Keller scores twice in third period to defeat San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO , Texas – In a pivotal game five, the higher seed Barons defeated the Rampage by one goal, after losing a two goal lead, more than once.    
 
“Against a good hockey team like San Antonio, we are going to have to play a good 60 minutes or even further for the overtime,” said Coach Todd Nelson before the start of the game.   “I feel that we have not played our best hockey game to date. That is what we are striving for tonight.”
 
The first penalty of the game was a 4-minute minor against Oklahoma City for high sticking at 15:10.   The Barons were able to kill off this power-play opportunity.
 

As before, the Barons scored the first goal of the game.   An elusive power-play goal was scored with four seconds remaining in the first period.   Leading post-season scorer Mark Arcobello knocked in a rebound from a pad save of Jacob Markstrom.   “[Ryan] Keller put it on net. I got a nice rebound and was able to put it in,” said “Arcobello.
 
Oklahoma City earned their first two goal lead of the night, on yet another power-play goal.   While a designated player served the delay of game call against Markstrom, Barons Defenseman Bryan Rodney’s shot made it through traffic to the net.   Assisting on this score were Dylan Yeo and Arcobello.  
 
With two minutes remaining in the second period, Keller was whistled for his second penalty of the night.   Then, the first place AHL power-play went to work.   Michal Repik scored on a goal from a series of passes from linemates Bracken Kearns and Mark Cullen.   This was Repik’s first post-season score.    A wild third period was about to begin.
 
Two minutes into the final frame, Keller scored on a steep angle shot as a rebound from a wraparound attempt by Hunter Tremblay was lose in front of the net and Markstrom was down.   The Barons had restored their two goal lead, which was about to slip away, again.  
 
The Rampage scored two even strength goals, 22 seconds apart to tie the game.   Scott Timmons scored his first goal of the post season when he outskated the Barons and his wrist shot from the right wing circle made it past a screened Yann Danis.   The score by Cullen was an opportunist play, as a Barons defenseman gave away the puck at the blue line.   Fifteen minutes remained in the tied game.
 
At 12:52 Keller went to the penalty box for the fourth time of the night; however a matching minor was called on Repik.   Less than a minute later, Barons defenseman Yeo joined Keller in the box and San Antonio had yet another man advantage.   Oklahoma City was able to deny the Rampage from capitalizing on the power-play.
 
With the game tied at three apiece and less than four minutes to play, it appeared this game was headed into overtime, like the past three games.   At 16:23 Rampage Repik nailed Barons goaltender Danis and was assessed a goaltender interference call.   It took awhile for the Barons to get their special teams going, but they succeeded.
 
The most penalized player of the night, last years Calder Cup captain Keller, restored the lead for Oklahoma City on a goal set-up by Philippe Cornet and Arcobello. This shot landed just under the cross bar and was scored at 17:54.   This was power-play goal number three for the Barons.  
 
With just over a minute remaining, the Rampage pulled their goaltender for an extra skater, yet were not able to tie the game.   Oklahoma City won in regulation by a score of 4 to 3.   This and was the first time in the Barons post-season that multiple power-play goals had been scored.   After the conclusion of the game, the teams staked to center ice for the traditional handshake.  
 
Keller is now tied with Chris VandeVelde for post-season game winning goals, at two apiece.   VandeVelde was the overtime specialist the previous two games, with back to back game winners in the extra frame.  
 
After dropping game 1 at home, the Barons have won four straight to advance in the play-offs.   They will have the home ice advantage when they meet the Toronto Marlies on Thursday night.   The conference finals will be a best of seven games with a 2-3-2 format.  
Games one and two will be played May 17^th and 18^th in Oklahoma City.   Games three, four, will be played in Toronto on May 21^st and 23rd.   If a game five is necessary, it is scheduled in Toronto on May 25^th.   If games six and seven are necessary, they will be played in Oklahoma City on May 28^th and 30^th.
contact the author at gail.hamill@prohockeynews.com