Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Road sweep lifts Wranglers' spirits

Team invigorated entering six-game homestand

By TODD DEWEY
REVIEW-JOURNAL

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Things couldn't have gotten much worse for the Wranglers. They were on a four-game losing streak, with one win in their last eight games, and the schedule said they had to spend New Year's weekend in Bakersfield, Calif.

Not exactly the makings of a holiday bash.

But after a team meeting with coach Glen Gulutzan prior to the trip, the Wranglers responded with two physical victories over the Condors, 5-3 and 8-2, in which the teams combined for 273 penalty minutes. The Wranglers knocked Bakersfield out of first place in the ECHL West Division.

"I think the guys played inspired hockey and that makes a big difference," Gulutzan said.

Center Jeff Attard, who scored his first professional hat trick in Saturday's 8-2 rout, said the players drew inspiration from the meeting.

"(Gulutzan) wasn't happy and I don't think any of the players were happy losing (four straight games) like that, either," Attard said. "It was embarrassing for us and we knew we had to come out hard. If not, there would be changes made. A lot of us were playing for our jobs."

Gulutzan said that is still the case.

"I'm coaching for my job and they're playing for theirs," he said. "The best thing that came out of the meeting was accountability. I'll take some, but my leaders have to take accountability, too.

"They're more committed, but that doesn't end because we've won two games. We can't let up until we get this ship sailing toward a playoff spot."

With 30 points, the Wranglers (13-12-4) are in a three-way tie for fifth place in the West Division, but the schedule gives them an opportunity to pile up some points. They open a six-game homestand tonight against San Diego (15-8-4).

"We're lucky to still be tight in the playoff race," Attard said. "We'd like to climb the ladder. We've lost a lot of one-goal games, but we're starting to bear down a little more and get some wins. Hopefully we'll continue that.

"We have a new attitude and we're going to try to keep it going for our fans at home and get a couple wins there. We've been starting slow at home, but we need to come out of the gate and give it to the other team for 60 minutes."

Las Vegas is 8-5-3 on the road, but only 5-7-1 at home.

"We have to get on a roll," Gulutzan said. "We need to start winning on our home ice. It's that simple."