Box Score | Game Notes

CHARLOTTE (February 9, 2013) – The San Antonio Rampage (21-22-0-4) tallied two goals in the third period to break a tie and secure a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers (27-16-2-3) Saturday night at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Rampage have now won three-straight games and are a perfect 2-for-2 on their Rodeo Road Trip.

Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 29 saves off 31 shots to earn Third Star of the Game honors in his 100th career AHL start. The Swedish netminder continued his stellar play and has allowed two or fewer goals in 11 of his last 14 games.

The two goals recorded in the third period came against an unlikely opponent, as the Checkers entered the contest outscoring their opponents 58-33 in the final frame.

Former Rampage forward Jared Staal opened the scoring for Charlotte at 8:53 of the first period after creating a turnover in San Antonio’s zone. He walked in and sent a shot high on Markstrom to make it 1-0.

San Antonio would strike back while shorthanded at 13:19 of the frame. Scott Timmins and Greg Rallo combined to light the lamp, marking the second-straight game in which the Rampage have recorded a shorthanded goal.

Timmins caught the puck in the neutral zone and came down the left wing side. With Rallo heading towards the net, Timmins sent him the puck and he poked it past Charlotte goaltender Justin Peters for his 15th goal of the season.

Timmins received the only assist on the goal in his first game back after missing seven games with an injury.

The second period went scoreless thanks to the efforts of Markstrom and the Rampage penalty kill. San Antonio took three consecutive minor penalties near the midway point of the period, forcing the club to kill off two straight 5-on-3s. After nearly six minutes of shorthanded time, San Antonio escaped unscathed.

Markstrom also contributed a spectacular save to stop Checkers’ forward Zac Dalpe on a shorthanded breakaway in the second period. Dalpe picked off a pass in the neutral zone allowing him to walk in alone. However, Markstrom got a piece of his backhand shot to send it wide keeping the game tied, 1-1.

The second period was quiet offensively, as the Rampage only had three shots on goal due to their lengthy penalty kills. The third period was the opposite for the Rampage, who came out with an increased sense of urgency. 

Andre Devauex gave San Antonio their first lead of the night at 7:14 of the frame when he found the rebound of a shot from defenseman Brendon Nash and banged it home.

Rookie Garrett Wilson added another at 10:30 of the third period thanks to a nice centering pass from rookie forward Jonathan Hazen to make it 3-1. The goal was Wilson’s first of the season and his second in the AHL, while Hazen collected his tenth point of the season with the assist.

Charlotte would make it one-goal game at 12:29 of the third period when Dalpe found a loose puck in front of the net and sent it high to make it 3-2.

The Checkers would pull Peters for the extra forward with a little over a minute left, but Markstrom and the Rampage stood tall to earn his second-straight win.

Brothers Brendon and Riley Nash each recorded an assist in their first game playing against each other. The Checkers outshot San Antonio, 31-21, on the night, but were held to 0-for-5 on the power play. The Rampage ended the night 0-for-3 on the man advantage.

The Rampage and Checkers will be right back at it tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon with a 2 p.m. start at Time Warner Cable Arena to wrap up the weekend series.

The Silver and Black will return to AT&T Center on Saturday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. to host their annual Military Appreciation Night. Individual and season tickets can be purchased at the AT&T Center Southeast Box Office, by calling a Rampage representative at 210-444-5554 or online at sarampage.com.