LAS VEGAS, Nev – The Thunder started out sluggish in this game, where a win would have given them the advantage and it cost them. But, the night belonged to the Las Vegas Wranglers at home in Orleans Arena before a crowd of 2,816. The Thunder’ penalties would prove to be detrimental, as the Wranglers capitalized on three-of-seven power play opportunities. Even with a power-play goal of their own, the Thunder was not able to create enough opportunities.
The Wranglers scored the first goal, when the Thunder defense was drawn out of position on a power play. Goaltender Parker Van Buskirk couldn’t get back in position and Sean Owens banged the puck in from the top left of the wing circle on the blocker side at 6:52. Assists went to Dan Spang and Chris Neiszner.
It wasn’t long after, on another power play, Las Vegas would find the net again. Dan Riedel took a feed off Kelly Czuy to blast one past Van Buskirk at 8:50. Adam Miller was also credited an assist. The goal was Riedel’s fifth post season goal.
At 18:31, Las Vegas would cap the period with yet another goal; one that Van Buskirk would later wish he could take back. Van Buskirk came out of the net, to cut off Jason Dest on the drive, but missed the block, and Dest made a sharp angle wrist shot that hit the back of the net, putting the Wranglers up 3-0. Both Scott McCulloch and J.D. Watt were credited with20assists on the goal. When all was said and done in the lopsided period the Wranglers had placed double the shots on goal 14-6 in the period.
In the second period, the Thunder worked to make up lost time for the lack of scoring in the first, with a goal by James Bates, assisted by Cory Urquhart and Ryan Huddy. This was Bates’ sixth goal of the post-season. The period would end with Las Vegas still on top 3-1. The Wranglers continued to out shoot Stockton with 12-7 shots on goal for the period.
Miller started the third period scoring by beating Van Buskirk at 6:37 into the period for yet another power play goal, giving the Wranglers some breathing room. Shortly after Miller’s goal, Stockton’s David Rohlfs split the Vegas defense on a drive to the goal and wristed a shot past Glenn Fisher at 9:21 into the period. The goal was unassisted.
With 1:45 left to play in an attempt to create an advantage, the Thunder pulled Van Buskirk for the extra skater but they were not able to make it pay off.
Fisher made 22 saves, and Van Buskirk had 26 saves. In the Thunder’s
attempt to come back in the third they out-shot the Wranglers by an 11 to four margin.
The next two games will be at the Stockton Arena, on Thursday, April
30th and Saturday, May 2nd.
Contact the writer at: shellie.lima@prohockeynews.com Catch all the playoffs at Intotheboards.net
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