After 10-1 rout Friday and a 9-3 loss Saturday that lasted into Sunday morning, the Cajun Catahoulas had little left to offer later Sunday afternoon, and the Rhinos made the most of it, 14-1.
The start of Saturday’s game was delayed for close to three hours due to problems with the Cajun Catahoulas’ ice.
“We never try to run up the score on anyone,” saidEl Paso head coach Cory Herman. “But I want our team to remain as sharp as possible because once you start letting off the gas bad things happen mentally, especially after a long night Saturday.
“It can carry over if you let it. We want to be consistent.”
Former Rhinos winger Rashad Harris ruined the shutout forEl Paso netminder Anthony Natali with an unassisted goal to open the third period scoring at 2:21, but the rest was all Rhinos, as Natali saved 14 of 15 shots.
It is the second time this season El Paso has equaled its record for most goals in its short history, as the Rhinos beat the Dallas Hawks by the same score last December 8th.
In all, it’s the 16th time in just two seasons the Rhinos have put double digits on the scoreboard.
Centerman Nick Gorup notched the hat trick with goals at 10:59 and 18:39 of the second period and at 7:48 of the third, while defenseman Zach Hale and forward Austin Balko each scored twice. Balko’s double came in the second period and Hale’s in the third.
El Paso went 2-for-5 on the power play and Marcus Wilhite added a shorthanded goal, as all of the Rhinos’ special teams goals were scored in a four-goal first period.
El Paso ’s league stats were not available because Cajun Catahoulas’ officials had not officially submitted Saturday’s game results to PointStreak, the official statistics keeper for the Western States Hockey League.
The Rhinos record is 34-0-2 as the team earned its 70th point of the season, pacing the Mid-West Division of the WSHL by 14 points over second placeTulsa .
Lafayette drops to 5-35-2 for last place in the Mid-West with 12 points.
El Paso will be home in time for classes Monday, as the Rhinos get ready for a big weekend.El Paso will celebrate Military Night with the Hanson Brothers of “Slapshot” fame on the second night of a three-game series against the Colorado Outlaws, Saturday, Jan. 26.
Special military night jerseys will be auctioned off after Saturday’s game. Contact the Rhinos front office at 915.479.PUCK (7825) for more details.
Fans can watch next weekend’s action at www.elpasorhinos.com via B2 Networks (www.b2tv.com), Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 5:30 p.m.
