El Paso Rhinos (5) vs Louisiana Drillers (2)
11.14.21
The Drillers opened the scoring on a point shot from ’02 Defenseman Martin Leps. The Rhinos responded with first period goals from ’03 Forwards Caden Butler and Noah Easterson. The Rhinos dominated the puck possession for most of the second period on a goal by ’04 Forward Lou Caulfield. The Drillers were able to establish better form in the third period and narrowed the gap on ’02 Forward Anderson O’Connor’s eighth goal of the season. However, the Rhinos added tallies from ’03 Forward Zachary Ware and ’03 Riley Hunt-Bahn to ice the victory and take a slight lead over the Drillers in the South Division.
Scouting Notes
Caden Butler – ’03 Forward – El Paso
Highly skilled, dynamic forward who can put up points. He skates very fluidly with quick acceleration and can rapidly find open space to serve as a strong breakout option. He has good vision in the offensive zone and generates many quality scoring chances. He is a creative passer who finds open teammates in interesting ways. He has a highly accurate shot with the ability to pick corners.
Jaxon Penner – ’01 Forward – El Paso
Two-hundred foot centerman who plays a complete game and dominates the center of the ice. He serves as the playdriver on his line. He handles the puck with poise and confidence, willing to self-regroup and then burst through the neutral zone with speed. He has good pace on his shot. He is hard on pucks and finishes his hits. He does a good job angling opponents to the outside.
Noah Easterson – ’03 Forward – El Paso
Power winger who plays a heavy game and has a sniping shot. He uses his lengthy skating stride to generate speed in open ice. He is always looking to shoot in the offensive zone as soon as he gains the blueline. He is hard on pucks and consistently looks to deliver punishment to opposing defenders. He could improve his play away from the puck.
Colin Clough – ’03 Defenseman – El Paso
Two-way defender with a simple and steady game. He makes solid outlet passes to move pucks North. He has a good shot from the point and gets pucks through to the net. He communicates well with teammates. He needs to work on his gap control as he leaves a lot of space for zone entries.
Tristen Elmhurst – ’03 Forward – El Paso
Talented forward who is developing his game at the junior level. He handles the puck well, but occasionally skates himself into dangerous situations in the middle of the ice. He has a strong net drive and sets a solid net front presence. He is an aggressive forechecker who is often the first on the puck. He could improve his speed.
Peyton Brendel – ’03 Goaltender - El Paso
Very large, positionally sound netminder. He uses the reverse VH style to consistently eliminate the lower portion of the net. He is strong on his angles to cut down the shooting lanes. He is calm in the net and limits his movements. He uses his stick well to block passing lanes.
Anderson O’Connor – ’02 Forward - Louisiana
Two-way center with a 200 foot game. He is effective in transition with the ability to bring the puck through the neutral zone. He displays poise with the puck on the powerplay. He has good vision with an ability to set up teammates with quality scoring opportunities. He has good anticipation and is usually in the right position defensively.
Martins Leps – ’02 Defenseman – Louisiana
Two-way defender who has an edge to his game. He reads the play well and is able to intercept passes. He has a very heavy shot that is highly accurate. He has a good pokecheck that he uses to dispossess opponents of the puck. His skating could use his improvement as he gets beat off the rush. He is hard to play against in the corners and in front of his own net.
Thomas Mougin – ’02 Forward - Louisiana
Lightning quick, two-way centerman who generates a significant amount of offense and is effective in all three zones. He uses his quality skating ability to transition pucks through the neutral zone. He is a crafty puckhandler who is able to dart through tight areas. He has a dangerous shot off the rush. He provides strong back pressure and routinely picks up the trailer. He is consistently buzzing and is noticeable on every shift.
Mark Kurliandchyk – ’01 Forward – Louisiana
Power winger who has some playmaking ability and good hands. He is a strong puck possession player in the offensive zone using his large frame to protect the puck and drive to the net. He can stickhandle around opposing defenders. He is a positionally sound player who puts himself in the right spots and makes plays defensively as well as in the neutral zone. He could improve his stride to generate more speed.