HOUSTON - The Houston Aeros (3-2-0-0) handed the San Antonio Rampage (4-1-1-0) their first regulation loss 5-2 in front of 6,567 at Toyota Center tonight behind goals from RW Danny Irmen C Peter Zingoni, D Ryan Gunderson and and two from RW Duncan Milroy; G Anton Khudobin made 18 saves to earn his third win in as many starts. LW Brett MacLean led the Rampage with a goal and an assist, C Joel Perrault also scored and G Al Montoya made 25 saves in the loss. The game was the first of 12 with the Rampage this season.The Aeros again got off to a hot start taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. LW Petr Kalus fired a shot from the left point that took a fortunate bounce off the boards, ending up behind Montoya. Irmen was there to clean up for his first goal of the season. D Clayton Stoner was also credited with an assist. The Aeros out-shot San Antonio 9-7 in the opening period.
MacLean tied the game for San Antonio at 6:32, the Rampage then took the lead 11 seconds later when an Aeros turnover turned into a 3-on-1 break for San Antonio. Perrault scored to give San Antonio the lead before penalty trouble resulted in the Aeros tying goal. After four consecutive penalties to San Antonio, Zingoni scored at 11:19. The Rampage took six minor penalties in the second period but the Aeros were only able to score one goal. The Aeros have now been outscored 5-1 at home in the second period this season.
Gunderson scored the eventual game-winner at the 0:53 mark of the third period taking a slap shot from the left point off a face-off feed from C Chad Rau. It was Gunderson's second goal of the season and his first in front of the home fans. Milroy then scored twice in the final 10:43 including an ENG to seal it at 18:56.
Houston was 5-for-5 on the penalty kill bringing their season total to a perfect 21-for-21. The Aeros scored twice on the power play (2-for-9); the Rampage finished 0-for-5 on the power-play.
The Aeros move ahead of San Antonio for the second position in the "Lone Star Faceoff" with four points. The Texas Stars (3-1-0-1) come to town tomorrow night leading the three-way rivalry with five points. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. as the Aeros host their 4th Annual Susan G. Komen night. The first 3,000 fans will receive an Aeros team calendar and are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness month. The game will also be broadcast live on 1070 AM-KNTH and ahllive.com
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