Rhinos Finish Off Blazers With 8-1 Victory03/22/2015 7:58 PM
The El Paso Rhinos have secured a berth in the Conference Championship Series following an 8-1 win over the Oklahoma City Blazers. The Blazers won on Friday in overtime by a score of 4-3. The Rhinos however outclassed the Blazers on Saturday – 8-2 – and Sunday with an emphatic series clinching win to take the Division title. Defenseman John Bowen returned to the lineup on Sunday after a lengthy suspension and wasted no time in getting back on the scores sheet. Kole Hudson -- the Blazers alternate captain and emotional spark plug – delivered a welcome back tap with his stick to the shin of Bowen early in the first period following a save by OKC goaltender Jakub Krejci. All of this happened at almost the same time that OKC’s Lubos Vacek received a hooking penalty. Almost before the penalty box door had closed on Vacek, Bowen made himself welcome with a blast from the point that put the Rhinos ahead. In this back and forth series, no one would have thought that it would only take one more goal to secure the win but, that is exactly what forward Lukas Znosko’s goal shortly before the end of the first period would prove to be. Apart from Bowen’s goal in his first playoff game with the Rhinos -- and the Bobby Orr Hat Trick following a very lopsided win in a fight with OKC’s Luke Galatiuk -- the real story on the day was the Rhinos’ special teams. The Rhinos scored four power play goals and a shorthanded goal during the lopsided victory. The Blazers helped the Rhinos reach these outstanding statistics with what has become an almost every game occurrence for OKC – racking up penalty minutes by the dozens in the third period of losses. Only 17 seconds into the second period, forward Marek Langhammer sprinted in on goal while the Rhinos were a man down to score the third El Paso goal of the game. Two minutes later forward Sebastian Borg scored an almost too easy rebound goal to notch the second power play goal of the day. Eight minutes into the third period, forward Martin Hanl redirected a blast from the point through the goalie’s five-hole for the Rhinos’ third power play goal and seventh overall. As the game deteriorated on the part of the Blazers and the team accumulated over 50 penalty minutes, the Rhinos added yet another power play goal. Forward Kendal Craig flipped the puck in top shelf to finish off the night for the Rhinos – and the season for the Blazers. The Rhinos will be home next weekend to host the Ogden Mustangs in the Conference Finals. The puck drops on Friday at 7:30pm at the Sierra Providence Events Center.
- Jason GreenThe El Paso Rhinos have secured a berth in the Conference Championship Series following an 8-1 win over the Oklahoma City Blazers. The Blazers won on Friday in overtime by a score of 4-3. The Rhinos however outclassed the Blazers on Saturday – 8-2 – and Sunday with an emphatic series clinching win to take the Division title. Defenseman John Bowen returned to the lineup on Sunday after a lengthy suspension and wasted no time in getting back on the scores sheet. Kole Hudson -- the Blazers alternate captain and emotional spark plug – delivered a welcome back tap with his stick to the shin of Bowen early in the first period following a save by OKC goaltender Jakub Krejci. All of this happened at almost the same time that OKC’s Lubos Vacek received a hooking penalty. Almost before the penalty box door had closed on Vacek, Bowen made himself welcome with a blast from the point that put the Rhinos ahead. In this back and forth series, no one would have thought that it would only take one more goal to secure the win but, that is exactly what forward Lukas Znosko’s goal shortly before the end of the first period would prove to be. Apart from Bowen’s goal in his first playoff game with the Rhinos -- and the Bobby Orr Hat Trick following a very lopsided win in a fight with OKC’s Luke Galatiuk -- the real story on the day was the Rhinos’ special teams. The Rhinos scored four power play goals and a shorthanded goal during the lopsided victory. The Blazers helped the Rhinos reach these outstanding statistics with what has become an almost every game occurrence for OKC – racking up penalty minutes by the dozens in the third period of losses. Only 17 seconds into the second period, forward Marek Langhammer sprinted in on goal while the Rhinos were a man down to score the third El Paso goal of the game. Two minutes later forward Sebastian Borg scored an almost too easy rebound goal to notch the second power play goal of the day. Eight minutes into the third period, forward Martin Hanl redirected a blast from the point through the goalie’s five-hole for the Rhinos’ third power play goal and seventh overall. As the game deteriorated on the part of the Blazers and the team accumulated over 50 penalty minutes, the Rhinos added yet another power play goal. Forward Kendal Craig flipped the puck in top shelf to finish off the night for the Rhinos – and the season for the Blazers. The Rhinos will be home next weekend to host the Ogden Mustangs in the Conference Finals. The puck drops on Friday at 7:30pm at the Sierra Providence Events Center. - Jason Green Photo Credit: Sports Town El Paso |
Browse by Month »
June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 June 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 |