AHL San Antonio Rampage

Rampage Complete Preseason Sweep of Stars

Published on September 27, 2019 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Antonio Rampage News Release


Dakota Joshua of the San Antonio Rampage
Dakota Joshua of the San Antonio Rampage
(San Antonio Rampage)

CEDAR PARK, TX - Dakota Joshua netted his first two goals in a Rampage jersey to lead a first period special teams outburst, as the San Antonio Rampage completed a preseason sweep of the Texas Stars on Friday with a 3-2 win at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

The Rampage netted three special teams goals in the first period, with Joshua opening the scoring on the power play at 14:42. With Dillon Heatherington off for slashing, Jake Dotchin's right point shot found it's way through traffic. Stars goaltender Colton Point made the initial save, but he could not recover for Joshua's rebound try that slid under Point's stick for a 1-0 Rampage lead.

Nolan Stevens extended the Rampage lead at 17:47 of the first period with a shorthanded goal, his first tally of the preseason. Stars defenseman Ben Gleason lost control of a bouncing puck going back into the Texas zone, turning it over to Alexei Toropchenko. Toropchenko immediately found Stevens in the slot for a shot off the cross bar and in to make it 2-0 San Antonio.

On the same Stars power play, the Rampage struck shorthanded again when Point mishandled the puck, giving it away to Joshua in front of an open net or his second goal of the period at 18:10.

Josh Melnick scored twice on the night for the Stars. Melnick got the Stars on the board at 14:17 of the second period, firing a wrist shot from the right wing past goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick's blocker to make it 3-1.

Just under three minutes into the third period, Melnick brought the Stars within a goal with a nifty move between his legs, followed by a backhander past Fitzpatrick to make it 3-2.

Fitzpatrick preserved the Rampage lead late in the third period with a pair of challenging stops, turning aside Joel Kiviranta before a collision knocked him behind the net. Without his stick, Fitzpatrick lunged back into the net to stop a John Nyberg wrist shot.

Fitzpatrick made 24 saves on 26 shots in two periods of work. Devin Williams, who played the first period, stopped all 11 shots he faced.

The Rampage open the 2019-20 season on home ice on Oct. 4 when they host the Manitoba Moose at the AT&T Center. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7 p.m., with the game broadcast on Ticket 760AM and streamed on AHLTV.

Season-tickets for the 2019-20 Rampage season are on sale now. To purchase seats or for more information, call 210-444-5554 or visit SARampage.com.

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

Check out the San Antonio Rampage Statistics

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Dakota Joshua of the San Antonio Rampage
Dakota Joshua of the San Antonio Rampage
   



American Hockey League Stories from September 27, 2019


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