AHL San Antonio Rampage

Zigomanis nets 100th AHL goal in loss to Rockford

Published on April 5, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Antonio Rampage News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Rockford IceHogs scored on three of their first seven shots and cruised to a 7-1 victory over the San Antonio Rampage Saturday night at the Rockford MetroCentre that will go a long way toward determining home ice in the first round of the American Hockey League Playoffs.

Coming in, the Rampage were looking to draw even in the standings with Rockford, positioned second in the AHL West Division. The top two teams from each division earn the home ice-advantage during the divisional semifinals series, and the right to host a potential Game 7.

But with the Rampage enduring a brutal travel day - waking up to crickets for a pre-dawn flight just so they could arrive in Chicago with enough time for their four-hour bus ride to Rockford - and playing their third game in four nights, the IceHogs took advantage early and often.

Three Rockford players already had multiple-point nights by the halfway mark of the opening period. Defenseman Ryan Stokes, left wing Bryan Bickell and center Petri Kontiola lit the lamp for Rockford, which outshot the Rampage 12-1 through 20 minutes. It was the third time this season the Rampage have attempted just one shot on goal in a period, and the sixth time in franchise history.

The Rampage crept within two after Mike Zigomanis blasted in his 100th AHL goal, on a nifty pass across the rink from Enver Lisin. Zigomanis has recorded points in 20 of his 23 games with the Rampage this season. Matt Murley also assisted on the lone Rampage tally of the night, his 39th of the year. He is three assists from tying the franchise single-season record and already owns ninth place in team history in just his first campaign with the Rampage.

Bickell fired a rocket off the crossbar and in for his fourth point of the night at 9:50 of the second frame. Center Evan Brophey tacked on another for Rockford with 13 seconds left in the period to push the lead to 5-1. Right wing Kris Versteeg notched his third assist of the game on Brophey's goal.

Rockford added a pair of goals separated by 34 seconds in the final period. Versteeg connected with an assist from Bickell, giving each player a four-point night followed by a goal from defenseman Justin Fletcher for a 7-1 Rockford lead.

Al Montoya started for the Rampage, with Josh Tordjman coming on in relief after the third Rockford goal. Tordjman stopped 25 shots. Corey Crawford made 28 saves for Rockford.

Rockford has the two largest margins of victory over the Rampage this season. The IceHogs defeated the Rampage 8-3 earlier in the season.

Not all was lost on Saturday, however. With Peoria's 6-4 loss to Chicago, the Rampage's playoff magic number dipped to two points. The Rampage remained in third-place in the division as well, thanks to Milwaukee beating Houston, 2-1. The three teams each have 90 points, creating a logjam for the third spot in the division. In the event a tiebreaker is needed to determine playoff seeding, the league will first go to the number of total wins each team has on the season.

The Rampage can clinch a playoff berth with a win tomorrow afternoon when they take the ice in Milwaukee to do battle with the Admirals for the third time in five days. Game-time is set for 4 p.m. at the Bradley Center with third place again on the line.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 5, 2008


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