Wranglers get started too late, drop second straight to Alaska

After storming back to tie the game with their third consecutive third-period comeback, the Wranglers suffered their second straight loss to Alaska on Saturday night at the Orleans Arena.

Defenseman Ryan Turek gave the Aces a 3-2 lead with 11:20 remaining, and goalie Scott Reid made the score stand in front of a crowd of 6,342.

Turek beat Las Vegas goalie Jimmy Spratt on a slap shot from the top of the right circle to break a 2-2 tie forged by the Wranglers a few minutes earlier.

Las Vegas had several chances to tie it, but failed to convert a 60-second two-man advantage and another power play. It finished 1-for-5 with the man advantage and 3-for-16 in the series after going 9-for-19 in its previous three games.

With the Wranglers trailing 2-0 after two periods, John Schwarz scored on the power play less than two minutes into the third. Alex Bourret tied it at 5:41 on a rebound of Mike Madill's point shot.

"We can't do that every game, wait for the third (period) to start playing good," Bourret said. "If we do that in the playoffs, we're not going to win any game.

"It's like a wake-up call right now. We have to start working from the start."

Reid stopped 34 of 36 shots and Spratt turned away 22 of 25.

Brock McBride scored on a shorthanded breakaway for Alaska (31-26-8, 70) with 3:51 left in the first period. Anthony Peluso made it 2-0 with 6:02 left in the second, scoring unassisted.

The Wranglers (31-28-7, 69 points) trail Bakersfield (73 points) by four points with three games at Stockton (67 points) and three at home against Ontario (67 points) remaining.

Other than ECHL-leading Idaho (44-15-5, 93), the only National Conference team to clinch a playoff spot, the other seven teams are separated by seven points. All but one will make the playoffs.

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