Wrap Up01/24/2010 11:36 PM
Nick Gualano might be a marked man when the Tulsa Rampage come to El Paso next weekend. For the third straight night, the hard-shooting Chicagoland forward scored the game-winning goal for the Rhinos in Tulsa, giving El Paso a 3-2 win and salting away a fourth-straight Mid-West Division championship. Gualano scored the game-winning shootout goals both Friday and Saturday night, too, and leads the Western States Hockey League with 43 goals. The Rhinos actually clinched the Mid-West title Saturday night, surviving in the shootout after Gualano successfully repeating the shot that won them an improbable comeback win in Friday's series opener -- stick-side, high, on tough goalie Michael Maczynski. Rampage forward Derrick Pilatic opened the scoring at 9:38 of the first period, followed by El Paso's Garrett Poland at 14:12. The Rhinos' Anthony Knuth notched the only goal of the second period, scoring just 2:53 in to give El Paso a 2-1 lead. But Tulsa's Bobby Watson tied the game with a goal at 13:30. Again, it was Gualano who finished things for the visitors, scoring with just 2:01 left in regulation. Rhinos' goaltender Max Dizgun made the score stick over the final minutes and finished the night having stopped 27 of 29 shots, securing a pleasant bus ride back to El Paso. The Rhinos will strive to keep their focus over the final nine games of the regular season, but knowing they have secured home-ice advantage throughout the Mid-West playoffs beginning Friday, Feb. 26. Second place Boulder was idle this weekend with 48 points and 12 games and 24 points left to claim. El Paso's sweep of the Rampage gives the Rhinos a record of 38-5-0 with 76 points. Tulsa (19-18-3, 41 points) can still catch Boulder in the standings which would give the Rampage home ice advantage in the first round of the Mid-West Division playoffs, but Tulsa and the Bison appear to be on a course to face each other in that opening best-of-three series. The San Antonio Diablos edged New Mexico Sunday, holding the fourth and final playoff spot with 33 points. Should the Diablos finish in fourth, they will head to El Paso to take on the Rhinos in round one. All of that does not discount next weekend's series against a frustrated Tulsa team. The Rhinos and the Rampage have locked horns for the Mid-West championship before and Tulsa will be trying to send a message in the teams' final regular season series beginning Friday, Jan. 29. For tickets and information, contact the El Paso 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 |