Wranglers follow winning blueprint

This isn’t even Valdosta, Ga., which seems to win sports championships faster than Kyle Busch turns left.

Las Vegas might be one of the nation’s best towns at drawing big events, but its trophy case for team titles is hardly filled to capacity.

The Wranglers would like nothing more than to occupy some of its space.

I’m not sure if those who win a Kelly Cup leave it in a snowbank or take it for a swim or drink beer from it at a local pub or any of the other wacky things those who claim the Stanley Cup have done over the years, but I know some local hockey players would like to give it a try.

Mike Madill and Adam Miller came close once.

The Wranglers are in a position for a second run at the Kelly Cup, one win away after a 3-2 victory over the Alaska Aces in Game 4 of the ECHL Western Conference finals Tuesday night.

Las Vegas takes a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 tonight in Anchorage, back on that expansive parking lot the Aces call home ice.

Las Vegas played for the Cup in 2007-08, losing to Cincinnati in six games but in the process putting a guy named Glen Gulutzan on the map of promising young coaches. Two years later, he was leading the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. Two years after that, he was named coach of the Dallas Stars in the NHL, where he just concluded his first season.

"Gully," Wranglers coach Ryan Mougenel said, "left me a great blueprint and created a great culture of winning here. I came here wanting to keep it going, to do big things. Winning a (Kelly Cup) is everything to me because I know how much hard work goes into this by everyone here."

Gulutzan and Mougenel are men with different personalities in the locker room and opinions on a defenseman’s duties on ice, but both styles have worked here.

The team Gulutzan led to a Cup finals was older, bigger, stronger and considered allowing any 2-on-1 breaks sacrilegious. The one Mougenel now manages is younger, faster and doesn’t view it a complete breakdown when those on defense keep the puck in play and fly down the boards and take part in attacking.

Mougenel sees the game this way: Hard work in the defensive end, speed through the neutral zone and having fun on offense.

That last part, he says, hasn’t changed since his days of peewee hockey.

"If there was ever a doubt, Gully would always want us to back out of the zone and play 3-on-2," said Madill, who along with Miller are the two Wranglers who were part of that Kelly Cup team. "(Mougenel) lets us get involved in plays more as defensemen. It’s fun. Each guy has their own way of doing things, but, hey, whatever works, right?"

Which also can be said for how each deals with players.

Gulutzan wasn’t the warm-and-fuzzy type. His approach was more business suit than khakis and polo. There wasn’t a better coach in Las Vegas during his time here, but when it came to the matter of his locker room, he preferred team captains deal with internal issues first and then report to him.

Mougenel is a bundle of energy who by first impression seems to prefer one or 100 cups of Canadian coffee each hour. He doesn’t wait until between periods to voice his happiness or displeasure with a player’s performance. He lets guys know right then, right there.

"He’s always in the locker room, walking around, seeing how guys are feeling," Miller said. "Gully was more behind-the-scenes. I do think we’re a more complete team now than we were back then. Don’t get me wrong. That (2007-08) team was very good and proved itself more than we have to this point. But I really think we have a great chance at winning this thing."

Different styles, different systems, different opinions on how best to motivate. One team made the Kelly Cup finals and lost. Another is one win from an opportunity to play for it again.

And if the Wranglers are fortunate to advance and prove victorious this time, maybe you’ll see Madill and Miller dancing with it at a local club on the Strip one Saturday night.

As for Mougenel, I’m guessing he would fill it with Canadian coffee and stay awake for the next year.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on "Gridlock," ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.