ECHL rivals set to battle yet again

It's becoming a Wranglers' tradition. Each time they go to the playoffs, they face the Idaho Steelheads.

In its inaugural campaign of 2003-04, Las Vegas fell 3-2 to eventual league champion Idaho in the first round of the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs after squandering a 2-0 series lead.

Last year, the Wranglers became the second team in league history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-7 series, storming back to beat the Steelheads 4-3 in the first round before losing in six games to eventual ECHL champion Alaska.

The teams resume their rivalry at 6:10 tonight in Game 1 of the best-of-7 National Conference semifinals at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho.

Game 2 is slated for 6:10 p.m. Monday in Idaho, with Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary) scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Las Vegas at the Orleans Arena. Game 6 would take place in Idaho, with Game 7 in Las Vegas.

"I can't see this series being any shorter than six or seven games, that's for sure," Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said. "I think it's going to be a hard-fought series. They're two pretty equally matched hockey clubs."

No. 1 seed Las Vegas, which went 46-12-14 in the regular season, swept Phoenix 4-0 in the first round.

Fourth-seeded Idaho, which went 42-24-6 in the regular season, outlasted Stockton 4-2 in the first round.

The Wranglers went 6-1-3 against the Steelheads this season -- 4-1-1 at Idaho and 2-0-2 at home -- but eight of the 10 meetings were decided by one goal, and six of the games, including all four in Las Vegas, went to overtime or a shootout.

"Every game we played this year was like a playoff atmosphere, and I don't expect anything less than that," Idaho coach Derek Laxdal said. "The teams are almost the same. I expect it to be a long series, and it should be great for the fans to watch."

Despite earning home-ice advantage through the playoffs, the Wranglers will start on the road for the second straight series because of ice availability issues.

"I think anybody would like to start at home, but unfortunately that's the way the league is. The fact is many teams aren't the prime tenant (in their building)," said Wranglers goalie Mike McKenna, who went 4-0-1 with a 2.31 goals-against average against Idaho this season. "We're happy enough to have four dates at home if we need them."

Las Vegas may not need them if it continues to play the way it has since March 9, the last time the Wranglers lost. Since then, the Wranglers have won an ECHL-record 17 straight games, and a victory tonight would tie them with the Peoria Rivermen of the now-defunct International Hockey League for the all-time professional hockey mark.

The longest winning streak in NHL history is 17, a mark most recently matched in 1993 by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The American Hockey League record also is 17, set by the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2004.

Peoria and Philadelphia each won the championship in the year of their record-setting streaks.

While most teams are content to split the first two road games of a playoff series, McKenna has his sights set on a sweep, which would give Las Vegas the longest winning streak in pro hockey history.

"We're looking to go up there and win both," said McKenna, who has won his last 11 starts. "We've been on such a long roll now, that's what we expect. There's no reason why we can't do it.

"Records are fun to be part of, and it's so important to be part of a winning streak at this time of the year."

Derek Edwardson led Las Vegas with 16 points against Idaho this season, and Lance Galbraith paced the Steelheads with 13 points against the Wranglers.

Idaho goalie Steve Silverthorn went 4-3-3 with a 2.63 GAA against Las Vegas.

"I kind of like having the first couple games at home," said Idaho forward Derek Nesbitt, who netted nine points in the first round to tie Galbraith for the team lead. "If we can get up early at home, I think that would be huge for us, so hopefully that works to our advantage."

Unless there's a sweep, the teams -- which both feature strong coaching, goaltending, depth, discipline and special teams -- will face a grueling stretch of five games in six nights and a possible seven in nine.

"I'd rather not do it, but as long as both teams are doing it, it's fair," Gulutzan said. "It's going to be hard on the fellas."

Laxdal agrees.

"I don't think it's fair for any team to play five games in six nights in the playoffs," he said.