SIMPSON'S BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE NOT ENOUGH FOR ICEHOGS

Rookie goalie makes team record 49 saves in loss

San Antonio, Tex.-Kent Simpson knows from experience that as a goalie you always need to be ready. Slated to back up on Saturday, Simpson was summoned into goal after an injury forced Antti Raanta out of the game just 5:36 into the contest.

Simpson's team record 49 saves weren't enough as San Antonio skated away with a 3-1 win. Raanta stopped all four shots he faced as Rockford gave up a single game team record 56 shots on goal. Simpson's last appearance for Rockford in last season's finale was also in relief and he set the single game record despite sitting out 5:57 of time on Saturday.

San Antonio peppered Raanta and Kent Simpson with 21 shots in the first period alone, but the game remained scoreless at the first intermission.

In the second period, the Rampage capitalized on a power play which carried over from the first period. Rockford failed to clear the puck out of their zone and Jon Matsumoto was set up by Greg Rallo for a wide open goal moments later at 47-seconds of the period.

Rockford evened the game at 1-1 one-minute into the third period. Alex Broadhurst, making his pro debut, picked up a puck in the Rockford zone, skated end-to-end and wrapped his first career goal past Scott Clemensen to tie the game.

After a sequence of saves by Simpson, Matsumoto found himself on the backdoor once again where he buried his second tally of the night at 11:47 to put San Antonio on top 2-1. Alex Petrovic put the game out of reach with an empty goal at 19:17.

With the loss, Rockford is now 0-2-1-1 all-time in season openers on the road.

Next Home Game: Saturday, Oct. 19 vs. Grand Rapids. Game time is 7 p.m. Rockford opens the home portion of their regular season schedule against the Griffins. The first 5,000 fans to the game will receive an IceHogs calendar courtesy of Stateline Staffing Services. For tickets, call (815) 968-5222, visit