Goalie McKenna leaving Las Vegas

Wanted: goaltender, preferably with professional hockey experience.

Those interested should contact Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan as soon as possible, preferably before their Oct. 19 season opener at Fresno.

Two-time ECHL All-Star Mike McKenna, the only goalie listed on the Wranglers' training camp roster, agreed to a contract with the American Hockey League's Portland Pirates on Wednesday, leaving Las Vegas with two untested tryout goalies for tonight's 7:05 p.m. preseason game against Bakersfield at the Orleans Arena.

German Jan Muenster, who played in the German Elite League last season, is expected to start tonight for the Wranglers in his first action in North America. Former Boston University goalie Stephan Siwiec will back him up, but Las Vegas plans to sign a new No. 1 netminder before the regular season starts

"We've got a couple young guys trying to win a job here, but losing a No. 1 goalie like (McKenna), we're definitely going to be looking around," said Wranglers assistant coach Brent Bilodeau, while Gulutzan frantically searched for another goaltender. "We know there are some out there. There are some (AHL) camps with three or four goalies."

Las Vegas expected to receive a goalie from the parent Calgary Flames, but injuries to two of that organization's goaltenders -- former Wrangler Brent Krahn and Curtis McElhinney -- put the process on hold.

Fortunately for the Wranglers, the rest of the team has looked strong in practice.

"We've got a very talented group of guys," Bilodeau said. "Everyone's still trying to make the team, and there will be some really tough decisions to make."

Bilodeau said the main thing the coaching staff will be looking for in tonight's game is effort.

"It boils down to work ethic and who's willing to pay the price to play," he said. "Practice is always different than games, and that's why these exhibition games are so important. Some guys practice better than they play, and some guys play better than they practice."

With McKenna gone, the Wranglers will feature nine returning players from last season: defensemen Aaron Power, Jason Jozsa and Jason Krischuk and forwards Shawn Limpright, Tyler Mosienko, Marco Peluso, Kelly Czuy, Adam Cracknell and Ryan Donally.

McKenna, 46-6-8 with the Wranglers the past two seasons, has only 10 games of AHL experience and said he was "shocked" to sign with an AHL squad this early in the season.

"It's a thrill and something I didn't expect at this point," he said from McCarran International Airport, shortly before boarding a flight for Portland, Maine. "It's been my goal forever to make it to that level on a permanent basis. I'm going to try to win as many hockey games as I can and try to establish myself as a full-time AHL goaltender and NHL prospect."