Wranglers drop series opener to Alaska

LAS VEGAS, NV- In an extremely entertaining game, a hard-fighting Las Vegas Wranglers club gave up two goals and only made up one to lose Game One of the ECHL Western Conference Finals.
 
The game started off with lots of intensity between both teams, with hits, shots and scrums galore.
 
It was Alaska that got on the scoreboard first, when Ryan Cruthers slid the puck past Wranglers goalie Joe Fallon at 9:07 of the middle period. With help from Aces Chad Anderson and Kane Lafranchise, Cruthers was able to capitalize on an Aces power play, after Wrangler Ash Goldie, brother of Alaska’s Wes, took a tripping minor.
 
However, just 8:22 later in the same period, it was Las Vegas’ turn to light the lamp when Scott Campbell, from Adam Miller and Ryan Weston, found the twine behind Aces keeper Gerald Coleman.
 
The 1-1 score would stand until, with just over four minutes remaining until the seemingly inevitable overtime period, Aces center Cruthers, from Tyson Marsh and Gary Nunn, drilled a wrister past Fallon. This Alaska score by Cruthers would end up being the game winner as Alaska was able to hold off the Wranglers counterattack in the remaining minutes of the game, without avail.
 
With the win, Alaska takes an early 1-0 series lead over Las Vegas, with Game Two being played Friday night, also in Las Vegas. Games three to six of the series heads to the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, before returning to Nevada for a deciding Game Seven if necessary.
 
A key to the Aces’ win in the match was the fact that Alaska was able to decisively outshoot the Wranglers throughout all three periods, including 17 to six in the first period alone. Alaska was able to put 32 quality chances on Fallon, while Vegas were only able to manage 26 shots throughout the same timeframe.
 
Alaska enjoyed one more power play throughout the game, earning four and capitalizing on one. Las Vegas earned three power plays and was able to convert none of them.
 
Las Vegas, 5-3-1 over Alaska in the regular season and now 7-2 in the postseason, looks to even the series before heading to the Last Frontier beginning April 29. The winner of this series has only to face the winner of the Kalamazoo versus Florida series before hoisting the Kelly Cup.
 
Contact Joel.Hoopaugh@prohockeynews.com