Idaho ends Wranglers’ streak

Eleven minutes into their ECHL playoff game at Boise, Idaho, on Monday, the Las Vegas Wranglers appeared poised to extend their league-record 18-game winning streak.

Tyler Mosienko had scored to make it 1-0, with the Wranglers looking to steal another road victory in Game 2 of their National Conference semifinal series against the Idaho Steelheads.

But the Steelheads quickly answered with two goals in the first period and coasted to a 4-1 victory, halting the Wranglers' streak and tying the best-of-7 series, 1-1.

Las Vegas hadn't lost since March 9, a 4-0 road defeat against the Texas Wildcatters. The Wranglers went on to win their final 13 regular-season games, swept the first playoff round against Phoenix and won the series opener against Idaho 2-1 on Sunday night.

But the Steelheads were firmly in control for most of Game 2.

"I just told the guys after the game, 'That's one heck of a streak. It's something to be proud of,' " Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said. "But right after that, I said, 'Welcome to the playoffs.'

"Idaho's best players stepped up big for them at the right times. It was a good, physical game, just like we expected."

The Wranglers took three penalties in the first period after Mosienko's goal, and the Steelheads made them pay. At the 15:47 mark, Las Vegas' Mike McBain and Idaho's Lance Galbraith were whistled for roughing, and the Wranglers' Joe Tallari was simultaneously penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving Idaho a 4-on-3 advantage.

Defenseman Cory Scoran tied it for Idaho a minute later.

McBain then was whistled for cross-checking at the 18:56 mark, and the Steelheads converted seven seconds into the power play. Defenseman Darrell Hay took a shot that Galbraith redirected past Mike McKenna for what proved to be the decisive goal.

Seven minutes into the second period, Steelheads forward Derek Nesbitt scored to make it 3-1. Galbraith put the game away early in the third on a breakaway, taking a pass from Marty Flichel and putting it past McKenna.

McKenna had an off night, allowing four goals on 16 shots. Steve Silverthorn of the Steelheads made 15 saves.

Gulutzan chose not to dwell on the loss, but rather on the record-setting streak.

"It's pretty amazing when you look back and think about it," Gulutzan said of his team's streak, which tied the 1990-91 Peoria Rivermen of the International Hockey League for the longest in professional hockey. "I told the guys to take a breath and look back at what they just accomplished. It is impressive any way you look at it."

Said McBain: "It was a nice, good run for us. The funny thing is, no one in that locker room talked about it. It was never brought up. We are not a flashy team, we just stick to our system. It worked out well for us for 18 games."

The Wranglers return to the Orleans Arena for Games 3, 4 and 5 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with 7:05 p.m. start times each night.

"We came up here and got a split, which is what we needed," McBain said. "There is not one guy in that locker room that thought we were going to sweep this series. Idaho is just like us, a very hard-working team."