A splendid weekend, with Hockey, in San Antonio

The weather could not have been better [made up for the be-fogged and be-rained one earlier ;-)], but sadly the Rampage lost to the Rochester Americans 3-2. BTW I really like those read-white-blue jerseys, but I do like the Rampage warm up jersey more-muy caliente

!!!Of course, it was not a BAD game, but a loss is a loss for Rampage fans of which there were over 6,000, although there seemed to be more.
Noisy ones, at that!

The first period started, as did the one the last game we saw, with an early goal by Rochester by -of all people - Johan Larsson- Second Star of the game

Crabb shadows Gillies

with Colton Gillies ( both ex Aeros) and Irwin in just a hair over 2 minutes into the period. On a power play, yet, thanks to Megan.
Rob Madore

Rob Madore standing as tall as 5'10 (176 pds) can be Third Star of the game

Nathan Lieuwen

was in goal for Rampage,  Michael Houser was recalled to be backup, due to Markstrom's injury (?)  earlier.

Nathan Lieuwen for Rochester at 6'5 (186 pds) played Goliath to Madore's David (lol). Since Rampage played (to quote seat mates) like 'girls hockey' (they did root for Rochester - I may add!) the scene in front of Madore frequently was like this:

Madore did acquit himself rather well stopping 34 of 37 SOGs throughout the 3 periods.
Rampage managed one goal on the 2. A power play goal by Janik, Gilroy and Martindale

Janik Goal in 2.period

and 1 in the 3. by Howden with Shaw.
Both teams had 2 penalties each, and a power play goal each. Penalty kill was adequate.
Called up by Rampage, Wade Megan played quite aggressively,  perhaps too aggressively. Megan sitting for hooking allowed the first PP goal for Rochester.
Especially in 1. and 2. there was some sloppy passing and stupid mistakes by Rampage players. Although they picked up some speed and managed to shoot 3 more SOGs (8) then in the 1. (5).
Only in the third did they seem to have found their rhythm with 15 sogs. And every time I looked Kilroy (oops) GILROY # 97

"was here" defending (he also did a get an assist).

But it just wasn't enough to carry the evening.
Rochester out shot and out scored them - albeit just by one, a, PP goal by Tardif (First star of the game), Adam and - again - Larsson.
Lieuwen had a few close calls,

Close call-but no goal

but managed to  stop all but the 2 of 28.

Two more ex-Aeros were present, Drew Bagnall

Bagnall-Nr.4 the C

sporting the C was on the ice seemingly all the time.

Hackett still Nr. 30

 And Hackett as BUG skated during warm ups and later to help the team celebrate its win!

Hackett congratulates Team and Larsson!

Aeros check Checkers 4-1

in front of a measly crowd (but it IS a Thursday night) of  4000 - absent STH must have been counted as well, because it just did not look that full to these old eyes :-)!

But even though they won with the empty netter by McMillan and Fontaine by 4 to the sole goal by Checkers' by Terry, Welsh and Raymond in the 2nd period, IMO it was not as exciting a game to watch as others have, and this one could have been. it was a win at home and that makes up for a lot, right, chers reader-hockey-fans?
Right?

First in line is Phillips.. last is Kuemps ;-)!

Kuemper did extra well, stopping all but that one, which did come on a PP for the Checkers.
Yes, the team's passing has rather improved.
Yes, 2 of 4 PP resulted in goals, by Phillips, Kampfer and Petersen, and Fontaine, Connelly and Petersen in the First.
Scandella with Granlund (he does a good job lining up pucks for others to score with) and Kuemper, put Aeros on the board about half into the First!
Yes, there was some grappling, and one real fight, and yet, IMO, it was just an average game.

Muse Nr. 1 during 1.period

Fredheim on guard

Granlund keeps a sharp eye on puck after face off

Save by Kuemps- first of 3

Second of 3

Saved-Third of 3

All looking, open mouthed, at Kuemper's saves from earlier in the game ;-)

Checkers switched goalies after Muse let in 3 in the First.

Madore Nr. 30 stops one of the 16 SOGS

And Rob Madore (also a 'short' goalie at 5'10), was so good in the 2. and 3. periods that Aeros could not score with any of the 16 Shots on goal. BTW the 2 Shots on Goal they managed on Madore in the Third were - shall we say - less than stellar!:-(
But a win and 2 points that's what counts, right!