It’s happened before, but this is the first time these former Rhino players will play against each other, the difference is these 2 Rhinos are the 2 most celebrated and prolific scorers Rhinos is the organizations history.
Nick Gorup (Rhinos ’06-’07,’07-’08,’08-’09) and Austin Balko (Rhinos ’07-’08,’08-’09, ’09-’10) will face each other on opposite sides for the first time as their teams take the ice against each other when MSOE and St. Mary’s face off on Friday (6:05pm MST), and Saturday (1:00pm MST) at The Kern Center in Milwaukee.
The Gorup-led MSOE Raiders come into the contest undefeated (6-0-0) and sporting a few gaudy statistics, #11 ranking in the USCHO Poll, #1 nationally in scoring margin, #2 in the country on penalty kill, and all this without the services of Gorup who was sitting out due to an academic error that has recently been cleared up.
So this will be Gorup’s first action of the season.
On the other side of the arena will be Rhinos all-time leading scorer Balko, (a record formerly held by Gorup).
Balko has helped the SMU Cardinals out to a 3-5-0 record, which has already surpassed their win total over last season’s 1- 23 -1 disaster, having contributed 8 points (1g 7a) in 8 games and is the Cardinal’s second leading scorer.
What about playing against each other???
“I was thinking about that today actually, said Gorup, It’ll be weird, because we played together for 2 years and were very close so seeing him on the ice on the other team will be strange but we’ll get over it as soon as the game starts, it’ll be fun to play against him”
“I talk to Nick a lot, said Balko, we were really close in El Paso, he basically groomed me to take over as Captain of the Rhinos the following season, but I’m looking forward to it, it’ll be fun.”
What does Coach Herman have to say about it????
“What can you say? I’m thrilled, those guys really worked their butt off while they were here, and along with Tad (Norris) set the standard for what a Rhinos Captain should be. We’ll be playing both those nights but I would love to be able to watch those two guys play each other, it’s a great feeling as a coach, but it’s also a testament to our program, and I’m sure it won’t be the last time it happens, but to see the top 2 scorers in Rhinos history face each other is really special”.
Both heavily recruited out of the Rhinos program these young men played together for 2 years, they won 100+ games while playing together, both won WSHL championship rings, and combined are the record holders of all but one offensive category (PPG held by Bad Boy Bill Krueger).
It’s a special game for the Rhinos organization, and no doubt for both these young men, but not the last because on January 7th Balko’s St. Mary’s Cardinals travel to battle Tad Norris (Rhinos ’06-’07, ’07-’08)’ UW-River Falls Falcons for another meeting of former Rhinos Captains.
Regardless of which team emerges victorious, it’s a feel good for the Rhinos program and the whole Rhino Nation.
You can watch the SMU vs. MSOE games on the MSOE men’s hockey website.
Friday at 6:05pm MST, and Saturday at 1:00pm MST at http://www.msoe.edu/athletics/broadcasts.shtml