Weary Wranglers dig deep, top Idaho

Playing their third game in three days and fourth in five, the Wranglers appeared to be running on fumes after a fast start Sunday.

Las Vegas still managed to outlast the Idaho Steelheads, 6-3, for its eighth straight victory at the Orleans Arena.

"Today's one of those days we had to dig real deep," said goalie Michael Ouzas (11-3-1), who made 27 saves. "We had a lot of games this week and we just had to find a way to give whatever we had left for the last 20 minutes.

"But that's the character of our team. We don't give up. We try to outwork teams and we were able to pull through."

Las Vegas allowed a goal to Idaho's Junior Lessard less than two minutes into the game before exploding to take a 4-1 lead early in the second period.

The Steelheads battled back to make it 4-3 early in the third when Mark Derlago beat Ouzas on a penalty shot that baffled Wranglers coach Ryan Mougenel.

"I have no idea (why it was awarded)," he said. "To have a penalty shot, you need seven criteria. That might have been one, that he was in somewhat alone."

Greg Collins made the call moot, though, when he scored on a one-timer in the slot to give Las Vegas a 5-3 lead with 7:13 left. Collins was battling for the puck on the wall when it popped out to teammate Blair Riley in the far circle.

"I went to the net and (Riley) made a heads-up play and put it right on my stick and I had an empty net," said Collins, who scored twice and has three goals in two games.

The Wranglers (15-6-2, 32 points), who lead the National Conference, have won their last four at the Orleans against Idaho (12-9-6, 30 points) by a combined score of 20-8.

"We've been on the road for the past month, so it feels good to be in front of the fans," Collins said. "It gives you a lot more energy."

Blake Gallagher added an empty-net goal for Las Vegas with 35 seconds left.

"In the third, I don't know if we had our legs, but they dug down," Mougenel said. "They battled hard for each other and won all the little wars on the walls and in the corners."

Lessard scored for Idaho 1:53 into the game, but the Wranglers responded with consecutive goals by defenseman Jamie Fritsch, Collins and Ryan Huddy in the first period and Jamie Bates early in the second.

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