Wranglers goalie begins anew

Brent Krahn was the second goaltender taken in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, going to the Calgary Flames only eight picks after Rick DiPietro was the No. 1 overall selection by the New York Islanders.

But while DiPietro quickly established himself as a leading NHL goalie, Krahn still is awaiting his chance.

Krahn, 26, played 14 games for the Wranglers in their inaugural 2003-04 season and, after five seasons in the American Hockey League, he is back, coming off kneecap surgery he hopes will keep his NHL dreams alive.

Krahn signed this year with the Dallas Stars as a free agent and recently was assigned to Las Vegas.

"My mindset never changes. It's always been (on) making it to the NHL," the 6-foot-5-inch Krahn said. "Sometimes it just takes longer for others. I'm still battling, trying to get there. It's been difficult, but good things aren't easy."

In his first stint with the Wranglers, Krahn was 7-5-2 with a 2.61 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. In the AHL he went 71-59-14 with a 2.56 GAA and .911 save percentage for four teams.

Krahn just played his first game since having surgery April 4 to repair a dislocated left kneecap. He stopped 24 shots for the Wranglers in a 2-1 loss at Phoenix on Monday.

Krahn, who said he's "going back to the basics," has been helped in his comeback by Stars goalie coach Andy Moog, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers. Moog worked with Krahn in Dallas, and that tutelage continued here for the last week.

"With the mental side of things, he's given me a new approach," Krahn said. "I feel the difference in how I view the game just from having worked with him for a month."

The Wranglers (2-4-1) will try to rebound from their slow start in home games against Bakersfield today and Phoenix on Saturday. Both games are 7:30 p.m.

• NOTE -- The Wranglers signed defenseman Jeff May, who began the season in the AHL and scored Las Vegas' lone goal Monday. Defenseman Michael Beynon was waived.