Rynnas’ Record Performance Leads Stars to a 3-2 Win over Rampage
Apr 17, 2015SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Jussi Rynnas stole the show and the game on Friday night as he led the Texas Stars to a 3-2 road win over the rival San Antonio Rampage with a franchise record 52-save performance in front of 10,711 fans at AT&T Center.
It was the 22nd win this season for Rynnas, and his 52 saves topped Christopher Nilstorp's old mark of 49 from the 2011-12 season. Justin Dowling also set a new franchise record scoring 16 seconds into the game off a San Antonio turnover. With the win, the Stars locked themselves in as the fifth seed in the Western Conference for the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Texas (39-22-13-1) and San Antonio (45-23-6-1) close out their respective seasons on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Cedar Park Center.
After Dowling put Texas in front seconds into the game, Vincent Trocheck knotted things up for the Rampage off a rebound goal at 8:01 of the first. Making his AHL debut with the Stars, rookie forward Cole Ully earned his first career point with a setup of Brendan Ranford at the top of the slot to snap the go-ahead goal past Dan Ellis at 14:18. It was the 17th of year for Ranford and gave the Stars a 2-1 lead.
In the second, Matej Stransky would make it a 3-1 game, finishing off a 2-on-1 rush with Jason Dickinson at 15:08. It was also the AHL debut for Dickinson, who tallied the assist on the play for his first career point.
Wade Megan forced in a rebound goal at 5:34 of the third to pull the Rampage within one. After that, the rest of the game fell on the shoulders of Rynnas. The veteran netminder stopped 22 of 23 shots in the third period to preserve the Texas lead, including a sprawling glove save in the final seconds to rob O'Brien of the equalizing goal with the extra attacker on the ice. Thinking he had scored, O'Brien threw his arms into the air in celebration while Rynnas sat in the crease with the puck trapped in his glove to put the finishing touch on his record-setting night.
San Antonio finished the game 0-for-3 on the power play while the Stars did not receive a man-advantage chance in the game.
Ellis took the loss stopping 14 of 17 shots for San Antonio.
Photo by: Darren Abate/San Antonio Rampage
| Three Stars: 1. Jussi Rynnas (TEX) 2. Matej Stransky (TEX) 3. Justin Dowling (TEX) |
Shots: Stars - 17 Rampage - 54 |
Goaltenders: W - Rynnas L - Ellis |