BAKERSFIELD – The San Antonio Rampage fell 7-3 to the Bakersfield Condors in front of 8,862 fans at Rabobank Arena on Saturday night, the third game of their four game California road trip.
The loss was the second straight and third in the last five games for San Antonio. Saturday evening saw the Silver and Black give up five third period goals in a game that was highlighted by the Rampage’s mistakes.
Here is what went good and bad for the Rampage, as well as three standout players: Tage Thompson, Felix Girard, and Brendan Ranford.
The Good:
- The Rampage started the game well, despite not lighting the lamp in the first period. San Antonio outshot Bakersfield 12-4 in the period and spent the final three minutes of the frame in the Condors zone.
- Tage Thompson continues to play well on all ends of the ice.
- San Antonio finally scored their first power play goal on the road trip.
The Bad:
- The third period saw the Rampage give up five goals on 10 shots. Four of the five goals by the Condors were scored in an eight minute span.
- San Antonio was undisciplined in the game, committing eight minor penalties. Bakersfield took advantage of their power play chances, scoring twice.
- Despite getting a goal in the second period, David Warsofsky had a bad night overall.
- The Rampage defensive effort was poor, particularly in the final 20 minutes.
- San Antonio was without A.J. Greer (illness) and Rocco Grimaldi (personal reasons).
Three Standout Players:
Tage Thompson: The St. Louis Blues prospect was the best player on the ice in Silver and Black on Saturday night. Thompson finished with a goal and an assist, his seventh and sixth respectively. The two point night for him continues a nice point trend for Thompson, who has recorded a point in four of the last five games.
Thompson got the helper on Warsofsky’s power play goal in the second period. He later added a goal in the third, cutting the San Antonio deficit down. Despite the blowout loss for San Antonio, Coach Eric Veilleux should be encouraged by consistent play from Thompson. It can only mean positive things for San Antonio going forward in the season.
Felix Girard: The Rampage center scored his sixth goal of the season in the second period, while Bakersfield was on the power play. His short-handed tally was off a Condors turnover at center ice while changing a shift.
The goal adds on to what has been a solid start to the season for Girard. The goal on Saturday was his sixth of the season, putting him one shy of his total for the 2016-17 season. Girard’s quick start offensively has provided San Antonio with a nice scoring unit despite missing key players.
Brendan Ranford: Despite not getting a goal in the game, Brendan Ranford still made solid contributions on Saturday. He got the secondary assist on Warsofsky’s power play tally, giving him five on the season. Add the five assists to his two goals so far on the season and he has had a nice, but quiet start to season.
San Antonio will likely need Ranford’s scoring punch soon as it looks like Jordan Schmaltz may be injured after he was a late scratch in Saturday’s game after taking warm ups. In his career, Ranford has posted 61 goals and 123 assists.
Up next: The Rampage are now 11-7-1-0 (23 points) on the season and will return to the ice on Sunday when they wrap up their California trip in Ontario to face the Reign at 5 p.m.
