SAN ANTONIO – Mikko Rantanen tallied his first North American Professional hat trick to lead the San Antonio Rampage (18-18-7-0) over the Bakersfield Condors (16-16-2-2) 5-2 in front of 6,091 at the AT&T Center on Saturday night. Nikita Zadorov added two assists, and Colin Smith recorded a goal and an assist in San Antonio’s second straight win over the Condors in as many nights.
Bakersfield got on the board first, marking the first time in the season series that the Rampage have not scored the opening goal. Dillon Simpson capitalized on a Rampage turnover in the neutral zone, skating in for an uncontested shot on Roman Will, and the Silver and Black trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes. 
The Rampage got the equalizer late in the second stanza. Maxim Noreau collected a cross-ice pass from Colin Smith on the power play and fired a cannon past Laurent Brossoit at 14:09. San Antonio connected on the power play again less than three minutes later, as Zadorov found Rantanen streaking down the ice for a tally.
The Silver and Black extended their lead to two goals in the third period, as Rantanen caught Broissoit playing the puck behind the net, intercepted it and scored a wraparound goal to make it 3-1 at 12:19. San Antonio’s 19-year old Finnish rookie completed the hat trick two minutes later with a backhand goal to give the Rampage a 4-1 lead.
Jujhar Khaira scored late in the frame to make it a 4-2 game, but that’s as close as the Condors would get, and Smith potted an empty-net goal to seal a 5-2 victory for the Rampage.
The Rampage finished 2-for-7 on the power play while holding the Condors scoreless on four opportunities with the man advantage, the second night in a row San Antonio stifled the Bakersfield power play. Will made 37 saves on 29 shots, earning the Third Star of the Game.
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