Shootouts burning Wranglers

Sudden-death overtime and shootouts often make for the most exciting hockey games. But those situations mostly have meant losses this season for the Wranglers, who fell to 5-12 in games decided in OT or a shootout after suffering a 2-1 shootout loss to Bakersfield on Friday at the Orleans Arena.

Brett Lutes scored the lone goal of the shootout to lift the Condors (18-32-9) to victory, beating Wranglers goalie Kevin Lalande with a quick shot in the second round.

Five of Las Vegas' last eight games have been tied at the end of regulation, and the Wranglers (37-11-12) lost all five, four in shootouts.

"Our goalies have been doing a great job, but our shooters are not burying their chances in the shootout," said Las Vegas captain Peter Ferraro, who scored the team's lone goal in regulation to tie it 1-1 in the second period. "Maybe it's something we need to focus on more in practice."

Bakersfield goalie Michel Robinson, who entered with a 4.38 goals-against average and .876 save percentage, stopped 34 of 35 shots and turned away Brandon Kaleniecki, Aki Seitsonen, Ryan Donally, Aaron Power and Bruce Mulherin in the shootout. Power's fourth-round shot hit the post.

Lalande, who entered with a 2.03 goals-against average, had 30 saves before the shootout.

"Lalande did a nice job for us there, but we didn't put any pucks in," Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said.

The tightly contested game was a complete opposite of Tuesday's wide-open 5-1 win by Las Vegas over Stockton.

"Tonight was a tighter-checking game, and we weren't in that mood to play that type of game," Gulutzan said.

The Wranglers tied it at 6:44 of the second period when Tyler Mosienko streaked across the blue line into the slot and then dropped a pass to Ferraro, who fired the puck past Robinson.

Bakersfield took a 1-0 lead with 7:14 left in the first period when Mark Derlago beat Lalande from point-blank range with a backhander of a rebound.

• NOTES -- Las Vegas played without defenseman Sean Owens and left wings Shawn Limpright and Marco Peluso. Owens has been out with a concussion since late January, Limpright is expected to be out for six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury, and Peluso served the second game of his two-game suspension for his actions in last Saturday's win at Victoria. ...

Steve Brudzewski, a former Bowling Green player, suited up for Las Vegas at forward. The 27-year-old last played professionally in 2004-05 for the ECHL's Dayton Bombers. ...

Wranglers assistant coach Brent Bilodeau and eight Las Vegas players volunteered to have their heads shaved for charity after tonight's 7:05 home game against the Phoenix RoadRunners (20-33-7).

Jason Dest, Daniel Manzato, Adam Cracknell, Brad Cole, Powers, Owens, Mulherin and Donally are expected to be at McMullan's Irish Pub -- located across the street from The Orleans -- within 30 minutes of the end of the game as part of a St. Baldrick's Day fundraising campaign for childhood cancer research. Brian and Lynn McMullan, owners of the pub, lost a child to cancer several years ago.