AT&T Center – For years the fans of the San Antonio Rampage cheered every save that goaltender Jacob Markstrom made, but on Friday night those same fans were groaning as the Swedish netminder returned to the friendly confines for the first time to face his former team.
Markstrom made 28 saves as the Utica Comets (2-0-1-0, 5 points) defeated the Rampage 3-0 in front of 5,356 fans inside the AT&T Center. The loss was the first of the season for the silver and black.
Brendan Gaunce started the scoring for the visitors when he got the puck and slipped it past San Antonio goaltender Dan Ellis midway through the first period put the Comets up 1-0. Wacey Hamilton and Carter Bancks assisted on the tally.
In the second period, Utica added to their lead. Alex Biega got free and shot the puck though Ellis’ legs to put the Comets up 2-0 at 10:32. Then the visitors struck for the final time late in the second period when Bancks buried it past Ellis to give Utica a 3-0 advantage going into the final period.
“You gotta give them credit they (Utica) played hard,” Rampage head coach Tom Rowe said following the game. Our guys thought it was going to be an easy game and they got what they deserved.”
Despite out-shooting Utica 28-24, the Comets seemed to be in control from the opening puck drop and dominated San Antonio all game.
“They’re a big, physical hard working team,” Rowe said of the Comets. “They wanted every loose puck and we had too many guys sitting back not wanting to take a hit or even hit to try and get to the puck.”
Ellis stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced in the loss.
The Rampage are now 2-1-0-0 (4 points) on the season and will return to the ice tomorrow (Saturday) when they travel to Oklahoma City to face the Barons inside Cox Convention Center at 7 p.m.
