AT&T Center – Friday the 13th is a day that symbolizes bad luck and nothing going right. For the San Antonio Rampage, that is exactly what happened as they were shutout for only the fourth time this season.
The Rampage suffered a 4-0 loss to the Lake Erie Monsters (27-24-5-3, 62 points) in front of 7,094 fans at the AT&T Center on Friday night. The loss would snap their three-game winning streak.
Lake Erie lit the lamp just just one second remaining in the opening period as Ben Street beat Houser to give the Monsters a 1-0 lead going into the second period.
The Monsters added to their lead in the middle frame as Ben Youds beat Houser after getting the puck on a cross-crease pass at 15:20 on the power play at to give Lake Erie a 2-0 lead going into the third and final period of play.
Kenny Ryan placed the puck between Houser’s legs at the 14:00 mark of the third period to put Lake Erie up by three goals. Houser was pulled for an extra attacker and Trevor Cheek’s empty-net goal sealed the 4-0 win for the Monsters.
“They played a great road game,” San Antonio head coach Tom Rowe said. “We have to forget it and move on.”
San Antonio outshot Lake Erie 31-30, including 11-6 in the opening period.
“Housey [Houser] has kept us in for the last five games,” Rampage right wing Mark Mancari said. “We’ve got to be better for him and I think tomorrow you’ll see a different team.”
Houser stopped 26-of-29 shots he faced, while Monsters netminder Calvin Pickard stopped all 31 shots he faced. Lake Erie finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while San Antonio was 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
The Rampage are now 34-20-5-1 (74 points) on the season and will return to the ice tomorrow when they host the Lake Erie Monsters for a rematch at 7 p.m. at the AT&T Center.
