ODESSA, TX – The Corpus Christi IceRays (35-17-5) fall short on Saturday night at the El Paso County Events Center to the El Paso Rhinos (29-24-4) by a final score of 4-1. The IceRays outshout the Rhinos 46 to 30 in the contest but Goalie Brendan Holahan was spectacular in net for the Rhinos making 45 saves in the victory.
The 1st period was dominated by goaltending as either side was unable to solve either IceRays Goalie Vladislav Bryzgalov or Rhinos net-minder Brendan Holahan who was making his fifth start versus the IceRays this season but first in a Rhinos uniform. Bryzgalov stopped all eight shots his way in the opening 20 minutes and none better than a save on a short handed breakaway by the Rhinos. Holahan was exceptional in the frame turning aside all 14 shots he faced in the period. Each side picked up a power play but were unable to convert keeping us scoreless after one.
The Rhinos jumped out to a 1-0 lead 47 seconds into the period after a turnover by the IceRays at the attack blue line led to an odd-man rush for El Paso and their leading scorer A.J Reed beat Bryzgalov to open the scoring. Corpus Christi responded well in the following moments and continued to pepper Holahan wish shot after shot. The tested him with 15 shots in the frame and were unable to find the back of the net through the first two periods. The Rhinos would double their lead on a centering pass batted home by Harper Lolacher. The Rhinos would hold on to a 2-0 lead heading into intermission.
It took the IceRays nearly 50 minutes of game action to solve Holahan in the contest and it took a power play to do it. Carter Krenke fed Grayson Gerhard on the back door for a tap in for his 15th goal of the season to make it a 2-1 game with over half a period remaining. Corpus Christi continued to push for the equalizer, but it El Paso who struck next on a rush from Lolacher for his second of the game to restore the two goal lead for the Rhinos. The IceRays received another advantage, but came up empty on their fourth opportunity. With the extra attacker the IceRays could not muster up any shots on net and Reed iced the game away with his second of the game as the Rhinos won their regular season home finale by a final score of 4-1 to force the split.
