Sunday: El Paso Rhinos 1 – Willmar Warhawks 10 – For the first game of this year’s showcase matches, the El Paso Rhinos face off against the Willmar Warhawks. Warhawks start off strong tonight taking full control of the first period. Starting off with two back-to-back goals by Braydon Buckingham and Tyler Misialek the Warhawks take the lead at just two minutes into the game. Gunnar Sibley and Gavin Simon would go on to score two more goals this period for a 4-0 lead over the Rhinos at the end of the first period. Michael Sweetland goes straight into the second period with even more aggression from the Warhawks to score their fifth goal of the night at just 1:33 into the period. The Rhinos would finally put themselves on the board shortly after as Mike Sobaski scores their first goal of the night. Unfortunately this would be the Rhinos’ last note of the night as the Warhawks would continue to shut them out. Buckingham and Misialek both took a goal a piece followed by Owen Johnston to end the period with an 8-1 Warhawk lead. Finally Blaise Schutt put the final touches on the goal by taking two goals for himself to end the game at a 10-1 Warhawk lead.
Monday: El Paso Rhinos 3 – Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks 2 – The El Paso Rhinos battled it out with the Danbury Jr. Stars for the second showcase game of the season. Zachary Ware starts us off tonight with a goal at 3:30 into the first period. This goal would stand throughout the period until Brody Trew tied the game at 1-1 with just 45 seconds left in the period. Headed into the second period Mike Sobaski would increase the Rhinos’ lead to 2-1. Phillip O’Neill’s defense would hold for the remainder of the period, not allowing the Hat Tricks any more ground. The third period began with Trey Erramouspe taking a goal at the 6:02 mark to put the Rhinos square in the lead at 3-1, but the Hat Tricks’ Roman Winicki would cut that lead to 3-2 as they attempt to make a comeback. O’Neill’s defense continued to hold and the Rhinos would take the 3-2 victory tonight.
Tuesday: El Paso Rhinos 0 – Great Falls Americans 2 – For the third and final game of the NA3HL Showcase Series the El Paso Rhinos faced off against the Great Falls Americans. Both teams sought to end their series today by giving it their all in the first early game, but both teams’ goalies were able to fend off the other’s aggression. The first period would end at a 0-0 tie. It would be the Americans who would finally break through their opponent’s defense as Wes Weisenburger puts them on the board followed by a second consecutive goal by Jace Thompson to round out the period at a 2-0 lead. With no scoring in the third period, the Americans would take the victory 2-0 over the Rhinos.
