After the Rhinos faced a loss in the first night of the series, they pulled through and gained a 6-3 win over the Blazers, Saturday night.
Rhino netminder Artur Pavliukov, who has only been in El Paso since January, earned the start after Edelkoort III allowed 7 goals in Friday’s game. Just under nine and half minutes into the first period, Alex Johanson put the Rhinos on the board. Chaseton Sare followed up with his own goal with 2:37 minutes remaining in the period. Thirty-two seconds later, Tanner Mckechnie took advantage of the help his linemates, Drake Cartwright and Simon Hobbis, for a 3-0 lead as the first period ended.
The Rhinos went into the second period strong after livening the game in the first period. Oklahoma brought in their first goal of the night, still behind the Rhinos with a score of 3-1. Johanson responded with another goal in El Paso’s favor but, OKC struck back with another goal by Zachary Paxman. The second period ended with a massive five points over the Blazers’ two.
Into the third period, Oklahoma City racked one more point before the Rhinos finished off the game with one last goal by Phil Pugliese.
The final score was 6-3 and Pavliukov, earned his second win of the season by pulling in a total of 28 saves at a .9032 save percentage.
-Yazmen McCaskill
