The San Antonio Rampage suffered their first loss of the season as they kicked off their first road trip of the season. The Silver and Black fell 5-4 to the Bakersfield Condors, with another poor second period being the Achilles heel.
Here is what went good and bad for the Rampage in their first road game of the season along with game grades:
The Good:
- The Rampage penalty kill remained perfect on the young season, stopping all five Bakersfield power play opportunities. For the season, San Antonio is a perfect 8-for-8 on the season through two games.
- Samuel Blais continued to stay hot. He posted two goals and an assist in the loss to Bakersfield, giving him three goals on the season.
The Bad:
- The second period woes continued for the Rampage on Thursday, getting outscored 3-1 and outshot 13-8. This marks the second consecutive game where San Antonio has struggled in the second 20 minutes of the game.
- Other than Blais, the offense seemed to struggle. The Rampage will need to get their chemistry going early if they want to start getting control of games early.
The Grades:
Samuel Blais: The left winger continued to play well in just his second game of the season. His control of the puck and skating ability helped him post two goals and an assist in the win, making him a bright spot in a otherwise offensive struggle night. Grade: A+
Andrew Agozzino: The Rampage saw the return of a familiar face in Andrew Agozzino on Thursday. The left winger scored his first goal of the season and dished out two helpers in the loss, with Blais and Agozzino in control of the offense, things should start to look up for the Silver and Black. Grade: A+
Team Defense: San Antonio’s defense struggled in the loss, giving up five goals. The Condors’ Brad Malone scored twice, with his second goal coming off a rebound. The problem is the rebound was a third scoring opportunity on the shift. The Rampage will need to clean up their breakdowns if they want to be successful. Grade: D
Up next: The Rampage are currently 1-1-0-0 on the season and will continue their four-game road trip on Saturday afternoon in San Jose.
