The Kenai River Brown Bears dropped an 8-4 decision to the El Paso (Texas) Rhinos on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the North American Hockey League Showcase.
The Brown Bears are 3-3-0-0, while the Rhinos are 2-3-0-1.
The game was even for the first two periods before the Rhinos scored all four of the third-period goals. Included in that bunch was the hat trick for El Paso’s Nolan Smith.
In the first period, the Bears struck first when Thomas Gunderson, assisted by Michael Fiedorczuk, found the back of the net. Smith equalized before the end of the period.
In the second period, the Bears again went ahead when Austin Petersen, assisted by Gavin Jensen, scored on the power play.
Kamden Kaiser, Troy Hunka and Smith came back to put the Rhinos up 4-2, but Trevor Stewart, assisted by Gunderson, and Samuel Sisik had the score even headed to the third period.
In the third period, Kaiser, Drew Peterson, Jackson Porco and Smith had goals for El Paso.
Michael Modelski had 23 saves for the Rhinos, while Nicholas Genette had 20 saves for the Bears.
Kenai River completes play at the Showcase at 7:15 a.m. AKDT Saturday, Sept. 27, against the New Hampshire Mountain Kings.
Kenai River then has its home-opening weekend with 7:30 p.m. games Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3 and 4, against the Minnesota Wilderness at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Thursday
Rhinos 8, Brown Bears 4
Ken 1 3 0 —4
EP 1 3 4 —8
First period — 1. Kenai River, Gunderson (Fiedorczuk), 11:43. 2. El Paso, Smith (Settipane), 13:23. Penalties — El Paso 3 for 6:00.
Second period — 3. Kenai River, Petersen (Jensen), pp, 1:01. 4. El Paso, Kaiser (Settipane), 3:46. 5. El Paso, Hunka (un.), 3:58. 6. El Paso, Smith (un.), 11:23. 7. Kenai River, Stewart (Gunderson), 12:29. 8. Kenai River, Sisik (un.), 16:09. Penalties — Kenai River 3 for 6:00; El Paso 1 for 2:00.
Third period — 9. El Paso, Kaiser (Settipane), 1:13; 10. El Paso, Peterson (un.), 6:31. 11. El Paso, Porco (un.), 16:20. 12. El Paso, Smith (Shore), 19:48. Penalties — El Paso 2 for 4:00.
Shots on goal — Kenai River 9-11-7—27; El Paso 7-14-6—27.
Goalies — Kenai River, Genette (27 shots, 20 saves); El Paso, Modelski (27 shots, 23 saves).
Power plays — Kenai River 1 for 5; El Paso 0 for 2.
