ROCKFORD, IL– Mitch Reinke’s third period goal held up as the game-winner on Saturday night, as the San Antonio Rampage (17-19-12) earned their first win of the Rodeo Road Trip with a 3-2 victory over the Rockford IceHogs (22-25-3) at BMO Harris Bank Center.
Nathan Walker and Mike Vecchione each scored their 19th goals of the season, and Ville Husso made 19 saves to earn his 12th win of the year.
The victory was San Antonio’s first win at BMO Harris Bank Center since Nov. 10, 2017, snapping an eight-game winless drought.
With the score tied 2-2 in the third period, Reinke broke the tie with his fourth goal of the season, and first since Dec. 17. Moving down from the right point to the half-wall, Reinke whistled a rising wrist shot from the hashmarks the sailed over the shoulder of Rockford goaltender Collin Delia, creeping under the crossbar at 6:58 to give the Rampage a 3-2 lead.
The IceHogs pulled their goaltender with 2:30 left in regulation, but Husso made key stops late against Tyler Sikura and Jacob Nilsson to secure the win and keep the Rampage within four points of the Central Division’s final playoff spot.
Rockford opened the scoring in the first period with the first of two power play goals. At 13:28, John Quenneville’s wrister from the top of the right circle beat Husso for his 12th of the season, and fourth in the last five games, to give the IceHogs a 1-0 lead.
At 18:22, Walker evened the score. Austin Poganski forced his way into the offensive zone down the right-wing boards and threw a check on IceHogs defenseman Dmitry Osipov. Vecchione scooped up the loose puck and slid it in front for Walker to squeeze between Delia’s legs and tie the game 1-1.
The Rampage grabbed their first lead 46 seconds into the second period. Poganski threw a puck to the slot that bounced off Vecchione and into the Rockford crease. As both teams scrambled for the puck and Delia sprawled in the crease, the puck crept over the goal line. The goal was credited to Vecchione for a 2-1 Rampage lead.
At 16:21 of the second period, Gabriel Gagne tied the game with his third goal of the season. Lucas Carlsson’s power play one-timer ricocheted off of defenseman Niko Mikkola and hit the crossbar, the rebound laying behind Husso for Gagne to make it 2-2.
Carlsson had two assists on the night for Rockford.
San Antonio is 4-2-3 over the last nine games.
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