Friday: Louisiana Drillers 5 @ El Paso Rhinos 2 – Playoffs are nigh! Louisiana Drillers pay a visit to Rhino Country this week as we begin a new series! Drillers take the first two goals of the day in the first five minutes before the Rhinos even have the opportunity to respond. Rhinos took until the halfway point in the first period to get on the board as Joseph May sinks the puck in the net. Drillers lead 2-1 as we transition to the second period. Period two is all Drillers with three more goals over the course of the period, increasing their lead to 5-1 at the end of the second. Zach Ware takes one last goal for the Rhinos today at 5:33 in the third and Drillers take Game 1 with a 5-2 victory.
Saturday: Louisiana Drillers 3 @ El Paso Rhinos 2 – Rhinos aim to split the series tonight with their final chance to break even with the Drillers. Tyler Kowalchuk starts off the day taking an early lead with a goal at just past four minutes into the period. Louisiana responds with two of their own to end the period with a 2-1 lead over the Rhinos. Matt Loney keeps the Drillers at bay for the entirety of the second period as we the score remains unchanged headed in to the third. Joseph Gutierrez ties up the game at 2-2 here in the third period as Rhinos attempt to mount a counterattack. Unfortunately for the Rhinos, Drillers manage to score one more goal before the match is up and take the series with a 3-2 win in Game 2.
