The El Paso Rhinos will take on the Tulsa Jr. Oilers this weekend in what we hope to be an electrifying environment at the Hospitals of Providence Events Center. The Rhinos finished up last weekend’s series on a strong note against the Dallas Snipers, and are looking at keeping the winning streak alive.
The Rhinos were off to a pretty sloppy start this season with a 3-11 record, but may have finally put themselves in the driver’s seat. Their last four games have resulted in three wins, including two in a row from last week’s series. Their defense has steadily improved, and on offense the team is finally looking competent.
On the other end of this weekend’s matchup, the Tulsa Jr. Oilers really haven’t been impressive at all this season. There is still a chance to turn it around, but inconsistencies seem to be the main problem for the Oilers who otherwise have an extremely talented team. The Oilers have lost their last four games in a row, and the Rhinos will be looking to keep that streak alive starting on Friday.
I feel like I say it repeatedly but Rhinos’ Forward Petr Ceslik is the real deal on ice. He seems to always be shooting down the lane challenging opposing defenders to score. Ceslik has four goals in his last two games alone, and is almost a lock to score plenty more this weekend in a fairly easy divisional matchup. Pass the puck to Ceslik, and he can be trusted to make a play for the team.
Although the Oilers have been struggling to score these past few weeks, Scott Coash Jr. may be the silver lining on offense. He has two goals and one assist in the past three games, and always keeps himself relevant throughout all three periods of the game. Coash will be interesting to watch this weekend against a Rhinos’ defense that has been coming together lately.
-Caleb Colmenero
