Friday: El Paso Rhinos 3 @ Mid Cities Jr. Stars 4 – Rhinos hit the road for the last regular season game this weekend as we travel to Euless for the start of a 3-game series against the Mid Cities Jr. Stars! Stars are first on the board tonight taking the early game lead at just past 6 minutes into the first period. Ten minutes later Nick jones ties up the game for the Rhinos at 1-1, but the Stars take back the lead with one more goal within the same minute. Stars are up 2-1 at the end of the first. Jones does it again in the second to tie the game up at 2-2. Ryan Piekarski holds the Stars back for the remainder of the period, sending us into the third period at a 2-2 tie. Stars hit the ice and take two back-to-back goals, setting them in the lead with 4-2 at just under 10 minutes in the period. Mackenzie Bolger brings the game back within one point, but the Rhinos are unable to take the lead back, ceding a 4-3 victory to the Stars.
Saturday: El Paso Rhinos 8 @ Mid Cities Jr. Stars 1 – Rhinos look for revenge tonight after last night’s close game against the Stars and the puck drops as we go to game #2! Bolger starts us off tonight after a wonderful performance last night and hands the Rhinos an early lead. Stars wouldn’t let El Paso keep it though, snagging one goal at the 5:40 mark as they attempt a counterattack. The rest of the period is All Rhinos as Donovan Bradford, Trevor Stenglein, and Joseph Gutierrez keep the goals coming. At the end of the first period Rhinos are up 4-1, taking a three point lead. Nick Jones takes a blazing fast goal at just 32 seconds into the next period and Zach Ware rounds it out with one goal in the closing minutes for a 6-1 lead. Momentum in their favor, Rhinos continue into the third with yet another goal from jones and a second from Gutierrez. Matt Loney keeps the defense up preventing any more scoring from the Stars to give rhinos an 8-1 victory over the Stars for Game 2.
Sunday: El Paso Rhinos 6 @ Mid Cities Jr. Stars 0 – With one last game to go, Rhinos aim to see how far they can push themselves for one last regular season game. Donovan Bradford takes the first goal tonight nearly uncontested followed by Koltan Plant for a 2-0 lead at the start of the first. Bolger once more shows his prowess earning himself a goal at 12 seconds into the second followed closely behind by Nick Jones for yet another impressive score. Philip O’Neil tending the goal tonight keeps up the Rhinos’ defensive streak and we head in to the third period leading by 4. Austin Renaldo pushes the lead to 5 and just when you thought it was over Zach Marsell makes it a 6-0 game before time is out. Rhinos take Game #3 and secure themselves a spot in the playoffs for their third consecutive year with a 6-0 victory over the Stars.
