Saturday: Lone Star Brahmas 4 @ El Paso Rhinos 0 – The El Paso Rhinos welcome the Lone Star Brahmas to the Sun City this weekend for the first of two games! First period is a battle for control as both teams get a feel for the other’s pace. A few blows here and there but goaltenders hold on both end and we’d move in to the second period with a 0-0 stalemate. Brahmas bring it back in the second period though and once the 15 minute mark hit the game’s pace was sent into overdrive. Three goals from the Brahmas’ Jackson Vaites, Jackson Potulny, and Christian Venticinque all take three goals in under five minutes for a whopping 3-0 lead. After intermission and puck drop in the third period the Brahmas take one final goal as Vladmir Saibel signs off on a 4-0 Brahmas victory.
Sunday: Lone Star Brahmas 3 @ El Paso Rhinos 4 – We’re back here in Rhino Country for the start of Game #2 as the Brahmas & Rhinos take back to the ice. After last night’s defeat the Rhinos aim to position themselves for more aggressive plays and the Brahmas answer in kind. Jackson Potulny draws first blood for the Brahmas with just over 11 minutes to go in the first period and they’d hold on to a 1-0 lead moving in to the second period. Leo Isaksson makes it 2-0 early in the second putting the Rhinos on the backfoot. Halfway through the period an opportunity presents itself as the Brahmas catch a penalty putting the Rhinos on a power play. Kamden Kaiser uses the numbers advantage to overwhelm Brahmas defense and earns himself a goal. Rhinos still trail behind the Brahmas 2-1, but Ethan Woolcott scores in the last 15 seconds to tie up the game as we head in to the third period. Time ticks down and both teams are aware that its now do or die and surprisingly this period sees both sides take one point a piece for a 3-3 tie rounding out regulation time. Overtime sees no change in score and we’re sent in to a shootout to determine who’ll come out on top. Fortunately for the Rhinos, Troy Hunka scores the game-winning goal in the shootout and we’d take this one with a 4-3 win.
