Monday: El Paso Rhinos 5 @ New Mexico Ice Wolves 7 – Rhinos take to the road for the final time of 2024 as we head to Albuquerque, New Mexico to face off against the Ice Wolves! Paavo Hiltunen starts off the night for the Rhinos with a goal at just 1:34 in to the game. The Rhinos hold the early lead well past the ten minute mark where back-to-back goals from Rasmus Nousiainen and Ty Gorden make it 3-0 before the period is out. Headed into the second period Beckett Hinschliff scores one more for our boys just before the Ice Wolves finally hit the board with their first of the night, ending the period with a 4-1 Rhino lead. Unfortunately for the Rhinos, the Ice Wolves spent the second intermission strategizing a plan to bring back the game, and right out of the gate they put their plan in to action.Jake Erickson cuts the Rhino lead in half as we hit a 4-2 game at just 33 seconds into the third period. From here the Ice Wolves set up an offensive that gaave them three goals in three minutes as Nayan Pai, Andrew Earl, and Toivo Laaksonen to snatch the lead. The score would temporarily sit at 5-4 with Ice Wolves leading right before Nousiainen ties it up one last time at 5-5 for the Rhinos. With two last minute goals from the Ice Wolves’ Earl and Laaksonen though, New Mexico would take the victory in Game #1 with a 7-5 lead.
Tuesday: El Paso Rhinos 4 @ New Mexico Ice Wolves 3 – Rhinos & Ice Wolves are back at the Outpost Ice Arena tonight as we prepare to start Game #2! Owen ORear starts us off tonight with the only goal of the first period and Rhinos once again secure the early lead. Back at it again after intermission Hinschliff makes it 2-0 in just under a minute and over the course of the period ORear and Gordon both take goals of their own to make it 4-0 by the of the second. Ice Wolves once more play the long game and bring their best plays in the third as Jake Casey puts them on the board. With two more goals from Ethan Hull and Andrew Earl the Ice Wolves score three total goals to bring the score to 4-3 at the buzzer. Rhinos split the series with one final win before the year is out.
