Gameday Preview: Stars v. San Antonio Rampage

Texas Stars
21-13-2-4, 48 pts
#4 Western Conf.
v.San Antonio Rampage
17-16-3-2, 39 pts
#13 Western Conf.
January 12th at 7:30 PM
Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park, TX

Despite Texas's proximity to San Antonio, the Rampage have only made 1 visit to Cedar Park Center over the first half of the season. That game was the very first regular season home game for the Texas Stars, a thrilling 3-2 OT victory over the Rampage. The Rampage now make the 2nd of their eventual 6 visits to the CPC.

San Antonio had been stuck in the mud for much of the first half of the season and the Texas Stars were surely contributors to their rankings going 4-2 against them. The Rampage even hold the record for second longest winless streak this season at 11 games. But San Antonio has improved recently, going 7-2-0-1 in their last ten games. They also boast a solid PK, ranked 3rd in the league on the road, which certainly won't help the Stars' efforts to get on the board. Adding insult to injury here for the Stars is the fact that the Rampage have allowed more than 2 goals only once in their last eight games. With Matt Climie allowing 2.75 goals per game since the departure of Brent Krahn, those numbers don't look so good.

Stars D Ivan Vishnevskiy (2 G, 3 A) and C Perttu Lindgren (1 G, 4 A) are the team leaders in points against the Rampage. I am hoping for Sergei Korostin to jump back into the lineup reinvigorated from his stint in Idaho, where he was very successful (4 G, 2 A in 4 games). Also, Travis Morin has been making some noise of late (7 G, 14 A) and is currently tied for 15th on the season for rookie scoring.

The fact still remains that the Stars are a different team than the last time the Rampage came to Cedar Park. The Texas Stars are without Brent Krahn (injury), Maxime Fortunus, and Warren Peters (NHL call ups), all great contributors to the efforts of the team. Here are some statistical tidbits compiled by Mark Stepneski from Andrew's Dallas Stars Page:
  • Texas is 7-9-0-2 since Krahn last played on November 22.
  • The Stars were allowing 1.91 goals against as a team before Krahn went out and are allowing 3.00 goals against since he went out with the injury.
  • Since Krahn went out Matt Climie has started 15 of Texas' 18 games.
  • Climie is 6-8-1 in those 15 starts with a 2.75 goals against average and a .901 save percentage.
  • Before Krahn went out and when he was alternating with Krahn in net, Climie was 4-4-2 with a 2.06 goals against average and a .932 save percentage.
Texas needs to bring their A game against a team that has suddenly gotten hot. They will need to get shots on net and cause confusion for the opposing netminder with players in front. They need to not wait for the perfect "pretty" shot; just shoot. What's that overused phrase? "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take". Words to live by, Texas; when The Great One speaks, you listen. If the Texas Stars can score on the power play against a stingy San Antonio PK, then they will win. If the Texas Stars allow a goal in the first 5 minutes of the game, as they have in five of their last six games, then they will be lucky to come out with even one point in the match.

Injuries of note: Krahn definitely out; Wilson possibly still out. No word on what his injury is or if he's even injured.

Comments

  1. I thought they mentioned that Landon was out for 4-6 weeks for a surgery. I could be wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are not wrong. Check my latest injury report!

    ReplyDelete

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