SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Kenny Agostino’s power-play goal with 5:29 to play highlighted a stirring comeback and lifted the Chicago Wolves to a 4-2 victory over the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday night at the AT&T Center.
Forward Wade Megan scored a pair of goals and center Ivan Barbashev’s tally started the rally for the Wolves (1-3-0-0), who trailed 2-0 midway through the night. Goaltender Jordan Binnington (1-1-0) stopped 30 shots to earn the victory.
Chicago took the lead for the first time on Agostino’s one-timer from the right circle at 14:31 of the third. Morgan Ellis and Landon Ferraro delivered nifty backhand passes to set up Agostino’s second goal of the season.
San Antonio (0-3-0-0) needed just 52 seconds to get on the board. Northbrook native J.T. Compher stuck out his stick and tapped home a rebound in the crease to give the Rampage the early edge.
The Rampage pushed their lead to 2-0 at 10:45 of the second as defenseman Ryan Stanton blasted a slap shot from the left point. His goal was set up by an icing call on the Wolves. San Antonio’s Mikko Rantanen won the subsequent faceoff back to Stanton, who teed off and threaded his shot through traffic.
Barbashev answered at 15:56 of the second with a shot from an incredible angle. He collected a loose puck just below the goal line to the right of San Antonio goaltender Jeremy Smith, yet Barbashev found a way to rifle a shot past Smith for his second goal of the year.
The Wolves pulled even with 54 seconds left in the second period on Megan’s short-handed goal. Last year’s American Hockey League leader in shorties chased down a puck behind San Antonio’s net and outdueled Smith and a defenseman for possession. Megan dragged it out toward the right circle and slid the puck past a diving Smith to make the score 2-2.
After Agostino’s goal gave the Wolves the lead, Megan added an empty-net goal with 53 seconds left to clinch the game. Smith (0-2-0) posted 19 saves in the loss.
The Wolves face San Antonio again at 3 p.m. Sunday in a game televised by The U Too. Chicago returns to Allstate Arena for Breast Cancer Awareness Night at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29. To be there when the Wolves host the Rockford IceHogs in the Illinois Lottery Cup contest, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.