Check out a recap of each of the Rhinos’ games at the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, MN last week! The Rhinos finished the Showcase with three wins and one loss.
Game 1: El Paso 4 vs. Anchorage 3 – In a battle of the two expansion teams, the El Paso Rhinos built a lead and hung on for a 4-3 win over the Wolverines. El Paso jumped out to a 4-0 lead with two goals in the 1st period from Aleksi Kayra and Matt Johnson. The lead swelled to 4-0 with 2nd period goals from Jonathan Horn and Connor McGrath. The Wolverines made a late charge thanks to a hat-trick and three consecutive goals from Talon Sigurdson, but it would not be enough. Rhinos goalie Lassi Lehti made 16 saves in the win, while Shane Soderwall made 25 saves in the loss.
Game 2: El Paso 4 vs. Janesville 1 – The Rhinos got two goals from Alex Krause and 25 saves from Lassi Lehti as they moved to 2-0 on the season with a 4-1 win over the Jets. El Paso scored twice in the 1st period to take a 2-0 lead as Krause opened the scoring, which was followed by a goal from Jan Olenginski. In the 2nd period, the lead swelled to 4-0 as Krause scored again and Bo Cosman added a goal. The Jets would get on the board late in the 2nd period with their lone goal from Cy LeClerc. Jets goalie JJ Cataldo made 14 saves in the loss.
Game 3: Chippewa 3 vs. El Paso 1 – Steel goalie Croix Kochendorfer made 26 saves to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Rhinos, who suffered their first loss. The Steel took a 1-0 lead in the 1st period on a goal from Marc Fletemeyer. Joseph Grainda scored his third goal of the season in the 2nd period to increase the lead to 2-0. In the 3rd period, El Paso cut the lead down to 2-1 with their lone goal from Jonathan Horn, but a goal later in the period from Barak Braslavski secured the win. Connor McDonough took the loss in goal, making 34 saves.
Game 4: El Paso 3 vs. Maine 2 – Graham Harris scored two goals to lead the Rhinos to a 3-2 win over the Nordiques to finish the Showcase with a 3-1 record. Zion Green got the scoring started for Maine midway through the 2nd period, but his goal was answered by Harris’ first to knot the game at 1-1. In the 3rd period Jonathan Horn and Harris scored the Rhinos to secure the win, while Aidan Connolly had the other goal for Maine. Rhinos goalie Lassi Lehti made 27 saves in the win, and Gus Holt made 29 saves in the loss.
Find the original articles at nahl.com.
