GAME NIGHT NOTES 2/18/08

Tonight the Wranglers and Condors meet for the eighth time this season. Las Vegas leads the season series with a 5-2-0 record. The Wranglers lead the all-time series with a 28-10-1 mark. Las Vegas is coming off a 5-3 win at home over Victoria on Saturday. The Condors are coming off a 3-1 win in Utah on Saturday night. Las Vegas is 15-4-5 at home and 8-2-0 in the last ten games played. Bakersfield is 9-14-3 on the road and 4-5-1 in the last ten games played. After tonight's game, the Wranglers will head out on a six-game road trip with three games in Alaska followed by three games in Victoria. Las Vegas has not faced the Alaska Aces this season.

Last Time Out
The Las Vegas Wranglers defeated the Victoria Salmon Kings 5-3 in front of 5,671 fans at the Orleans Arena on Saturday night. Las Vegas left wing Bruce Mulherin scored twice as the Wranglers came back from a 3-1 deficit for the win. Center Tyler Mosienko scored the game-winning goal with 10-seconds to go in the second period. Forwards Ryan Donally and Peter Ferraro each scored a goal and added an assist as the Wranglers improved to 15-4-5 at home this season. Goalie Daniel Manzato relieved Kevin Lalande early in the second period, earning the win by stopping all ten Victoria shots the rest of the game. Center Chris Ferraro and left wing Kelly Czuy each dished out two assists in the win. With the victory, the Wranglers regain their eight-point lead over the Salmon Kings for the top spot in the National Conference. The Wranglers outshot the Salmon Kings 45-21 for the game. Victoria goalie Billy Thompson took the loss, stopping 40 of 44 Wranglers shots.

Wranglers Roundup
Right wing Peter Ferraro leads the team in scoring with 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points in 47 games. Center Chris Ferraro (10G-35A) is third in scoring with 45 points in 39 games. Peter leads the team with 175 shots on goal this season. Right wing Adam Cracknell is second in the team scoring race with 46 points. The second-year Wrangler leads the team with 26 goals in 40 games. Cracknell has five tallies in his last four games played. Center Tyler Mosienko is fourth on the team with 43 points. Jason Jozsa leads all Wrangler defensemen in scoring with 28 assists and 30 points. Jozsa is third in the ECHL for assists by a defenseman and in the top ten for scoring among D-men. The Wranglers have a power-play goal in 11 straight games.

Roster Report
Las Vegas will be without the services of forward Josh Sciba, defensemen Jason Dest and Sean Owens. Each one is currently on the injured reserve list with unspecified injuries. Defenseman Gerry Burke remains in the AHL with Quad City. Rookie center Curtis Fraser remains with the AHL's San Antonio Rampage. Defenseman Tyson Strachan remains in the American Hockey League with the Peoria Rivermen.

On the Road
The Wranglers returned from a five-game road trip this weekend after posting a 4-1-0 record. After a 6-2 loss in Fresno on February 2nd, the team rebounded with four straight road wins. The Wranglers posted two wins in Phoenix, followed up with victories in Bakersfield and Stockton. Left wing Shawn Limpright became the team's all-time points leader in Phoenix on February 5th. Limpright passed Dan Tudin with an assist in the second period for his 120th point as a Wrangler. Limpright is the team's all-time leader for points (127), assists (90), game-winning goals (9) and penalty minutes (469). Right wing Adam Cracknell posted his first career hat trick in Bakersfield on Tuesday night. Cracknell's hat trick was the tenth all-time in team history. Cracknell needs eight goals to tie Matt Dzieduszycki for the team record of 34 set during the 2005-06 season. Goalie Kevin Lalande's shutout on Wednesday night was the team's sixth of the season, tying the 2006-07 team for most in one season. Both Lalande and Daniel Manzato each have three shutouts, tied for second in the ECHL.

Birds From Bakersfield
The Condors have moved into a tie with Stockton for the eighth and final playoff spot in the National Conference. Bakersfield has been hammered by injuries within the last few weeks. Veteran defenseman Scott Balan was placed on the 30-day injured reserve a few weeks ago with an unspecified injury. Captain Sean Venedam was placed on the 30-day injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Venedam was seriously injured in Utah over the weekend. Neither Venedam nor Balan are expected to play during the remainder of the regular season. Venedam was the only player on the Condors roster with more points than games played. Center Tim Konsorada leads the Condors in scoring with 46 points in 50 games played. Right wing Mark Derlago leads the team with 27 goals in 49 games played. Derlago has 10 goals in his last 10 games played. Forwards Andrew Ianiero, Todd Griffith and Brett Lutes are also among team leaders for points. Defenseman Kevin Truelson leads the team with a +12 rating. The All-Star ranks fourth among ECHL defenseman with 35 points this season.

Goalies Yutaka Fukufuji and Michel Robinson split time between the pipes for Bakersfield. Fukufuji recently returned from the injured list. The second-year Condor posted 48 saves in Bakersfield's 3-1 victory at Utah on Saturday. On the season, Fukufuji is 9-9-1 with a 3.45 goals against average and a .893 save percentage. Robinson is 6-6-1 with a 3.85 goals against average and a .891 save percentage.

Tale of the Tape ...

GPG=Goals Per Game GA= Goals Against Per Game PP=Power Play PK=Penalty Kill PIM= Penalty Minutes Per Game

Upcoming Games ...
At Alaska on Friday, Saturday and Sunday February 22nd -24th at 8:10 pm – Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, AK

The Wranglers play all 36 home games at the Orleans Arena, located at the Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. Individual game tickets are now on sale. Fans may purchase tickets on the Wranglers team website atwww.lasvegaswranglers.com.or the Orleans Arena website (www.orleansarena.com. Fans may also purchase tickets at any of the following locations in the valley: Galleria Mall, Meadows Mall, Orleans Casino showroom box office, Gold Coast Casino showroom box office and the Sun Coast Casino showroom box office. Tickets may be ordered by phone at (702) 739-3267.

Call (702) 471-PUCK (7825) for more information or visit www.lasvegaswranglers.com.