Friday: New Mexico Ice Wolves 1 @ El Paso Rhinos 2 – The New Mexico Ice Wolves are in the Sun City this weekend for the first of two games against your El Paso Rhinos! The puck dropped here on Rhinos ice @ 7:00 pm and the sparks instantly fly. Rhinos & Ice Wolves butt up against each other and battle for control of the ice. Greyson Settipane is the first to break the stalemate, scoring a crucial goal with 6:35 to go in the first period, putting the Rhinos up 1-0. New Mexico catches themselves a hooking penalty, giving the Rhinos the man advantage and Tommy Shore takes his shot and sinks the puck in the net for a 2-0 lead with just 2:32 to go in the period. At the end of the first your El Paso Rhinos lead 2-0 over the New Mexico Ice Wolves.
Returning to the rink after first intermission the Ice Wolves & Rhinos ready themselves for yet another rousing round of hockey. A bit of a brawl broke out on the ice halfway through the period and we see some unsportsmanlike conduct rulings handed out to each team. After restart Andy Earl of the Ice Wolves puts them on the board, snagging himself a goal with 7:31 to go in the period. At the end of the second period Rhinos maintain a 2-1 lead over the Ice Wolves.
With no further scoring in the third period the game winds down and Rhinos walk away with a 2-1 win over the Ice wolves in Game #1.
Saturday: New Mexico Ice Wolves 5 @ El Paso Rhinos 2 – Rhinos & Ice Wolves are back tonight as we begin the second game of the series! Fresh off of last night’s defeat the Ice Wolves make their return to Rhino ice with a newfound hunger for revenge, sprinting in to action right after puck drop. It wouldn’t be until the 13:44 mark where Cayden Joramo finds himself in the perfect opportunity to give the Ice Wolves the lead, scoring himself the Ice Wolves’ first goal of the night. With the clock ticking down Troy Hunka seizes the chance at a power play and ties up the game at 1-1 with 2:43 left in the first.
Rhinos and Ice Wolves return after first intermission tied up at 1-1, but Ice Wolves are ready to kick it in to high gear. Brock Fairbanks takes back the lead for the Ice Wolves, followed just two minutes later by the Rhinos’ Jackson Potulny to tie us up once again, this time at 2-2. Nayan Pai takes back the lead once more in the last few minutes of the second period and Ice Wolves are up 3-2 as we move in to the third.
The game finds itself in a lull in the third period as both teams are defending well and the clock runs down with almost no interruption. Pai takes yet another goal for the Ice Wolves, doubling their lead over the Rhinos, followed shortly behind by Jake Kasay off a power play to make it 5-2. The buzzer sounded and New Mexico Takes this one, defeating the Rhinos and splitting the series in Game 2.
