WelcomeTeamSchedulePromotions
Sierra Providence Events Center 2008
Roadrunners 2008

Rhinos beat Rampage, 6-2

The victory gives the Rhinos their second straight top seed in the Mid-West Division playoffs, meaning El Paso gets to stay home for however long their divisional playoff run lasts.  

The Western States Hockey League alternates the site of the league finals between the Mid-West and Western Divisions. The Rhinos hosted the finals as Mid-West champs last season, losing two straight to Phoenix in the best-of-three series. This season, the Western champs will play host.

El Paso improves to 39-1-2, pacing the Mid-West Division with 80 points to Tulsa ’s 61. With just nine games remaining for both the Rhinos and Rampage, the 18 possible points for Tulsa wouldn’t be enough to unseat El Paso from the top spot.

The Rampage drop to 29-10-3, but still lead third place San Antonio by two points as both of those teams battle for home-ice advantage in the first round of the divisional playoffs at the end of the month.

As it has in the three games these two teams played, special teams loomed large in deciding the outcome of Sunday’s tilt. The Rhinos went 2-for-4 on the power play, and Krueger, the hard-working, hard-nosed forward from Pewaukee, WI , scored both of them. Conversely, the El Paso penalty kill kept Tulsa from scoring in nine of its 10 advantages.

Rhinos forward Parker Harrison put home his second straight goal to open the scoring at 15:50 of the first period. Harrison was the hero Saturday night with the overtime game-winner in a 7-6 thriller.

Marcus Wilhite scored less than three minutes later, at 18:11, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.

Tulsa fought back to tie the game with the first two goals of the second period, from Evan Mosey at 3:11 and Chuck Hofbauer at 4:28.

But Krueger, who makes his power play home on the opposing goalie’s porch step, proved to be too physical for the Rampage defense to handle, scoring on the power play at 6:35 of the second, even strength at 14:35, then again with the man advantage at 4:27 of the third for the natural hat trick.

Austin Balko wrapped up the scoring for El Paso at 6:36 of the third.

After being pulled from Friday night’s loss to Tulsa , Arthur Hollinger got his second straight win in goal for the Rhinos, this time stopping 37 of 39 Rampage shots. The hosts outshot El Paso , 39-27, in the game. It was the 22nd win of the season for the Homer Glen, IL , native.

The Rhinos are on the road next weekend in Lafayette, LA, to finish their season series with the Cajun Catahoulas before returning home to face Colorado and San Antonio to end the regular season.



Search Archive »





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