Wranglers try to clear mental slate

When the Wranglers sat down to discuss the keys to success in the ECHL playoffs, at the top of their list was being able to move on quickly from an overtime game -- victory or defeat.

"You've got to have a short-term memory in the playoffs," Las Vegas forward Blair Riley said. "Forget about (the last game) and move on."

After two games of their first-round series against the Idaho Steelheads, the Wranglers' ability to "move on" has already been tested, and they face another such test tonight in Game 3 at Boise, Idaho.

A day after outlasting Idaho 1-0 in double overtime in Game 1 on Ryan Huddy's unassisted goal, Las Vegas suffered a wrenching 3-2 loss midway through the third overtime Wednesday when Idaho defenseman Dustin Friesen scored at Orleans Arena.

At least this time the Wranglers had a day off to recuperate mentally and physically.

"We have to just put it in the past, like they put Game 1 in the past, and hope for a good outing in Game 3," Wranglers center Colin Long said after midnight following Game 2. "We haven't really played to our full potential yet."

Las Vegas outshot Idaho in each of the first two games and 95-72 overall. But the Wranglers went 0-for-9 on the power play and the Steelheads 2-for-7.

"For us, a couple opportunities on the power play in overtime turned out to be the difference (in Game 2)," said Riley, whose second-period goal gave Las Vegas a 1-0 lead. "In the playoffs, special teams are quite often the difference. (The key will be) if we can eliminate their chances on the power play and score one or two on ours."

Idaho had the ECHL's top power play during the regular season and the Wranglers had one of the best penalty-killing units.

Las Vegas goalie Michael Ouzas has stopped 69 of 72 shots and Idaho rookie goalie Jerry Kuhn has turned away 92 of 95.

"We've got to be better on the penalty kill, our power play's got to lead us and I've got to be pretty solid back there, too," Ouzas said. "Those are kind of the ingredients to win in the playoffs."

The Wranglers built the best road record in the Western Conference this season, at 20-12-4, and went 1-1-1 at Idaho, which also will host Game 4 at 6:10 p.m. Saturday.

Aside from wanting to win, exhausted players from both squads share another common goal -- to settle the remaining games in regulation.

"Hopefully these games will be decided in 60 minutes," Riley said.

■ NOTES -- Forward Jamie Bates and defenseman Jamie Fritsch returned to the Wranglers from the American Hockey League and Las Vegas also signed former Stockton defenseman Daryl Marcoux. … Game 5, if necessary, will be at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at the Orleans.

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