Wathier, Stars power past Rampage in OT, 4-3

It wasn't always pretty but it's still a W at the end of the night. Texas never led in the game until the last goal was scored by Francis Wathier in overtime. Brent Krahn got a birthday present from the team in the form of a W, as well.

San Antonio opened the scoring exactly eight minutes in when Kyle Turris followed up on a point shot from Michael Boedker. Texas answered 3 minutes later with a goal smacked from the point by Garrett Stafford. The goal was initially awarded to Mathieu Tousignant in the building but was later changed to Stafford. There was a lot of traffic in front for Texas that certainly helped the puck go in even if it didn't touch the traffic.

At the end of the first, there was some nastiness between the benches as Brett MacLean knocked over Mathieu Tousignant not once but twice. The ref saw neither hit and did nothing.

MacGregor Sharp opened the 2nd period scoring for the Rampage on a laser beam of a shot that beat Krahn due to a very effective screen. Texas took a minor for hooking just a minute later and managed to score a shorthanded goal. Aaron Gagnon got his feet tied up with the San Antonio pointman and the puck ended up on the tape of Francis Wathier, who skated in and put it past Tordjman for his 17th of the year.

A few shifts later, Warren Peters got roughed up something fierce in the San Antonio zone and didn't draw a single call. So Peters chased down Sean Zimmerman and started pounding on him, continuing even after they were both on the ice.

The third San Antonio goal was a very fluky one and I think it speaks to the poor officiating on the night by Francis Charron. A dump-in bounced off the end boards and ended up on the back of the net, so Brent Krahn stayed in front of the net and held his stick against the puck and the net to freeze play. Charron did not give Krahn the call and San Antonio skated in and started poking at the puck. It ended up in the net on the fracas. The goal was not reviewed in the building, but from my vantage point, it did not look to be 100% over the goal line on the play. Thankfully, it was not the game winner.

Aaron Gagnon scored on the power play, collecting his own rebound in the crease after a healthy battle along the board by who else but Francis Wathier. This tied it at three. There was no scoring in the third.

Texas and San Antonio went to overtime and just 68 seconds in, it was over. Aaron Gagnon and Francis Wathier broke in on a 2-on-1. Gagnon skated down the right side and passed to Wathier, who scored his 18th of the season and 2nd of the night to take the win 4-3 over San Antonio.

With the win, Texas needs only a point and a Rockford loss or just a win to clinch home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which will likely be against Rockford. The IceHogs punched their playoff ticket tonight as well with a 2-1 win over Lake Erie.

Tonight's lines:
Sceviour-Gagnon-Tousignant
Chupp-Peters-Wathier
Lukacevic-Lindgren-Korostin
Gazdic-Morin

Jancevski-Stafford
Hutchinson-Fortunus
Stephenson-Tr. Ludwig
Ty. Ludwig

Krahn

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Wilson, Rallo, and McCulloch (injured)
Sawada, Beaudoin, Graham and Shelast (scratched)
Benn, Climie (call-up)

Some confusion I'm sure for everyone in the building if you were paying attention to lines. Texas shuffled forward and defensive lines all night. Several players did not dress who I do not know to be injured at this point, including Sawada and Beaudoin. Ned Lukacevic was wearing #29 for Texas and was signed so late I didn't even see the transaction go up until after the game. He was signed to a PTO, not an ATO, which means someone has to be injured. Why not play Shelast? He's just been sitting on his hands for the past few weeks. I don't know. Hopefully I'll have more information tomorrow.

Tonight's attendance was 6,014.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. San Antonio - April 2 2010

Comments

  1. San Antonio's 3rd goal did completely cross the goal line. As for the ref's call, I agree it was atrocious, although I thought Krahn exacerbated the situation by appearing to try and play the puck. Either way I looked up the rule and the ref clearly blew it:

    85.2 PUCK UNPLAYABLE: "When the puck becomes lodged in the netting on the outside of either goal so as to make it unplayable, or if it is “frozen”between opposing players intentionally or otherwise, the Referee shall stop the play. The puck may be played off the goal netting by either team. However, should the puck remain on the goal netting for more than three (3) seconds, play shall be stopped. Should the goalkeeper use his stick or glove to freeze the puck on the back of the net or should a defending player shield a an attacking player from playing the puck off the back of the net, the face-off shall take place at one of the face-off spots in the defending zone."

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