Friday: El Paso Rhinos 0 @ Lone Star Brahmas 5 – Division Finals are upon us for the 2026 NAHL Robertson Cup! Rhinos have fought a fantastic season and are off to the NYTEX Sports Centre today for the first round of hockey against the Lone Star Brahmas!
As expected of a playoff game both teams start the game off with a rapid pace, fighting over the puck with determination to make this game theirs. Goaltenders carry the first period as Michael Modelski holds back the home team for a scoreless 20 minutes.
Headed in to the second period the Brahmas send out Nathan Murray who takes charge to score the first goal of the game at just over a minute. Brahmas lead 1-0 before Rhinos can even mount a counterattack. Rhinos are on the defensive now as the Brahmas attempt to push their advantage as Christian Venticinque finds an opening for their second goal of the night. We do take some penalty hits over the next few minutes and cede a power play, but goaltender Modelski fights back to prevent any further scoring. At the end of the second Brahmas lead 2-0 over the Rhinos.
With one more period to go both teams use the second intermission to reassess their strategies and take a breather before the battle resumes. Gustav Lexell makes it 3-0, Brahmas with yet another goal, but this wouldn’t be the end of their attacks. Dylan McFadden follows a few minutes behind for their fourth score, doubling their lead in just under ten minutes. Sand in the hour glass slips away and we find ourselves in the closing minutes of the third period where a massive fight breaks out leading to several Rhino players to hit the penalty box, ceding the man advantage to the Brahmas. Vladmir Saibel scores the fifth, and final goal of the night for the Brahmas, closing out game #1 with a 5-0 Rhino defeat.
Lone Star Brahmas lead shots on goal 33 tonight over Rhino 18, with Goaltender Modelski saving 28.
Saturday: El Paso Rhinos 1 @ Lone Star Brahmas 2 – We’re back on the ice here at the NYTEX Sports Centre for Gam #2 of the series where the Rhinos and Brahmas duke it out once more in the division finals!
The Brahmas take control of the early game here in the first period right out of the gate. Following through with last night’s win, the home team snags an early goal at just under four minutes in to the period as Samuel Lussier takes point #1. Brahmas hold back the Rhinos for the remainder of the period, sending us in to period 2 with a 1-0 lead.
The action settles down in the second period, save for a few blows traded and penalties handed out, but ultimately no scoring would be found.
Time ticks down and we’re now past the second intermission where the Rhinos are readjusting to the Lone Star pace. Unfortunately for the Rhinos, Massimiliano catches an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, ceding the man advantage to the Brahmas for a powerplay opportunity. Leo Isaksson takes this opportunity to double the point gap to 2-0 with Rhinos still trailing behind. WIth 2:59 left on the clock Gaige Giblin finally puts the Rhinos on the board with one goal off a powerplay of or own, but the buzzer sounds on Game #2 to a victory for the Brahmas.
Rhinos lead 40 shots on goal to Brahmas’ 32, Goaltender Michael Modelski saving 30.
Rhinos will host Game #3 next week on Thursday to continue this series.
Thursday(5/7/26): Lone Star Brahmas 4 @ El Paso Rhinos 1 – Round 3 is nigh as the home team swaps to the Rhinos this weekend here in the Sun City as we prepare for another night of hockey! Brahmas are all-in for today’s match as winning today would mean they would take home the division finals. Rhinos defend today in hopes of keeping their finals win dream alive.
Alexi Gregoire is first on the board tonight and puts Rhinos on the board 1-0 at just past halfway through period 1. Fighting ensues as the Brahmas try to bring it back to their speed, which five minutes later would come to fruition. Jackson Vaites ties it up at 1-1 with 5:00 left on the clock in the first as we see our second goal of the night. Both teams fight vigorously but no more goals would be had for the remainder of the period.
After first intermission the Brahmas rework their strategy and position themselves for quicker plays. Vincenzo Capano earns himself a goal at just over a minute and a half in to the second period followed a mere two minutes later by Denver Damphousse to put the Brahmas up by 2 points at a 3-1 lead over the Rhinos.
Unfortunately for the Rhinos, Brahmas are putting all their remaining strength in to this last period and with one final goal from Christian Venticinque in the last three minutes of the game, the Brahmas would secure not only the game, but their place on top of the NAHL South Division.
Final Score: Brahmas 4 to Rhinos 1.
Rhinos lead Shots on Goal with 31 to Brahmas 23, with Goaltender Modelski saving 18
We’d like to thank all our fans & billet families for supporting us during the 2025/2026 season, and we hope to see you again next season!
