the game out of reach. Michael Houser started yet again, and stopped 30 shots to get the win. Mike Condon took the loss for Hamilton, finishing with 20 saves.
Rampage 3, Bulldogs 2 (OT)
Dylan Olsen finally returned to action and potted the overtime winner in his San Antonio season debut, as the Rampage edged the Bulldogs 3-2 in the final meeting between the two clubs. Montreal is moving its AHL operations to St. John’s next season while Hamilton will join the OHL. Bobby Butler and John McFarland colected the helpers on the 3-on-3 game-winner. Daniel Carr scored at 2:28 of the opening period to give Hamilton an early lead. Connor Brickely answered late in the frame, with the assists going to veterans Dany Heatley and Shane O’Brien. Gabriel Dumont second period shorthanded goal restored the Bulldogs’ one-goal advantage. Heatley bagged a power-play goal at 7:36 of the final frame to even the game. Brickley and Rocco Grimaldi drew the helpers on the Heatley’s sixth of the season. Michael Houser turned aside to 25 of the 27 shots for the win. Joey MacDonald started and stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced. Mike Condon came on in relief in the second period and took the loss, finishing with 21 saves on 23 shots.
The Silver and Black (39-20-5-1) visit the Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday before moving on to Cedar Rapids for a pair against the Iowa Wild on Friday and Saturday.
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