Offense breaks out as Wranglers whip Condors, snap home skid

For the first time in 10 games, the Wranglers on Tuesday looked like the team that led the ECHL's Western Conference for much of this season.

After failing to score more than two goals in each of its last nine games, eight of them losses, Las Vegas routed division-leading Bakersfield 5-2 at Orleans Arena.

The Wranglers (37-27-5, 79 points) snapped a season-high eight-game home losing streak and ended to the Condors' (40-26-3, 83 points) franchise-record
11-game winning streak.

Tyler Mosienko had two goals and an assist, Blair Riley had two goals and goalie Michael Ouzas made 25 saves for Las Vegas, which scored three times in the third period.

"We've just been battling and trying to find a way to get through it. It's going to make us stronger in the long run," Ouzas said of the team's slump. "Tonight we dug deep."

Mosienko and rookie Rob Smith scored 28 seconds apart in the third period to give the Wranglers a 4-2 lead.

Mosienko scored his second power-play goal of the game at 6:49 of the third to snap a 2-2 tie. He skated from behind the net and lifted the puck past Bakersfield goalie Brian Stewart (19-6-0), who saw his 10-game win streak end.

Smith, a Dartmouth product playing his first game for Las Vegas, made it 4-2 when he scored on a deflection in front off a shot from Kevin Schaeffer, who threw a puck on net from the boards.

Riley added an empty-net goal with 1:04 left for the Wranglers, who trail second-place Stockton (35-22-12, 82) by three points with three games to play.

"For the playoffs, we're just worrying about ourselves and getting better," Ouzas said. "Everybody in this conference is good."

Bakersfield center Adam Naglich, a Bonanza High School product, tied the game 2-2 at 2:56 of the third when he buried a rebound.

Mosienko and Riley scored goals less than two minutes apart late in the first to give Las Vegas a 2-1 lead.

Mosienko deflected a blast by Aaron Power in front on a two-minute two-man advantage to tie it 1-1 with 3:36 left. Riley scored on a one-timer with 1:45 left.

■ NOTES -- The Wranglers signed forwards Sean Flanagan and Colin Reddin. Flanagan played this season for St. Lawrence University and Reddin played for Regina of the Western Hockey League.  ... Three Las Vegas players -- defenseman Eddie DelGrosso and forwards Chris Higgins and Matt Price -- are on injured reserve and seven others are in the American Hockey League.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.