It is a new era of San Antonio Rampage as the team begins a five-year affiliation with the Colorado Avalanche. If the opening game of the 2015-16 season was anything to go by, fans can expect high scoring and back and forth action.
The Rampage tied the game late to force overtime, but fell 5-4 to the Texas Stars in front of 5,913 fans inside the Cedar Park Center on Saturday night.
San Antonio got things started early when Andrew Agozzino beat Texas goaltender John Muse less than three minutes into the game to give the silver and black the early one goal lead. Maxim Noreau put the puck home for a Rampage power play tally as San Antonio took a 2-0 lead into the second period.
Texas would score before fans got settled back into the seats for the middle frame. Radek Faksa beat Rampage netminder Calvin Pickard to cut the San Antonio lead in half. After being awarded another power play, the silver and black extended their lead back to two goals with a tally from Dennis Everberg at 17:54. The Rampage would carry their 3-1 lead into the third period.
The third period would be a sloppy one for the Rampage as Texas scored four unanswered goals. Brendan Ranford scored at 5:43 and 9:43 respectively to tie the game up at three goals apiece. Faksa’s second of the night gave the Stars a brief 4-3 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
Ben Street beat Muse for the equalizer with 1:09 remaining in regulation to force overtime. However, Texas got a goal from Devin Shore 1:44 into the extra period to give the Stars the 5-4 win.
San Antonio outshot Texas 38-27 for the game, including 12-7 in the opening frame. Texas finished 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Rampage were 2-for-5 with the man advantage.
Pickard suffered the loss, stopping 23-of-28 shots he faced. Muse earned the win and stopped 33 of 37 Rampage shots he faced.
The Rampage are now 0-0-1-0 (1 point) on the season and will return to the ice next Friday when they travel to Michigan to face the Grand Rapids Griffins inside Van Andel Arena at 6 p.m. to begin a two-game series.
