Condors trip LV again in overtime

In a series in which the losses have been excruciating for the Wranglers, they now find themselves in a position where a loss of any kind ends their season.

After another heartbreaker Saturday night at Bakersfield, the Wranglers return to Las Vegas and the Orleans Arena needing to sweep the final two games from the Condors.

Bakersfield put the Wranglers in that position when left wing Mark Derlago's slap shot -- which gave him the hat trick -- 11 seconds into overtime beat Las Vegas 4-3 and gave the Condors a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 ECHL Pacific Division semifinals.

"Obviously, we're going to be desperate," Wranglers left wing Shawn Limpright said. "We can't lose now. We've been in worse positions. I've experienced this before. It's disappointing. I'm not going to sit here and say it's not, but there are still two games left."

The Wranglers hope so, at least. They get the chance to put their home-ice advantage to the test when the Condors visit at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. If Las Vegas wins that game, Game 7 will be Wednesday.

"They've still got to win one in our building," Limpright said. "We'll be ready for them. I guarantee that."

This series easily could have a much different look to it. The Wranglers gave up two-goal leads in Games 2 and 3, falling 3-2 and then 6-5 in overtime.

Bakersfield came out strong Saturday, scoring twice in the first 5:29. Center Brett Pilkington redirected defenseman Tom Morrow's shot from the point for the first goal, and then Derlago added a power-play goal for a 2-0 lead.

The Wranglers were handed a power-play opportunity about nine minutes later, going on a 5-on-3. Las Vegas took advantage when center Justin Taylor scored from right of the goal at 15:05 of the first period to make the score 2-1.

Then the Wranglers spotted Bakersfield a man and still managed to tie the game on forward Scott McCulloch's short-handed goal 1:50 into the second period.

Presented another shorthanded situation late in the period, the Wranglers killed off Bakersfield's power play and scored immediately on a three-on-one breakaway when defenseman Bret Tyler scored for a 3-2 lead at 15:51.

The lead was short-lived, however. Derlago scored less than a minute later, netting his second goal of the night to send both teams into the second intermission tied at 3.