Each team kept the other at bay throughout the game, and Collin Young secured the win for Springfield Express with a goal in the third period.
Springfield Express was led by Young, who grabbed one goal. Young scored 8:07 into the third period to make the score 4-3 Springfield Express. Tobias Sjolund assisted on the tally.
In the losing effort, El Paso Rhinos was led by Reinis Vitolins, who racked up two goals. Vitolins scored the first of his two goals at 14:28 into the first period to make the score 1-0 El Paso Rhinos. Adam Zimmerman picked up the assist. Vitolins\’ next tally made the score 3-2 El Paso Rhinos with 16:13 left in the third period. David Brancik provided the assist.
Referees had their hands full with a major incident at 16:30 into the third period. Four fighting penalties were dished out along with three game misconducts.
Springfield Express racked up the penalties in the contest, and ended with 10 minors and two majors for 60 minutes in penalty time. Springfield Express surpassed its season average of 34.0 penalty minutes per game. Springfield Express stifled El Paso Rhinos\’ power play, and did not give up a single goal while down a man. El Paso Rhinos was unable to stop Springfield Express from sending pucks towards the net, and Springfield Express eventually piled up 31 shots on goal.
Others who scored for Springfield Express included Mike Heaverly, Vito DeVito, and Seth Ensor, who scored one goal each. Other players who recorded assists for Springfield Express were Quade Hamlin, who had two and Phillip Solari, Eric Anderson, David Higgs, Derek Smith, and Linus Dahlberg, who each chipped in one.
El Paso Rhinos was often in penalty trouble, totaling 10 minors and two majors for 80 minutes in penalty time. The total exceeded the 35.0 minutes per game El Paso Rhinos had been spending in the box. El Paso Rhinos put up an impenetrable defensive front on the penalty kill, and did not allow Springfield Express to score on any of its eight power plays. El Paso Rhinos\’ offense rang up 42 shots on Springfield Express\’ net.
Marek Langhammer also scored for El Paso Rhinos. In addition, El Paso Rhinos received assists from Sebastian Borg, Gavin Abbott, and Jiri Pestuka, who contributed one each.
Springfield Express\’ Philip Babb stopped 39 shots out of the 42 that he faced. For Springfield Express, Smith was ejected from the game. Adam Vay recorded 27 saves for El Paso Rhinos. El Paso Rhinos registered zero goals on five power play opportunities. Team\’s Brancik and Lukas Znosko were slapped with misconducts and ejected from the game.
-Narrative Science
