Wranglers’ first foe formidable

On paper, the Wranglers appear to be overmatched against Utah, their opponent in the first round of the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs.

Las Vegas lost seven of its first eight games against the Grizzlies this season and finished 4-9-1 against Utah, getting outscored 58-39.

Utah has home-ice advantage in the series and possesses the league's top power-play unit, converting 22.7 percent of its chances.

It also features two of the ECHL's leading scorers in Ryan Kinasewich (103 points) and A.J. Perry (78), along with unbeaten 6-foot-5-inch Finnish goalie Mikko Koskinen, a 2009 second-round NHL Draft pick who is 6-0-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average.

But the Wranglers, who swept the Grizzlies in four games in the 2008 National Conference finals, still like their chances. The best-of-5 first-round series begins at 7 p.m. today at the Orleans Arena.

Las Vegas won the past two meetings between the teams at the Orleans Arena, where the Wranglers are 23-11-2, and finished the season strong, going 25-16-7 after a 9-14-1 start.

"In the beginning of the season, they kind of had our number, but we've come together as a team, everybody's got their game going, and things are rolling for us," said second-team all-ECHL forward Adam Miller, who led Las Vegas in goals (33) and assists (53) on his way to a franchise-record 86 points, fifth-most in the league.

Despite being helped off the ice Saturday in the Wranglers' regular-season-ending 7-1 loss to Ontario, Miller is expected to play today.

Likewise for right wing Alex Bourret, who also was banged up a bit by Ontario. The former first-round NHL Draft pick compiled 46 points in 36 games for the Wranglers down the stretch.

"I want to play, for sure," Bourret said after practicing with the team Monday. "We need these two games at home."

Las Vegas also will be led by left wing Ned Lukacevic, who totaled 65 points in 61 games for the Wranglers and returned Monday from the American Hockey League's Texas Stars.

Swedish goalie Miika Wiikman is slated to start and make his season debut today for Las Vegas after being sent here from the AHL's San Antonio Rampage.

Wiikman, 25, went 2-5-1 with a 3.55 goals-against average this season in 12 AHL games for Hartford and San Antonio. He also went 9-3-3 with a 2.84 goals-against average for the ECHL's Charlotte Checkers.

"He's an elite goalie at our level," said Wranglers coach Ryan Mougenel, who was thrilled that Utah chose to host Games 3, 4 (if necessary) and 5 (if necessary) instead of the first two.

"It's huge," he said. "I'd rather start at home than on the road. We've got to steal one on the road anyway."

A key for the Wranglers will be slowing Kinasewich and Co.

Kinasewich led the league in goals (48) and tallied all three of his hat tricks and 20 points against the Wranglers; Perry led Utah with 21 points against Las Vegas; James Sixsmith scored 64 points in 41 games; and Hunter, who had 53 in 43, is riding a 13-game scoring streak.

"If we can contain those guys," Miller said, "we should have a good chance to take care of business at home."

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