Rampage sink Stars in OT

CEDAR PARK, Texas  – The San Antonio Rampage (33-34-8-0) defeated the Texas Stars (39-26-7-3) in a thrilling 6-5 overtime finish in front of 4,461 in the Cedar Park Center Wednesday night. Tonight’s contest combined for the highest scoring total of the season for the Rampage with 11 total goals. The Silver and Black had five multiple-point scorers, including Dennis Everberg who scored the game-winning goal in overtime and earning the First Star of the Game.

San Antonio opened the scoring early in the first period when Reid Petryk cleaned up a loose puck in front of the net to register his 15th of the season. The Rampage struck again 1:09 later when Garry Nunn sent a blast that ricocheted off a Stars defenseman and past Maxime Legace. Texas tallied their first of the night when Cory Kane found himself with an open shooting lane and went upstairs on San Antonio’s Reto Berra. Ironically enough, Texas registered their second goal 1:09 later when Derek Hulak crossed in front of the net unhindered and bagged his 17th of the season. The teams took a 2-2 game into the first intermission, with the shots in favor of Texas 14-13.

Former Rampage captain, Greg Rallo, began the onslaught of scoring in the second period when he netted a power-play goal at the 8:59 mark. The momentum quickly shifted back to the Rampage, as Mikko Rantanen tallied his 60th point 14 seconds later. San Antonio’s fourth goal came from Brandon Gormley, who sent a rocket off a pass from Mason Geertsen for his fourth of the season. The Stars rallied to tie the game at four when Curtis McKenzie went nearside on Berra. Déjà vu set in for Texas when the Rampage netted a fifth goal 14 seconds after the Stars scored the equalizer, as Taylor Beck recorded his first goal in a Rampage sweater at the 16:48 mark.

The Rampage attempted to hold on to their 5-4 lead in the third period, but Texas found a way to tie the game with a short-handed goal in the 15th minute. McKenzie’s second goal of the night ultimately forced the contest into overtime, marking the fourth consecutive overtime game for San Antonio.

After some huge saves by Berra in the overtime period, Everberg lit the lamp with the game winner at the 4:05 mark. Everberg found himself with an open lane with 55 seconds remaining and sent a massive slap shot into the back of the net.

Berra finished the game with 32 saves on 37 shots, while the Silver and Black’s penalty-kill unit allowed one goal on two opportunities. The Rampage failed to convert on all four of their chances with the man advantage.