Bellissimo lifts Wranglers by Salmon Kings

After stumbling out of the gate at home this season, the Wranglers finally appear to have found their footing.

Las Vegas, which lost four of its first five games at the Orleans Arena, won its third straight there Friday in a 3-1 victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings.

Vince Bellissimo scored at 6:03 of the third period to put the Wranglers up 2-0, and Ned Lukacevic added an empty-net goal in the final minute to seal the win.

"We're starting to jell as a team," said Bellissimo, who has three goals and five points in four games. "We're playing better overall, making less mistakes and starting to score a few more goals."

Las Vegas (5-3-1), which forged its first win streak of the season with Thursday's 4-2 victory over Victoria (6-6), outshot the Salmon Kings 29-16 on Friday and dictated play for most of the game.

But the outcome still was in doubt in the final minutes after Victoria right wing Ryan MacMurchy scored an unassisted goal with 2:04 left to make it 2-1, spoiling a shutout bid by goalie Michael Ouzas (5-1), who made 15 saves.

Shortly after Las Vegas killed a 1:14 two-man disadvantage, MacMurchy streaked into the left circle and ripped the puck into the top corner of the net.

But the Wranglers thwarted the comeback bid when Lukacevic beat a Victoria player to a loose puck and streaked in for an empty-netter with 32 seconds left.

Bellissimo, a former fifth-round NHL Draft pick, buried a rebound of a shot from the right point from defenseman Aaron Power, who had two assists.

Rookie right wing Blake Gallagher put the Wranglers up 1-0 with 1:39 left in the second period, when he deflected a right-point shot from defenseman Barry Goers between the legs of Salmon Kings goalie David Shantz, who made 26 saves.

Las Vegas had plenty of other chances to score but came up empty on nine power plays, including a two-man advantage lasting 1:18 in the second period.

The Wranglers have scored only six goals in 57 power plays this season. But they continued to thrive on their league-leading penalty kill as the Salmon Kings went 0-for-5 on the power play. Las Vegas has allowed only two power-play goals in 41 short-handed situations this season and 21 goals overall.

"I love us on the defensive side," Wranglers coach Ryan Mougenel said, "and when you're stingy defensively, you're going to get some offensive chances."

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