Despite their first loss of the season yesterday, the Rhinos got off to a good start in their second game of the Showcase. Employing their normal physical style of play, El Paso had a strong presence in Ogden’s zone throughout the first few shifts of the period. Less than two minutes in, Donald Alchin snuck one past Ogden's netminder Daniel Pavlicko to give the Rhinos the first goal of the game.
Neither the Rhinos nor the Mustangs were able to capitalize on any of the three power play chances during the first period. The Rhinos, however, applied plenty of offensive pressure, posting 24 shots to Ogden’s 14 in the first 25 minutes.
The Rhinos went into the second period on the penalty kill, albeit with a one goal lead. Defenseman Colby Haugen earned his second goal of the Showcase and gave the Rhinos a two-goal lead just after the halfway point of the second.
Ogden, however, wasn’t yet defeated and made one last offensive push. Ogden's Jacob Laurin cut the Rhinos’ lead to one with a goal at 5:38. The Mustangs furthered their attempt at a comeback when Bryson Bartell’s goal put Ogden within one of the Rhinos with less than two minutes left in regulation. Rhino defenseman JC Dubecky finally solidified the Rhinos’ 4-2 win with El Paso’s fourth and final goal just over a minute left in the game.
With their win, the Rhinos move to a record of 28-1 on the season. They’ll play their final game of the Showcase tomorrow when the puck drops against the Western Division leaders, the Long Beach Bombers.