SAN ANTONIO — For the first and only time in the month of February, the San Antonio Rampage will return to home ice after their 10-game Rodeo Road Trip. It's a significant game because this is the first time the Rampage will step inside the AT&T Center since the sale of the team to Las Vegas.
"Yeah, we're excited. We love playing in front of the fans," Rampage defenseman Jake Walman said. "I've played in most arenas and I'm pretty sure we have the best turnouts out of all of them. I know they'll be happy to see us and whatever we can do to win and make them happy would be great."
Fellow winger Jordan Nolan added, "For us not to come back to San Antonio is pretty sad. We all enjoyed our time here, but we want to make this last part of the season a nice push for the fans."
The Rampage are the AHL affiliate for the defending Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues. While the sale is not a pleasant subject, it is in no way a reflection of the NHL team. These players have a job to do and, in doing that, are hoping to make this final season a memorable one.
"We're just here to get ourselves in a position to make the playoffs and hopefully give the fans here in San Antonio a few more games to cheer us on," Rampage head coach Drew Bannister said. "Our focus right now isn't necessarily what happened in the past, it's what's going to happen for us moving forward."
The puck drops at 7 p.m. tonight. It's one of the last 12 games the Rampage will play in front of the hometown crowd in San Antonio.