Wranglers fall flat in rematch

Since losing their first two games of the season at defending ECHL champion Alaska, the Wranglers had targeted Thursday's rematch at Orleans Arena between the league's top two teams.

"We've had this circled since the first weekend of the season," Las Vegas center Pete MacArthur said. "They really gave it to us on their home rink, and we wanted to see how far we've come."

But after waiting nearly four months for payback, Las Vegas instead turned in an uninspired effort and was outplayed by the Aces in a 4-2 loss before a crowd of 3,682 that included about 100 cowbell-clanging fans from Alaska.

"We didn't play the way we've been playing at all," Wranglers coach Ryan Mougenel said. "I think we were a little bit in awe of the guys over there, just because of their record, which is ridiculous."

League-leading Alaska (32-9-6, 70 points), which snapped a four-game losing streak, outshot Las Vegas 11-5 in the third period and 32-22 overall. The Aces never trailed.

Jordan Kremyr scored on a deflection of a shot from the left point by Kane Lafranchise at 9:34 of the third period to give the Aces a 3-2 lead, and Dan Kissel added an empty-net goal with 1:18 left.

"It came down to them outworking us," said MacArthur, who had a goal and an assist. "They're a championship team, and they showed why tonight. We're a pretty hot team and second in the league, but it didn't look like it tonight. We looked like we were far and away behind Alaska."

The Aces took a 1-0 lead at 9:15 of the first, when Ethan Cox scored an unassisted short-handed breakaway goal off a turnover by Jeff May, who mishandled the puck near the Las Vegas blue line.

"The first goal was totally my fault," May said. "I got it, and fanned on it."

The Wranglers tied it 29 seconds later on a power-play goal by Josh Lunden, who buried a rebound from point-blank range. MacArthur set up the score, throwing the puck on net from the point.

Alaska went up 2-1 with 2:08 left in the first when Zach Harrison beat Joe Fallon (28 saves) in front off a nice backhanded feed in the slot from Bryan Miller.

MacArthur tied it 2-2 at 2:55 of the second period, when he deflected a shot from the right point by May past Aces goalie Adam Courchaine (20 saves).

But that's all the Wranglers (28-14-4, 60) mustered as their three-game win streak ended.

"It was disappointing. It should be our biggest game of the year, but unfortunately we just never showed up," May said. "We were just giving them way too much respect."

The teams will meet here again today and Saturday.

"We've got to play as a unit and not as individuals, or it's going to be a long weekend," MacArthur said.

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