Friday: Oklahoma Warriors 2 @ El Paso Rhinos 0 – Warriors are in town this weekend for the first game here in Rhino country! The puck dropped promptly @ 7:00 PM and both teams went right to work to gain control of the ice. Michael Modelski holds out with a strong defense for not only the entire first period, but keeps the Warriors at 0 points throughout the entire second as well.
It wouldn’t be until the third period where Trace Day puts up the warriors up 1-0 after a power play with 6:34 to go. Mathias Kristiansen takes a second in the closing moments of the game on an empty net and Warriors take Game #2 with a 2-0 lead.
Saturday: Oklahoma Warriors 2 @ El Paso Rhinos 11 – Back on the ice for Game #2 the Rhinos attempt to make up for last night’s loss here in our second bout against the Warriors!
Oklahoma takes first blood tonight scoring just a minute in to the first period as Ben Osiashvilli puts them up 1-0. It took a few minutes for Rhinos to get into a favorable position but Ian Kastamo finally finds a way in and takes the first goal of the night off of a powerplay to tie up the game at 1-1. This first goal would signal the rest of the Rhinos that the time to attack is now, as over the next few minutes Rhinos absolutely sprint into the lead. Jackson Potulny and Kamden Kaiser follow right behind Kastamo to increase our lead to 3-1, but this wasn’t nearly the end. Nikolas Gentilini and Kaiser for his second of the night make it 5-1, and with one last goal in the period by Potulny the Rhinos would hold a very large lead over the Warriors.
Headed in to the second period El Paso is up 6-1 over the Warriors with no signs of momentum stopping. Massimiliano Monson earns himself a goal deep in the second followed by Vincent Gaudette, ending the second period with the Rhinos up 8-1.
Warriors are trying to claw back by any means necessary now as all attempts to come back are blocked by goaltender Logan Hughes, who has had a near flawless game today. Both defense and offense are on a hot streak today as Potulny earns himself a hattrick off another powerplay, setting the score to 9-1, Rhinos still out in front. Aiden Bergner is credited with our 10th goal of the night with 5:08 left on the clock and with time running out the Warriors are running out of time to make a comeback. With just over a minute to go Jakub Kristek gives the Warriors their second goal of the night, but it’s too little too late. With one final Rhino goal from Alexi Gregoire. we take Game #2 with a whopping 11-2 victory.
