(EL PASO, TX) – Austin Balko scored twice and Max Dizgun allowed just one goal as the El Paso Rhinos beat the New Mexico Renegades, 9-1.
El Paso leads the Mid-West Division with a 14-2-0 mark. The team’s 28 points pace the division by a full 10 points.
Balko started the scoring binge at 4:34 of the first period, redirecting a feed from Navarone Copley. That was followed 1:02 later by Anthony Knuth, who pounced on Trevor Erickson’s deflected shot to the give the home team a 2-0 lead.
John Redmond and Balko wrapped up a four-goal first frame, scoring twice just 18 seconds apart, at 10:44 and 11:02, respectively.
David Fegler put one past hard-pressed New Mexico netminder Herbert Kiles at 10:18 of the second period, and Mike Vallier followed that with a short-handed strike on the breakaway at 13:08 of the second.
Tyler Ridgedell deked a defender and skated in on Kiles, whipping his shot to the far post and past the goalie for the goal just 1:13 into the final frame.
Copley scored at 4:10 and Donald Geary scored on the power play at 11:08 to finish the scoring for the hosts, who will play the next two games of the three-game series in Rio Rancho, NM, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
El Paso’s next two home games will also be against the Renegades, as New Mexico hosts the Rhinos, Friday, Nov. 13, then heads to the Sun City for games Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15.
For tickets and information, call the Rhinos front office at 915/479.PUCK, or go to www.elpasorhinos.com.
