All systems go for Wranglers

CINCINNATI -- After being eliminated by the eventual ECHL Kelly Cup champion in three of the past four seasons, the Wranglers are in position to win the title themselves this time.

To do so, they will have to defeat the highly skilled, record-setting Cincinnati Cyclones, who will host the first two games of the best-of-7 Finals today and Sunday.

The Wranglers are coming off their third straight 100-point regular season, but only this year's squad has gotten this far in the playoffs.

"We've had great teams the past three years, and this is the team, I think, that's going to do it," said left wing Marco Peluso, one of only two players to have been with Las Vegas for all three seasons (Shawn Limpright is the other).

"I guess my time's really paid off here. It's been long overdue," said Peluso, who has nine playoff points. "It's what we work for all year. All the bumps and bruises, this is what we do it for -- this Cup."

The Wranglers, last year's ECHL regular-season champions, went 47-13-12 and had 106 points this season to earn their second straight No. 1 seeding in the National Conference.

Las Vegas, 12-3 in the postseason, beat Stockton in six games in the conference quarterfinals and Alaska in five in the semifinals before sweeping Utah in four to reach the championship series.

"I like our team," Peluso said. "We've got great leadership, the guys are all committed, and we've got good chemistry. I really like our chances."

Las Vegas has showcased its depth in the playoffs, with seven players scoring 10 points or more. The Wranglers' defense, goaltending and special teams also have been strong.

"From top to bottom, everybody's contributing to the team," defenseman Jason Krischuk said.

Right wing Adam Cracknell leads the Wranglers with 21 playoff points, on eight goals and 13 assists. Peter Ferraro, who led Las Vegas in the regular season with 73 points, has 20 playoff points (7-13) and Tyler Mosienko 17 (6-11).

Rookie goalie Kevin Lalande is 11-3 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.

"We need to get some bounces, stay healthy, be good on specialty teams, and we need good goaltending," Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said. "We know they're a skilled team with great players and good goaltending ... but we're a good hockey team, too. We're going to have to play well and have all the little things in place."

The Cyclones have been led all season by 5-foot-6-inch center David Desharnais, who was named ECHL Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year after leading the league with 106 points on 29 goals and an ECHL-best 77 assists in 68 games.

Desharnais, who set a league record with an assist in 20 straight games, also leads the ECHL with 22 playoff points.

"He's a very talented, competitive and really smart smaller guy," Gulutzan said. "He probably won't be in the league much longer."

Cincinnati defenseman Chad Starling was named second-team all-ECHL and the league's Plus Performer of the Year, compiling a league-leading plus-48 rating.

The Cyclones are also led by center Olivier Latendresse (18 points), Cincinnati native Jason Deitsch (17), right wing Thomas Beauregard (16) and goalies Cedrick Desjardins (7-2, 2.14 GAA, .932) and Maxime Daigneault (5-2, 2.77 GAA, .910).

Cincinnati recorded the second-most wins (55-12-5) and points (115) in ECHL history on their way to the regular-season title. The Cyclones set league records with 17 straight victories and 14 in a row at home, where they were 29-4-3.

"They're the best team in the East, and we're the best in the West," Krischuk said. "As long as we play our game and do the things we need to do to win, it should be a good series."

Las Vegas leads the league in the playoffs with 4.33 goals per game, and Cincinnati is second (3.69). The Cyclones are tied for third in GAA (2.44), and the Wranglers are sixth (2.73). The teams also are evenly matched on special teams.

One key could be Cincinnati's home-ice advantage, though each team has six road wins in the playoffs.

"We're not afraid to go into somebody else's building to play," Gulutzan said. "Sometimes it's easier in the Finals, a little less pressure (to play on the road). We've got to win (in Cincinnati), we know that."

Teams from the National Conference have won the last five Kelly Cups.

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