Tag Archives: rhinos hockey

For the third time in the team’s 12-year history, the El Paso Rhinos will host the annual Western States Hockey League season finale tournament, featuring six of the best teams in the nation, at the El Paso County Coliseum Events Center (4100 East Paisano.)

The first round gets underway April 11, with the semifinals April 14 and the championship April 15.

“We are excited to have teams from around the country experience the hospitality of the Sun City,” said El Paso Rhinos coach Cory Herman. “We’re also thankful to have the support of El Paso behind us as we make a run for the Thorne Cup here in Rhino Country.”

The Rhinos have two Thorne Cup titles – 2008 and 2014.

The last time El Paso hosted the Thorne Cup tournament, the team won the championship with a stellar 44-2 record. Currently, the Rhinos are in the midst of a phenomenal season with a 46-1-1 record, so far, in their quest to win the title once again on home ice.

The Rhinos have only three games left in the regular season – 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, March 2-3, and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 4, against the Wichita Jr. Thunder at the Events Center – before competing in the Thorne Cup playoffs.

The WSHL is an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Tier II Junior A ice hockey league, which features 23 teams split into four divisions: Mid-Western, Western, Northwestern and Mountain.

El Paso plays in the Mid-Western Division, along with the Oklahoma City Blazers, Dallas Snipers, Springfield Express and Thunder.

Tickets, which will cost $7, $10, $15, $20, $30 and $35, plus fees, will be available at the Coliseum Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-745-3000 and online.

Last weekend, the red-hot Rhinos scored 45 goals in a sweep of the Thunder, this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday they’re back in the Sun City for the St. Baldrick’s series.

After Saturday’s game, the team, including the coaching and training staff, stick boys, and other Rhino members, will shave their heads for the eighth straight year to raise money for childhood cancer research.

Fans will be able to bid on their favorite Rhino’s head to take the first swipe. All bids to take the first swipe for the head shaving will be done during the El Paso Rhinos home game Saturday, February 24 at 7:00 pm.

Bidding will conclude at the 10-minute mark of the third period and shaving will take place immediately following the game. Anyone that can’t make the game but wanting to bid can do so via email (therman@elpasorhinos.com).

Email submissions must be submitted by February 23 at 11 pm (MT).  You can also help your favorite Rhino raise money by donating online.

Over the weekend, the El Paso Rhinos traveled to Wichita for their final regular-season road trip, and once again came away with a series sweep.

On Friday, Kayden Pickles stopped all nine shots he faced and earned his second shutout of the season. Max Kamper, Nikita Pintusov, Austin Simpson and Adam Stalzer each had a pair of goals and contributed to the 16-0 win over the Thunder.

Filip Krasanovsky started in net for the Rhinos on Saturday and quickly gave up one goal just under four minutes into the first period. However, with two shorthanded goals, Chaseton Sare’s five-point game and Austin Simpson’s four goals, El Paso ended the second game with a final score of 18-1.

Sunday’s 11-2 win saw two more power play goals, one shorthanded goal, hat tricks by Simpson and Pintusov and a pair of goals by Kranabetter.

El Paso’s sweep of the Thunder extends their win streak to 11 games and gives them a record of 43-1-1 on the season.

The Rhinos will host two more regular season home series on February 23-25 and March 2-4. On February 24, as part of the St. Baldrick’s series, the entire team will shave their heads to raise money for childhood cancer research.

The following Sunday, March 4, the Rhinos will host their Paint the Ice promotion as the final event in the Kids Series. Home playoff games are tentatively set for March 23-25 and March 30-April 1.

All playoff series are best two of three series, so Sunday games will only be played if necessary. Information on playoff tickets can be found here.

The red-hot El Paso Rhinos returned home Friday night to start a three game series against the Colorado Eagles.

The series is off to a fine start, as the Rhinos topped the Eagles 5-1.

Starting Friday night, the red-hot Rhinos welcome the Colorado Junior Eagles to the Sun City for a three game series

While the Rhinos will take the ice after a weekend off, Colorado is coming to El Paso after splitting a two-game series with the Rough Riders. In game two, the Eagles fell to Superior in two overtimes.  Currently, Colorado is ranked third in the Mountain Division, with 28 wins and 11 losses.

The Rhinos remain at the top of the Mid-Western Division, having lost only two games this season.

In November, El Paso traveled to Ft. Collins and swept the Eagles, albeit with some difficulty. The Rhinos pulled out a 4-3 win in the first game, routed the Eagles in game two, 6-0, and fought to earn an overtime win in the final game of the series.

The El Maida Shrine will present the first series in February and on Sunday, the Rhinos will wear special Shrine jerseys.

These game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off in March and all proceeds will benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children.

The puck drops at 7:00 pm Friday and Saturday, and 4:30 pm on Sunday at the El Paso County Coliseum Events Center (4100 E. Paisano).

Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased online or by calling the El Paso County Coliseum Box Office at 915-533-9899.

The red-hot El Paso Rhinos returned home Friday night to start a three-game series against the Dallas Snipers.   The Rhinos did not disappoint, dominating Dallas 13-0.

First period goals scored by Leeam Tivers, JC Dubecky, Max Kamper, and Jayden Ritchie; Second period goals scored by Leeam Tivers, Jared Marquette, Dallas Klaassen, Nick Hames, and Chaseton Sare; Third period goals scored by JC Dubecky, Maguire Blair, Austin Simpson, and Chaseton Sare.

Our very own Andres Acosta was there, and while he didn’t get in on the Goalapalooza, he did capture all the action and brings it to you in this ‘Story in Many Pics.’

The first-place El Paso Rhinos take on the Dallas Snipers this weekend for the first home ice series of 2018.

The Rhinos are lead the Mid-Western Division with a record of 34 wins and two losses, while the Dallas Snipers trail in fourth place with only seven wins and 26 losses. El Paso has started off the year with five wins, dropping one game to the Blazers in Oklahoma City.

Since January is Blood Donor Month, the United Blood Services of El Paso will present the January home series. Blood donors will receive FREE Rhino tickets to this weekend’s games.

On Friday and Saturday, the team will wear special United Blood Services jerseys. The game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off during Saturday’s game and all proceeds will benefit the United Blood Services

The puck will drop at 7 pm on Friday and Saturday and at 4:30 pm on Sunday at the El Paso County Coliseum Events Center (4100 E. Paisano).

Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased online or by calling the El Paso County Coliseum Box Office at 915-533- 9899

Coming off last week’s sweep of the Wichita Thunder, the Rhinos traveled to Oklahoma City to face off against familiar rivals, the Blazers.

While it wasn’t a sweep in OKC, the Rhinos still slapped the Blazers back, taking the series two games to one.

After the series in Oklahoma City, the Rhinos are now 34-1-1 on the season. They will have a bye week before they return to the Sun City for the United Blood Services series on Jan. 26, 27, and 28.

Game 1, 5-4, OTL

In the first game, the Rhinos outshot the Blazers, 41-28, but still managed to fall to Oklahoma City in overtime, 5-4. Both teams were scoreless until Ivan Bondarenko, with the help of Joshua Chamberlain and Connor Dunn, slipped one past Rhino netminder Filip Krasanovsky at 8:24 in the first period. Shortly thereafter, Phil Pugliese and Jacob Ugenti received matching roughing penalties, earning the second and third penalties of the period.

Just under the two-minute mark, Ivan Bondarenko scored again to give the Blazers a two-point lead. Thirty-four seconds later, however, Donald Alchin cut Oklahoma City’s lead to one. Chaseton Sare then evened the game at two just before Carlo Wittor gave the Rhinos the lead with only 17.8 seconds left in the first. In just a minute and seven seconds, the Rhinos had created a one-point deficit for Oklahoma City.

The second period made up for what the first period lacked in penalties. In twenty minutes, both teams saw a total of 22 penalty minutes, 18 of those minutes issued to the Rhinos. Of El Paso’s four penalties, the Blazers were able to capitalize on a hooking call near the end of the period. With the man-advantage at 1:52, Oklahoma City forward Vitalii Mikhailov evened the game at three.

Both teams entered the third period knotted at three until Chamberlain helped the Blazers regain the lead just before the halfway point of the period. El Paso’s leading scorer, Chaseton Sare, however, tied the game yet again forcing overtime.

Exactly four minutes into the extra period, Griffin Wiencek beat Krasanovsky with a power play goal to give the Blazers their first win over the Rhinos this season.

Game 2, 2-1, OTW

Although the first period of Saturday’s game saw no goals, both teams had several penalty minutes. El Paso’s Austin Boyle and Oklahoma City’s Zachary Colgrove received matching unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The Rhinos picked up a pair of penalties while Oklahoma City also earned two more penalty minutes on a slashing call.

Just over three minutes into the second period, Rhino forward Adam Stalzer put the Rhinos on the board. El Paso clung to their one goal lead until the Blazers evened the game at 4:28 with a goal by Patrick Tondl.

Unable to earn a single point in the third period, both teams headed into overtime eager to finish the game quickly. Two minutes and six seconds into the first overtime, Adam Stalzer and Jake Kopinski fed the puck to Maguire Blair who gave the Rhinos the 2-1 overtime win.

Game 3, 3-1 W

With the series tied at one, El Paso needed to stave off the Blazers to win the series. Rhino Chaseton Sare and Blazer Connor Dunn started off the first period with matching unsportsmanslike conduct penalties. A few minutes after being released from the penalty box, however, Sare gave the Rhinos their first lead of the game. Ivan Bondarenko followed up Sare’s goal with his own, tying the game at one.

Both teams, entering the second period with one goal apiece, picked up two penalties before Chaseton Sare could net his second of the game at 7:49. Holding onto their one goal lead, the Rhinos earned a 3-1 victory over the Blazers when Nick Hames earned the final tally of the game in the third period.

***

Next Friday and Saturday, the team will wear special Blood Services jerseys that will be auctioned off after Saturday’s game. All proceeds will benefit the United Blood Services.

The puck will drop at 7 pm on Friday, January 26, and Saturday, January 27, and at 4:30 pm on Sunday, January 28, at the El Paso County Coliseum Events Center (4100 E. Paisano). Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased online or by calling the El Paso County Coliseum Box Office at 915-533-9899.

The El Paso Rhinos continued their red-hot streak, not only sweeping the Wichita Thunder, but holding them to zero point over the three game series.

In the first series of 2018, both teams hoped to earn three wins for a strong start to the new year.

Going into the series, Wichita had three wins and 24 losses in the first half of the season, earning them last place in Mid-Western Division. Conversely, the Rhinos, one game shy of having a perfect record in their first 30 games, sat at the top of the division.

The Rhinos will travel to Oklahoma City next weekend to face off against the Blazers, who are ranked second, behind the Rhinos, in the Mid-Western Division

Game 1, 8-0 W

In game one, the Rhino forward Adam Stalzer scored 14 seconds into the first period to give the Rhinos an early lead. The first period saw four more goals as Stalzer scored a second time and Jimmy Beirne, Cole Richardson and Logan Orem earned goals of their own. Wichita’s only two shots in the game also came in the first period, but Rhino goaltender Kayden Pickles stopped them both.

Nolan Haugen increased the Rhinos’ lead to six when he scored at 7:43 in the second period. New forward Maguire Blair, who arrived in the Sun City after the holiday break, earned his first goal as a Rhino when he netted the last two points of the game. With a score of 8-0, El Paso finished the game with three power play goals, for a power play percentage of 50 percent, and one shorthanded goal.

Game 2, 15-0 W

Eleven different Rhinos had points in the Rhinos’ 15-0 win over the Thunder on Saturday. Ty Erramouspe and Maguire Blair both had hat tricks and assists while Phil Pugliese and Nolan Haugen each had a pair of goals as well. Austin Boyle, Adam Stalzer, Leeam Tivers, and Austin Simpson each had a multi-point game, helping lead the Rhinos to a two-game lead in the series.

In goaltender Trevor Buckmeier’s first start of his Rhino career, he stopped all seven shots he faced and earned his first shutout of the season. While Buckemeier and the Rhinos’ penalty kill remained perfect and even netted a shorthanded goal, El Paso’s power play percentage was 29 percent with two goals on seven opportunities.

Game 3, 9-0 W

On Sunday, the Rhinos swept the Thunder after blanking Wichita for the third time. While seventeen different Rhinos contributed to the nine points scored, the team posted nearly 100 shots. Forwards Phil Pugliese and Leeam Tivers each had two goals and Tom Kuebler, Carlo Wittor, Adam Stalzer, Austin Simpson as well as Ty Erramouspe earned their own goals throughout the game. As in both previous games, El Paso posted two power play goals and one shorthanded goal.

With the shutout, goaltender Filip Krasanovsky picked up his seventh perfect game of the season. He also picked up a helper on one of Tivers’ goals.

For the third time in their twelve-year history, the El Paso Rhinos have been selected to host the Thorne Cup Championship.

Succeeding Ogden, the 2017 location, the Sun City will welcome five teams from around the country for the Western States Hockey League’s annual end-of-season tournament.

Tentatively, round robin play will begin on April 10 and continue through April 12. The semi-finals will be played on Friday, April 13, and the tournament will conclude with the championship game on Saturday, April 14. As the host team, the Rhinos are guaranteed three games.

The Rhinos’ head coach, Cory Herman, explains how the franchise is looking forward to the tournament.  “We are excited to have teams from around the country experience the hospitality of the Sun City. We’re also thankful to have the support of El Paso behind us as we make a run for the Thorne Cup here in Rhino Country.”

The last time El Paso hosted the Thorne Cup, the Rhinos topped the Idaho Steelheads to win the championship on home ice. With a record of 28-1 this season, the Rhinos will look to repeat 2014’s outcome and hoist the 2018 Thorne Cup in Rhino Country. Another Thorne Cup would give the Rhinos three League titles in addition to their 2014 National Championship.

Tickets for all Thorne Cup games will go on sale to the public on March 1. More information about the schedule and the attending teams will be released near the end of the regular season.

The El Paso Rhinos will put their 24 game win streak on the line this weekend, as they host the unbeaten Oklahoma City Blazers.

It is also Military Appreciation Weekend in Rhino Country, and the team will auction off game-worn Military themed jerseys on Saturday and recognize active duty service members and veterans during each game.

On Saturday, one active duty military member will shoot to win a new Ford truck, courtesy of Shamaley Ford.

With the three wins over the Phoenix Knights last weekend, El Paso earned their eighth straight sweep of the season, extending the win streak to 24 games. Not having lost a game yet, the Rhinos sit at the top of the Western States Hockey League’s Midwest Division.

The puck will drop at 7 pm on Friday, December 8, and Saturday, December 9, and at 4:30 pm on Sunday, December 10, at the El Paso County Coliseum Events Center (4100 E. Paisano).

Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased online or by calling the El Paso County Coliseum Box Office at 915-533-9899.

The Rhinos blasted 24 goals and blanked the Knights twice in this past weekend’s series, en route to another sweet sweep. With the three wins over the Phoenix Knights, El Paso earned their eighth straight sweep of the season, extending the win streak to 24 games.

Not having lost a game yet, the Rhinos sit at the top of the Western States Hockey League’s Midwest Division. However, the also unbeaten Oklahoma City Blazers will travel to the Sun City for the Rhinos’ next home series this weekend.

Ranked second in the Mid-Western division behind El Paso, Oklahoma City has posted 205 goals in 21 games.

The final home series of 2017 will be Military Appreciation Weekend in Rhino Country. All military members and veterans with a valid military ID will receive free tickets for themselves and their families for this series and every series throughout the season.

The Rhinos will wear military themed jerseys on Friday and Saturday. The game-worn jerseys will then be auctioned off following Saturday’s game. The Rhinos will also recognize active and retired military members and veterans from El Paso area during each game of the three-game series.

On Saturday, one active duty military member will shoot to win a new Ford truck, courtesy of Shamaley Ford.

The puck will drop at 7 pm on Friday, December 8, and Saturday, December 9, and at 4:30 pm on Sunday, December 10, at the El Paso County Coliseum Events Center (4100 E. Paisano).

Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased online or by calling the El Paso County Coliseum Box Office at 915-533-9899.

Game 1, 10-0 W

On Friday, the Rhinos boasted their offensive strength, posting 10 goals in their shutout of the Phoenix Knights. Austin Simpson had a trick trick and two assists while Chaseton Sare and Ty Erramouspe also saw pairs of goals. Rhino defenseman JC Dubecky tallied 4 assists on Friday as well.

Both teams incurred 10 penalty minutes on 5 penalties, but unlike the Knights, the Rhinos were able to capitalize on the man advantage. El Paso earned three power play goals and Sare even netted a shorthanded goal in the second period.

While Filip Krasanovsky didn’t see much action in the net, the Rhino netminder stopped all 16 shots he faced.

Game 2, 7-0 W

Unfortunately for the Knights, game two in Phoenix had a similar outcome. Filip Krasanovsky and the Rhinos blanked the Knights for the second game in a row. After Saturday’s win, Krasanovsky earned his sixth shutout of the season and tied the franchise shutout record.

Seven different Rhinos earned goals to contribute to the seven-point win. Rookie forwards Jared Marquette and Jayze Dundas-Schwartz both earned their first Rhino goals and helped lift El Paso over Phoenix.

Game 3, 7-4 W

Phil Pugliese, with the help of Cole Richardson put the Rhinos on the board early in the first period of Sunday’s matinee game. Max Kamper scored the Rhinos’ second goal of the game, but El Paso’s two goal lead was cut to one when Phoenix’s Anthony Masanotti earned a power play goal just before the end of the first period. With Masanotti’s goal, Rhino goaltender Filip Krasanovsky finally allowed a goal after 136 minutes.

The Knights held the Rhinos scoreless in the second period and evened the game at two after a goal by Joseph Platt’s power play goal.

Just over three minutes into the third, Phil Pugliese’s second goal of the night gave the Rhinos the lead once again. Adam Stalzer increased the Rhinos’ lead by a goal before Phoenix scored two goals back to back to come within one point of El Paso. Rhinos Austin Simpson and Ian McCollum also scored consecutive goals before Ty Erramouspe ended the game with an empty netter, making game three’s final score 7-4.

This past weekend, the El Paso Rhinos headed for Ft. Collins, Colorado to face off against the Colorado Eagles. Going into the series, the Eagles were ranked first in the Mountain Division, having lost only two games; while the Rhinos skated in with five sweeps and three shutouts.

Game 1, 4-3 W

With Colorado’s Anders Saarela’s goal early in the first, the Eagles were off to a great start. They were able to hold the Rhinos scoreless through the first twenty minutes. In the second period, however, the Rhinos took the lead by netting three consecutive goals in two minutes.

Chaseton Sare scored twice and Ian McCollum also picked up a goal, giving the Rhinos a two-goal lead. Just under the two-minute mark of the second period, Colorado’s Sylas Kalyan found the back of the net and cut El Paso’s lead to one. Only 25 seconds later, Austin Simpson, with the help of Sare and Phil Pugliese, gave the Rhinos back their two-point lead.

Although Colorado scored again before the midway mark of the third, the Rhinos held on to the lead and finished the game on top, 4-3.

Game 2, 6-0 W

On Saturday, El Paso blanked Colorado, with five different Rhinos contributing to the 6-0 final score. Tim Heffner tallied two goals while Chaseton Sare and Leeam Tivers netted one goal each. Carlo Wittor and Adam Stalzer both earned one goal and one assist while Phil Pugliese picked up two assists.

The Eagles had 63 penalty minutes on 18 penalties compared to the Rhinos’ 28 penalty minutes on 11 penalties. El Paso’s power play unit capitalized, scoring five of six goals while on the man advantage.

Rhino netminder Filip Krasanovsky stopped all of 33 shots and earned his fourth shutout of the season.

Game 3, 4-3 OT W

In game three, Colorado led the Rhinos by a single goal after two periods. The Eagles scored first but Chaseton Sare answered back with a power play goal. Blake Kauth closed the first period with a goal, giving the Eagles a one point lead that would last through the second period.

Early in the third, Colorado’s Sean McMahon increased the Eagles’ lead when he scored on a penalty shot that resulted from a tripping penalty called on Egor Sevriugen. The Rhinos’ leading scorer, Sare, cut the two-goal deficit to one when he scored on the two-man advantage. Three minutes later, Colby Haugen evened the score with another power play goal, sending the game into overtime. JC Dubecky then ended the game by scoring with only one minute and 13 seconds left in the first overtime, giving the Rhinos the OT 4-3 win.

The three losses forced the Eagles to drop to second place in their division. The Rhinos remain first in the Mid-Western Division, trailed by the Oklahoma City Blazers who have three fewer games played.

This week, the Rhinos will take on the Springfield Express for the second time this season. After sweeping Wichita, the Express are currently ranked third in the Midwestern. The Express have eight wins and only loss throughout nine away games.

The puck drops at 7 pm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for the Thanksgiving week match up.

The El Paso Rhinos continue to roll through the early part of the 2017-18 with victory after victory.  This weekend’s sweep over the Springfield Express extended their win streak to 15 games as they head to Colorado this weekend.

The streak includes five straight series sweeps since the season began.

Game 1: 11-1 W

On Friday, the Rhinos showed their offensive strength, notching 11 goals over three periods. During the first twenty minutes, the Express held the Rhinos to only two goals.

Max Kamper put the Rhinos on the board with a shorthanded goal and Austin Simpson followed up with a power play goal.

The second period saw seven more goals for El Paso with Tim Heffner earning a hat trick and Austin Simpson solidifying his three-point game with two more goals. Leeam Tivers and Carlo Wittor also posted two goals throughout the period. Springfield avoided the shutout when Vegard Faret slipped one past Rhino netminder Filip Krasanovsky just over four minutes into the period.

Nick Hames increased the Rhinos’ lead to ten during the third period and Ty Erramouspe finished the game with a goal with only a minute and thirty-five seconds left in regulation.

Notably, Chaseton Sare earned four assists throughout the game although he never netted his own goal during the game. Filip Krasanovsky stopped all but one of 18 and shots and collectively, the Rhinos scored two shorthanded goals and three power play goals.

Game 2: 5-2 W

Springfield started off game two with eight shots on goal and no penalties, only allowing one Rhino goal by Lukas Moravsky. While the second period included 24 penalty minutes on both sides, the only goal of the period was a power play goal at 14:32 by Chaseton Sare.

The Rhinos posted 18 shots in the second period alone.

The Express again avoided a shutout when Stephane Doering scored only a minute and six seconds into the third period. Before reaching the ten-minute mark of the period, however, Austin Simpson, Chaseton Sare and Colby Haugen each netted goals, increasing the Rhinos’ lead to five.

Despite Springfield’s Filimon Ledenkov’s late goal in the third, El Paso still topped the Express 5-2.

Game 3: 1-0 W

On Sunday, Filip Krasanovsky finally earned his third shutout of the season when the Rhinos blanked the Express. Rhino defenseman JC Dubecky’s lone goal in the first period lifted El Paso over Springfield despite nine power play opportunities for Springfield and six for El Paso.

The Rhinos will face off against the Colorado Eagles in Fort Collins, Colorado this weekend. The Eagles, second in the Mountain Division, have 19 wins and 5 losses throughout the season.

With defensemen Cole Richardson and Egor Sevriugen back in the lineup, El Paso will look for their sixth straight sweep of the season.

On Friday, the Rhinos opened the season with a 5-0 win over the Snipers. Donald Alchin, assisted by Chaseton Sare and Austin Simpson, scored the first goal of the night.

Sare and Simpson also earned helpers on John Doyle’s goal when he netted one at 6:45 in the first period.

Just over six minutes into the second period, Sare tallied a shorthanded goal after Cole Richardson took an elbowing penalty. JC Dubecky followed up with a power play goal, giving the Rhinos a four goal lead.

Shortly thereafter, Doyle earned his second point of the game with another shorthanded goal for the Rhinos.

El Paso was held scoreless in the third period, but maintained their five goal lead and went on to shutout the Snipers. The Rhinos outshot the Snipers 51 to 16 with El Paso netminder Filip Krasanovsky stopping every shot he faced.

Game 2

In game two on Saturday, the Rhinos started their offensive attack early when Jayden Ritchie scored only three minutes into the first period. Chaseton Sare and Leeam Tivers, both scoring power play goals, extended the Rhinos’ lead to 3-0. Minutes later, Sare and Dubecky fed the puck to defenseman Colby Haugen who scored as the horn sounded to end the first period.

Lukas Moravsky earned his first goal as a Rhino just before veteran Ty Erramouspe increased the Rhinos’ lead to 6-0 with a power play goal. For the first time of the series, Dallas answered when Alex Hladonik slipped one past Krasanovsky, squashing hope for a second straight shutout.

Until the Snipers’ first goal of the weekend, the Czech goaltender had gone over 92 minutes without allowing a goal.

Max Kamper, Austin Simpson and Adam Stalzer all tallied goals in the third period. Nine different Rhinos earned goals and contributed to the 9-1 win over the Snipers in game two.

Despite matching game one’s eight penalties, the Rhinos’ penalty kill remained perfect, and their power play unit finished the game at 60%.

Game 3

The Rhinos, just like in the first two games, remained in Dallas’ zone for the majority of the third game. Unlike the previous games, Dallas scored two goals, giving them a total of 4 points on the series. Kayne Pasquet saw his first start as a Rhino in game three, facing 28 shots and allowing two.

Over sixty minutes on Sunday, Simpson, McCollum (2), Sare, Erramouspe, Ritchie, Kamper, Stalzer (2), and Tivers collectively scored ten goals. El Paso also received 11 penalties for a total of 33 minutes, and Rhino Colby Haugen, along with Dallas’ Trevor Borlace, received game a misconduct for spearing in the second period.

Although there was no shortage of time spent on the penalty kill, the Rhinos only gave up one power play goal and even scored shorthanded. With a final score of 10-2 in game three, the Rhinos swept the Snipers, starting the season off 3-0.

El Paso will look to extend their win streak when they take on the Ontario Avalanche in Palm Springs, CA on Oct. 13, 14, and 15. They will play at 9 pm and Friday and Saturday and the puck will drop for game three at 1 pm on Sunday.

For game updates, follow the Rhinos on Facebook and on Instagram and Twitter (@el_paso_rhinos).