Gameday Preview: Texas Stars v. San Antonio Rampage

Texas Stars 2-2-1, 5 pts, 0.500 #6 Pacific Division

v.

San Antonio Rampage 0-4-0-0, 0 pts, 0.000 #8 Pacific Division

October 25th at 7:30 PM

Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park, TX

(Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)

Well, there's no salve more curative than winning, and Texas has a cherry of a chance tonight against San Antonio. The Stars are winless in their last three, but the Rampage haven't won a game yet this season.

San Antonio's goalies have given them a chance to win in most of those games. I would argue Spencer Martin and Jeremy Smith each had quality starts (to mix sports a bit). However, they haven't been getting the run support. In four games, they've scored five goals. There isn't a goalie tandem in the league that could get a ton of wins with that sort of offensive effort in front of them.

And it's not like the team doesn't have offensive weapons. Rocco Grimaldi is back. Mikko Rantanen is on brief assignment to rehab an injury. Two players who haven't contributed yet that need to include Mike Sislo and Joe Whitney. Last year, the two scored a combined 86 points and should have some chemistry from their days together in Albany. So far they have no points in the four games despite being first and second on the team in shots.

Now, if this preview were coming from the other side of things, the San Antonio Rampage must be champing at the bit to see Texas. As mentioned above, the team is in desperate need of some offensive spark and they must see in Texas a club that could help them with that. After two wins, Texas allowed more than five goals in each of their last three games, all losses.

As in so many of these previews, something has got to give. Either Texas stops some pucks and halts San Antonio's chance at offensive mojo or San Antonio lights up their offense against the Stars.

Maxime Lagace will start. Texas is without Gemel Smith and Justin Dowling. Caleb Herbert and Travis Ewanyk have been added from Idaho to compensate. Jason Dickinson is also back in the lineup after missing the start of the season recovering from surgery he had over the summer.

Stars injury/call up report:
Dowling, Smith (call up)

Website: sarampage.com
Blog (unofficial): Rampage with Tony U.
Blog (unofficial): Runnin' With The Herd
Twitter: @SARampage
Twitter: @DanWeissPBP (play-by-play for SA)