Rampage Slip Past Texas Stars 4-3 in Shootout

Justin Dowling shoots on Markstrom (Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)
After starting with a 2-0 lead, Texas needed a late goal from Brendan Ranford to tie things up at three but ultimately fell in the shootout 4-3.

"We came into this game after a rough road trip," said captain Maxime Fortunus. "We started strong and they found a way to get back in. It doesn't change for us. We need to keep the same game plan."

Just 68 seconds into the game, Maxime Fortunus potted his second of the season from the points. With traffic in front, Fortunus walked the blue line and beat Markstrom on Texas's first shot of the night.

"It was just a shot on net," said Fortunus. "I got the puck at the blue line and walked it and found a hole there. We've been working on getting in goalie's faces and making it harder to see."

Scott Glennie and Brett Ritchie assisted on the play. Texas continued to pour on the shots in the frame with a 13-10 margin after twenty.

The second period continued to look good for Texas as a Stars penalty kill generated more chances for Texas than San Antonio. One of those was a Travis Morin breakaway that generated a power play off a tripping call.

"We have some guys that are dangerous when they're killing," said Desjardins, referring to Sceviour, Morin and Mueller, who all had chances.

While Texas didn't score on the PP, there was a lot of movement. Colton Sceviour put away his 14th of the year just three seconds after the penalty expired. Morin and Mueller completed the frenetic tic-tac-toe play that saw Texas complete a few passes of just a few feet each to get Markstrom out of position for the goal.

San Antonio got one back before the end of the period as pugilist Eric Selleck pounced on a loose puck in the slot and found a corner on Allen York.

In the third period, San Antonio continued with two more unanswered tallies. Garrett Wilson deflected a shot by Jonathan Racine, which bounced off York's left shoulder and into the waiting net for the tie score. In the period's seventh minute, Steve Pinizzotto scored off a tip play in front, sending the puck over the right shoulder of York after the Rampage forward was left all alone in front.

Trailing 3-2, the Stars were getting outshot 9-3 in the period. Texas started flinging rubber at Jacob Markstrom. After the Rampage goal, Texas outshot them 10-0 over the last twelve minutes of the period.

"It's simple. Get pucks to the net. We've seen this goalie can give rebounds," said Fortunus.

Coach Desjardins added, "Once that goal went in, it seemed like we got going again. The players knew what we wanted. They weren't happy. It was them that generated it."

They were rewarded as Mike Hedden won an individual puck battle down low in the Rampage zone. He managed to find Brendan Ranford in the slot, where the rookie dusted it off and picked a corner on Markstrom for the 3-3 tie.

"Dowling made a great play on the wall to keep it in," said Ranford. "Mike Hedden stripped the guy and made a good pass across. I caught the puck on my backhand and tried to make a quick play toward the net. I got lucky and it went in."

Texas would take the game to overtime and need a shootout to resolve the contest for the second time in a week.

The Stars opted to shoot first in the contest. Usually the home club chooses to shoot second. Chris Mueller knicked the post in the first round and Brendan Ranford missed the net on an open shot in rounds one and two. Sceviour put in his try with a forehand to backhand move that he's used many times before. Texas looked poised to win when Drew Shore beat York five-hole to extend the game to a sixth round.

Allen York was down and out on the sixth round but Greg Rallo jammed his shot into his left pad. Jed Ortmeyer put the game away in the seventh round with a wrister high for the win.

Tonight's lines:
McKenzie-Morin-Sceviour
Glennie-Mueller-Ritchie
Ranford-Dowling-Hedden
Smith-Wathier-Petersen

Oleksiak-Gaunce
Jokipakka-Fortunus
Wrenn-Labrie

York

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Peters, Stransky, Button (scratch)
Campbell, Nemeth, Nilstorp (injury)

Tonight's attendance was 5,687.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. San Antonio - November 22 2013

Comments

  1. Ok, was it just those of us in our row, but was the Stars shootout selection a little weird. Were they drawing straws? I was really surprised about who wasn't in the first 5 shooters. Steve

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ritchie, Ranford and Sceviour are for sure. Ranford scored int he game so maybe you ride the hot hand. Oleksiak is an interesting choice, but maybe they're thinking he just spanks the hell out of a slapper from the hashes and gets one.

      Morin is good and then Glennie as well. Would you have moved them up? If so, I could see it, especially ahead of Oleksiak.

      Delete

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