Friday: El Paso Rhinos 2 @ Odessa Jackalopes 1 – We’re off to Odessa this weekend for our first bout against the Jackalopes!
First period is all air as neither team is able to break through defenses, but that would all change early in the second as Aidan Bergner puts us in the lead at just under two minutes. Rhinos lead 2-1 at the start of the second and would maintain this lead for the remainder of the period.
Ethan Woolcott doubles our lead to 2-0 by taking yet another goal early in the third off a powerplay before the Jackalopes can even mount a defense. It wouldn’t be until the 11:27 mark where the Jackalopes would take their first goal of the game but it was too little, too late. The buzzer sounded on this period and Rhinos take the first game with a 2-1 lead.
Jackalopes are up tonight on shots on goal with 36 over Rhinos 32, goaltender Michael Modelski saving 35.
Saturday: El paso Rhinos 3 @ Odessa Jackalopes 2 – Back on the ice for game 2 the Rhinos & Jackalopes prepare for their second bout of the weekend! Odessa took last night’s defeat to heart and changed up their strategy for today taking control of the ice early on. Henry Thornton breaks through first and gives the Jackalopes their first goal of the night with 12:45 left to go in the period. Ian Kastamo is next up tonight to score and tied up the game at 1-1 with a goal for the Rhinos at the 6:54 mark. With no further scoring in the first period we’d head into the second knotted up at 1-1.
The second period saw only a single goal from the Jackalopes who take back the lead with just over a minute left, putting them up 2-1 as we prepare for the third.
Ian Kastamo brings us back to a tie with another goal for the Rhinos, this time at 2-2. Jackson Potulny turns the tables in our favor with yet another goal with 8:33 left to go to put the Rhinos on top with a 3-2 lead. Jackalopes fail to bring it back and we’d take game #2 with another victory.
Sunday: El Paso Rhinos 4 @ Odessa Jackalopes 2 – We’ve got one more game lined up tonight as the Rhinos & Jackalopes take to the ice for the third time this weekend. First period is quiet with no scoring and only a single high sticking penalty being thrown out, but as we’ve seen from this weekend’s previous games this would just be the calm before the storm.
Chris Graves is first to take a point tonight as he scores off a powerplay goal for the Jackalopes, putting them up 1-0 in the opening minute of the second period. Troy Hunka follows close behind as he takes charge of the Rhino’s offense and ties up the game at 1-1. Following close behind is Kamden Kaiser and Aidan Bergner to round out the period with two more goals.
Rhinos enter the third period up 3-1 over the Jackalopes, but the game wouldn’t end just yet as the Jackalopes try to bring it back by taking a shorthand goal deep in the period and cut the Rhinos lead to just one point. but Kaiser has luck on his side as an Unsportsmanlike conduct on part of the Jackalopes leaves an empty net which is the perfect home for a lonely puck. Kaiser takes one final goal and the Rhinos take Game #3 with a 4-2 victory, sweeping the Jackalopes.
