“We beat ‘em by a touchdown. We’re beating everybody by a touchdown.” —Bob Pope, assistant coach

His team scored four goals in a 45-second span of the second period and clubbed La Cueva 8-1 Tuesday evening at Blades Multiplex Arenas, but Rams hockey coach Tim Camacho wasn’t happy.

His Rams (2-0) accomplished almost every goal he and assistant Bob Pope had set before their game with the Bears, obviously not the same quality of team that beat Rio Rancho for the 2005 state title, then lost to the Rams in 2006. “It’s definitely not the La Cueva team (of a few years ago), but they lost a few players,” Camacho said. “Actually, they beat Albuquerque comp 3-0 last week; we had a hard time beating Albuquerque in the pre-season.”

“La Cueva’s a big school and you don’t ever under-estimate La Cueva,” added Bob Pope, an assistant. “They’ll come back.

“We beat ‘em by a touchdown; we’re beating everybody by a touchdown,” he added.

The Rams beat Cibola by a TD without a point-after, 9-3, in their opener, so the comment was on target.

“All you really saw was a strong, focused hockey team that’s got its eyes on the prize,” he continued. “Everything we do is about the ‘end.’”

This La Cueva team had trouble getting the puck into the Rams’ zone, evidenced by just 15 shots taken at Rams goalie Jo Jo Griego.

Meanwhile, the Rams blasted 48 shots at the La Cueva goalie, scoring four times in the opening period and four more times in the second period.

The Bears avoided the shutout midway through the second period; the teams were scoreless in the third period.

Robbie Webb, Elliott Pope, Mike Kalaber and Patrick Brewer scored in the opening period; Pope had assists on the other three goals.

The barrage that put the game out of reach began at the 4:06 mark of the second period, Kalaber scored again, with Pope registering his fourth and final assist of the game.

Fourteen seconds later, Jo Jo Dougherty made it 6-0. Webb closed out the Rams’ scoring at the 4:43 and 4:50 marks, as Austin Short was credited with an assist on each goal.

“We were trying to get Webb three goals in one shift,” Camacho explained.

Given that, it was strange to see Camacho miffed at the officials at game’s end, until one realized the only penalty meted out to the Rams n only two penalties were whistled on the Bears n was a 10-minute misconduct handed to his son, Derek, with 1:15 to go in the second period.

“We’re going to get a new kid on our team n we’re going to get rid of one and get another,” Camacho said, joking that he would have his son wear a different number and have a new name, Kelly Collier, for future games.

“It’s not fair to him,” Tim Camacho said. “It’s the refs in New Mexico taking it out on me.

“I’ve been here 25 years playing hockey; I’ve got a bad reputation in the men’s league as a dirty hockey player and my kid’s got to pay the price,” he explained. “I don’t want to sound like I’m whining.”

As for the penalty whistled on Derek Camacho, in which a La Cueva player hit the ice hard and had to be helped off, he said, “It was an accident; he was behind the play. The ref missed the call but he saw the kid on the ice, thinking it was a dirty shot. … It was Derek making contact and he said that Derek instigated it against the other bench. So, of course, he missed the call n he’s go to make up for it. It’s ridiculous n I’ll change his jersey.”

Of course, as long as Derek Camacho is on the ice, the Rams appears on track to three-peat next year.

The Rams’ next game is on Dec. 1 at Los Alamos, followed by another game that same day at Taos.

Rio Rancho’s next game at Blades is on Dec. 9.