Friday, Jackalopes 2 @ El Paso Rhinos 5 – Rhinos play host to the visiting Odessa Jackalopes tonight to mark the start of a 2-game series! Rhinos take the early game lead tonight as Reid Lune gives us our first goal of the night just before the halfway point in the first period. Aside from a couple penalties the period ended relatively peacefully with Rhinos up 1-0. As the second period begins, the Jackalopes tie up the game at 1-1 with Trevor Taulien scoring at just under five minutes. Following this temporary tie the Rhinos take two more goals as Ryan Gingher and Mason Kelly increase the lead to 3-1. Noah Marino earns Odessa one last goal for the night at the 16 minute mark which is answered by the Rhinos’ Paavo Hiltunen to end the period at 4-2. Kelly earns one last goal in the last minute of the third period to earn the Rhinos a 5-2 victory.
Saturday, Odessa Jackalopes 1 @ El Paso Rhinos 3 – Rhinos & Jackalopes return to the ice for Game #2 of this home series. We start off the night with a scoreless first period, yet in a similar fashion to last night we have just a couple minor penalties dished out before first intermission. Jackalopes hit the ground running in the second period as Josh Austin takes the first and only goal the Jackalopes would see tonight. Tory Lund seizes the opportunity to tie the game at 5:39 into the second period where the score would remain at 1-1 headed into the 3rd period. As we return to the ice for the 3rd period AJ Reed puts the Rhinos up 2-1 with a goal in just under five minutes. As Rhino defense holds firm for the remainder of the period Jussi Malmi rounds out the game with one final goal with just 1:10 left in the game. Rhinos take a sweeping victory 3-1 over the Jackalopes.
