The San Antonio Rampage (17-20-0-4) relied on spectacular goaltending from Jacob Markstom on the way to their first road victory over a division rival as they defeated the Oklahoma City Barons (18-16-2-3), 4-2, Friday night at Cox Convention Center. Markstrom made 46 saves off 48 shots en route to First Star of the Game honors. Quinton Howden, Alex Petrovic and Jon Rheault each tallied a goal and an assist in the victory. The Rampage are now 7-3-0-1 in their last 11 games. Petrovic, who returned to the Rampage lineup on Friday afternoon after attending the Florida Panthers training camp, earned Second Star honors with a two-point night and an impressive plus-4 rating. Petrovic now leads the team with a plus-10 rating on the season. San Antonio was outshot 48-25 on the night - and 19-2 in the first period - but skated away with the victory thanks to three unanswered goals in the third period. The win was San Antonio's first against a divisional opponent on the road this season and their first regular season win in Oklahoma City since February of last year. Ryan Martindale struck first for Oklahoma City at 7:45 of the first period. The Rampage had just finished killing off a boarding penalty when the Barons broke into the zone with numbers. Toni Rajala moved the puck to Tyler Pitlick who slid it across the crease to an open Martindale. San Antonio was outshot, 19-2, in the opening frame, but Markstrom stood tall and turned away all but one of the Barons' shots to help the Rampage escape the period only trailing, 1-0. Rheault tied the game for San Antonio while shorthanded at 5:00 of the second period. Howden carried the puck into the Barons' zone and sent the puck to Rheault, who made a move to get around a defender and fired it on net to tie the game at 1-1. The goal was San Antonio's fifth shorthanded goal, with Rheault responsible for three of the shorthanded tallies. The Barons regained the lead at 3:35 of the third period when Rajala fired a wrist shot from the slot after receiving a behind-the-net pass to make it 2-1. But the Rampage came roaring back in the third period and scored three unanswered goals. Howden tied the game at 9:33 of the final frame when he sped past a defender and took a lead pass from Petrovic into the Barons' zone. With a clear lane he made a move and slipped it past Oklahoma City goaltender Oliver Roy to tie the game at 2-2. Petrovic scored the game winner at 14:42 of the third period when a fortunate puck bounce found his waiting stick on the left-wing side. Roy had made the initial save off of Rheault's shot, but could not get back into position to stop Petrovic's quick release. Rampage forward Greg Rallo added an empty-net goal at 19:40 of the third period to give San Antonio a 4-2 lead and ice the game for the visitors. The 48 shots surrendered by the Rampage was the second most they had given up all season. San Antonio held the league's best power play to 0-for-4 on the man advantage, while the Silver and Black ended the night 0-for-1 on the power play. The Rampage and Barons will square off again tomorrow (Saturday) night in a rematch at 7:00 p.m. San Antonio will return home to the AT&T Center on Jan. 25th to face the Texas Stars. The Rampage will play their third annual Pink in the Rink game on Friday, Feb. 1 against Rockford at 7:30 p.m. Individual, and season, tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at the AT&T Center Southeast Box Office, by calling a Rampage representative at 210-444-5554 or online at sarampage.com.
