AHL San Antonio Rampage

Kostin Caps Big Night with OT Winner in Texas

Published on December 28, 2019 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Antonio Rampage News Release


Klim Kostin of the San Antonio Rampage against the Texas Stars
Klim Kostin of the San Antonio Rampage against the Texas Stars
(San Antonio Rampage, Credit: Texas Stars)

CEDAR PARK, TX - Klim Kostin's goal with 1.3 seconds left in overtime completed the comeback and gave San Antonio its first overtime win of the season, as the Rampage (12-13-9) closed out 2019 with a 5-4 victory over the Texas Stars (13-16-4) on Saturday night at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

Kostin finished the night with a goal and two assists, and Nathan Walker forced overtime with a late tying goal that extended his goal-scoring streak to three games.

With time winding down in overtime, Rampage goaltender Adam Wilcox came well out of his net to play a puck away from Stars forward Jason Robertson. Kostin collected the puck and carried into the Stars zone, dragging the puck all the way to the goal mouth before sliding a wrist shot between the legs of Stars goaltender Landon Bow for his fifth goal of the season.

It was San Antonio's first overtime win in ten attempts this season.

The Rampage forced overtime in the dying minutes of regulation. With less than two minutes remaining and the Stars leading 4-3, Wilcox was pulled for an extra skater. Derrick Pouliot sent a one-timer towards the Texas net and Walker tipped it past Bow for his 15th goal of the season to tie the game.

The Rampage never led in the game prior to Kostin's overtime winner, overcoming deficits of 3-1 and 4-2 to extend their unbeaten streak against the Stars to 5-0-1.

Joel L'Esperance opened the scoring for Texas at 4:41 of the first period. On a 2-on-1 rush, L'Esperance's spinning backhand feed across the front of the Rampage net bounced off Jordan Nolan and in for L'Esperance's 14th goal of the season.

Andreas Borgman responded for the Rampage at 13:41 with his first goal of the season, scored during a delayed penalty call. With the extra skater on, Borgman slid to the slot and took a feed from Walker, lifting a backhander past Bow for his first goal since Feb. 5 of last season.

The Stars went back in front at 14:39 of the first when Riley Tufte found Tye Felhaber on a 2-on-1 for Felhaber's first AHL goal.

Just 24 seconds into the second period, Joel Kiviranta extended the Stars lead. Driving the net from the left-wing side, Kiviranta lifted a shot into the top shelf for his eighth goal of the season, and second in as many games.

Joey LaLeggia brought San Antonio back within a goal at 3-2 just 58 seconds after Kiviranta's tally, finding a blocked shot at the bottom of the left circle and shoveling a backhander into an empty net for his third of the season.

At 10:17 of the second period, Tanner Kero restored Texas' two-goal lead. In his first game since Nov. 26, Kero buried the rebound of a Tufte wrap-around for his first goal of the season. At 13:59, Alexey Toropchenko redirected a Kostin feed through Bow's legs for his third of the season to make it 4-3.

San Antonio outshot the Stars 42-18 for the game, and 20-2 in the third period.

Evan Polei and Stars forward Adam Mascherin dropped the gloves in the second period, with both players leaving the ice injured after the fight. Neither player returned to the game.

The Rampage are 2-0-1 in their last three games and have won back-to-back road contests. They have a three point lead on the Stars in the Central Division standings and currently sit in fourth place.

The Rampage kick off 2020 on Friday night when they welcome the Grand Rapids Griffins to the AT&T Center. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, with the game available on Ticket 760 and streamed on AHLTV.

The 2019-20 season is presented by H-E-B.

RAMPAGE STATS: Goals: Borgman (1); LaLeggia (3); Toropchenko (3); Walker (15); Kostin (5) Adam Wilcox: 14 saves on 18 shots Power Play: 0-for-5 Penalty Kill: 2-for-2

THREE STARS: 1) Klim Kostin - SA 2) Tye Felhaber - TEX 3) Nathan Walker - SA

Check out the San Antonio Rampage Statistics

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Images from this story

Klim Kostin of the San Antonio Rampage against the Texas Stars
Klim Kostin of the San Antonio Rampage against the Texas Stars
(Texas Stars)		   



American Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2019


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