Former Star Brendan Ranford Twists the Knife in 2-1 Texas Loss to San Antonio

(Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars)

Adding insult to injury, Brendan Ranford scored the game-winning shootout goal for the San Antonio Rampage as they defeated the home side Stars 2-1 this evening in Cedar Park. Mark McNeill scored on the power play nearly halfway through regulation exactly. Noted Star-killer Rocco Grimaldi scored with four minutes left in the third to send the game to overtime.

Jason Dickinson was injured in the game after a boarding major in the second. Gemel Smith missed the game with injury from the game on Saturday.

Here's the release:

Rocco Grimaldi tied things up in the dying minutes of the third, and Brendan Ranford added the finishing touch against his former team with the shootout-winner, as the San Antonio Rampage topped the Texas Stars on Monday night in front of 4,786 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park by a 2-1 final.

Justin Peters 26-save performance kept Texas (27-29-1-3) in the lead until 3:57 remained in the game when Grimaldi struck on a power-play goal to force overtime. Ranford was the only goal-scorer in the shootout to lock up the win after being traded from the Stars back in mid-February.

Texas hits the road for a three-game road trip beginning Wednesday against the Chicago Wolves at 7 p.m. CST.

After a scoreless first period, Mark McNeill put Texas on the board with a power-play goal at 10:22 of the second [sic] by deflecting Julius Honka's point shot for his eighth of the season and his second in a Stars sweater.

The Stars would cling to their one-goal lead until a holding penalty against Andrew Bodnarchuk put the Rampage (23-32-4-1) on the power play, and Grimaldi snapped his 25th of the season past Peters from the left circle to knot the score.

Spencer Martin stopped all three Texas shooters he faced in the shootout and finished with 19 saves in his first win since Jan. 6.

Texas went 1-for-4 on the power play. San Antonio was 1-for-6.

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Elie (call up)
Smith (injury)
Herbert, Bystrom, Stevenson (scratch)

Tonight's attendance was 4,786.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. San Antonio - March 13 2017