AHL San Antonio Rampage

Houston slips by Rampage, 3-2

Published on March 23, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Antonio Rampage News Release


SAN ANTONIO - Again the San Antonio Rampage dominated the scoring chances, and again they fell just short of victory dropping a 3-2 decision to the Houston Aeros Easter Sunday at the AT&T Center.

The Rampage (36-24-3-7, 82 points) took 38 shots on goal, and that doesn't even account for several blasts off the post, but the Houston defense and goaltender Barry Brust, who made 36 saves, were stingy.

The opening period belonged to the Rampage, who wrapped up their second set of four games in five nights within an 11-day span. They fired 14 shots to Houston's 3 and had a couple deflect off the Aeros goalpost in the opening minutes. As it was, the game remained scoreless through one period, but with the Rampage clearly holding the advantage.

The second stanza started fast with a goal from each side in less than a minute.

Houston's Danny Irmen scored 26 seconds into the period, but the Rampage quickly countered with Bill Thomas' 22nd goal of the season just 20 seconds later. Thomas moved into the Top 5 in points (80) in team history with the marker, getting assists from Matt Murley and Mike Zigomanis. It was the 10th point (four goals, six assists) for Zigomanis in his last eight games.

Houston took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission with the first of two goals from left wing Ryan Hamilton. The lead was stretched to 3-1 with another tally from Hamilton at the 3:32 mark of the third period.

The Rampage cut the lead with a tip-in goal from Cam Paddock with nearly three minutes remaining. Steven Goertzen pushed the puck out to Ryan Caldwell, positioned at the left point, who blasted a shot in through traffic. Paddock found the puck with his stick on its flight toward the net and redirected it past Brust to bring the Rampage within one.

But their I-10 rivals staved off an inspired Rampage rush in the closing minutes to escape with a 3-2 win.

The Rampage lead both Houston and Milwaukee by just a single point in the battle for the third through fifth spots in the tight AHL West Division. The top four seeds in the West are guaranteed a playoff spot, and the fifth-place team is also in line to earn a berth this year if that squad finishes with a better record than the fourth place team in Western Conference's other division, the AHL North.

The Rampage will start a two-game set with the Peoria Rivermen at 7 p.m. Wednesday night in a game that is sure to have playoff implications. Peoria (35-26-4-4) currently sits in sixth place of the West Division with 76 points, on the outside looking in. Seven of the eight teams residing in the West are at least five games above the .500 mark.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2008


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