Rhinos 7, Diablos 212/06/2009 10:35 PM
Nick Gualano scored twice to open the first and second period, earning First Star of the Game honors for an extremely productive weekend. Gualano scored five goals over the three-game series and leads the Western States Hockey League with 32. As for Duff – who’s working himself back into shape as El Paso gets ready for the WSHL Showcase in Las Vegas, NV – four shutouts in the six straight games the Rhinos and Diablos have played against each other can probably be termed “mission accomplished”. Two power play goals by the Diablos ended eight periods of shutout hockey played by the Brighton, MI, native; but Duff’s 1.33 goals-against average is also tops in the league. Gualano opened the scoring as he did Saturday, scoring at 13:53 of the first period. Donald Geary broke through with 22 seconds left to make it 2-0, El Paso, at the first intermission. Gualano got his second at 13:45 of a three-goal second frame. Anthony Knuth got a power play goal at 16:28 and Andrew Alpsteg scored unassisted at 18:40. Defenseman Andrew Ketterer’s blast from the blue line beat San Antonio’s Julian Talavera just 46 seconds into the third for a power play goal, and Kyle Shapiro took the rebound from Geary’s wrap-around attempt and tucked it in at right post for a short-handed goal that finished the scoring at 14:42. El Paso improves to 27-3-0, and the Rhinos 54 points is 20 better than second place Boulder. San Antonio suffered their 20th loss of the season, falling to 9-20-1, good for fourth in the Mid-West Division. El Paso will play an improving Tulsa Rampage team in a three-game series next weekend at the Sierra Providence Events Center before heading to the league showcase – so named because it showcases the league’s talent for college scouts who come from across the nation. It will be a tough test for the Rhinos, though, as El Paso takes on the Western Division-leading Fresno Monsters in their first of two games, Friday, Dec. 18. The Rhinos will actually take on the top four teams in the West, playing the third place San Diego Gulls Friday night, the second place Idaho Steelheads Saturday, Dec. 19, and will wrap up with a Sunday game against their old nemesis, the defending Thorne Cup champion Phoenix Polar Bears, who find themselves fourth in a division they have dominated for years. For tickets and information about the Tulsa Rampage series, call the Rhinos front office at 915/479.PUCK (7825) or go to www.elpasorhinos.com. |
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 |