Wranglers look to rebound after tough start

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Looking at the Las Vegas Wranglers current record of 4-6-0-2, one would be forgiven in thinking that there is something wrong with the defending Western Conference champions. Looking behind the scenes and closer at the roster, schedule and talent in Las Vegas, it is easy to see that the initial reaction is far from the truth.
 

Starting the season off in good form, after the longest pre-season in the entire league, it took until game three against Stockton for Las Vegas to lose their first game of the young season. Before dropping that contest October 20, 5-4, the Wranglers had previously beaten Bakersfield 3-2 and Stockton 3-2 in OT.
 
Unfortunately, that first loss would spark many more in a string, only broken by a 4-3 win against Colorado October 27. In this time, the Wranglers squad would lose a total of eight games, including two shootout losses against Bakersfield.
         
This record for losses was finally broken November 16 in Bakersfield, California after a 5-2 win over the hometown Condors.
 
There are some positives to take out of the young season, as some of the leaders of the team have made a positive difference so far. Forwards Judd Blackwater, Eric Lampe and Josh Lunden continue their tactic from last season of pressing the action in the opponents end and taking well-placed shots while defensemen Mike Madill and Jamie Fritsch anchor the back line in front of goaltenders Joe Fallon and Mitch O’Keefe.
         
Currently, Fallon, a third year Wrangler, is 4-4-0-2 with a .911 save percentage and places ninth in the ECHL in goals-against while being eighth in the ECHL in minutes played.
         
Also, team enforcer and forward Adam Huxley leads the entire ECHL in total penalty minutes and is tied with Stockton’s Garet Hunt for the league lead in fighting majors. Huxley, who is entering his fourth season as a Wrangler, is a physical presence on every line and has even managed two points so far.
         
Lampe, a second year Wrangler, currently leads the team in points with eleven in 12 games, including six goals and is currently a plus-2. The ECHLs top goal scorer from last season, Lampe has as many penalty minutes, as he does points, and sits 71 in the league, with many of the previous 70 players playing in up to 7 games more than him.   
         
Notable first year Wranglers include forwards Adam Hughesman, Chris Collins and Matt Carter and defensemen include Charlie Cook, Nolan Julseth-White and Josh Godfrey.
         
Recent addition, Chris Collins, brother of former Wrangler star now currently playing in the German DEL Greg Collins, is an offensive star that cannot be overlooked. After his collegiate career at Boston University, where he earned NCAA Hockey East champion, All-Star Team, Player of the Year and Hobey Baker Award finalist honours, Collins spent last season in the DEL. Initially playing in the ECHL for the defunct Long Beach Ice Dogs and in the AHL with the Providence Bruins and Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, Collins has spent four seasons overseas, primarily in the DEL and the Finnish SM-Liiga.
 
Carter, who was picked up by Las Vegas after being cut by the ECHL expansion San Francisco Bulls earlier in the season is a true offensive forward. A graduate of University of Prince Edward Island, Carter has also suited up for the ECHLs Phoenix, Cincinnati and San Francisco, appearing in a total of 23 games and earning eight points and three penalty minutes. With the UPEI Panthers, Carter suited up for 111 games, earning 144 points and 166 penalty minutes, and named to the CIS All-Star Second Team during his junior season.
 
On the backend, new addition Cook has provided a huge veteran presence to a struggling Wranglers defensive corps. Cook, who played his collegiate hockey at Cornell University, is a winner of both the AHL’s Calder Cup and NCAA’s ECAC championship. Winning the Calder Cup with Philadelphia just after college, Cook played 141 games in hockeys second tier league before heading off to Europe, where he had bounced around for five seasons before coming back to North America and Nevada. Playing in the SM-Liiga, DEL, Sweden’s Eliteserien, the Czech Extraliga and Switzerland’s NLA,   Cook racked up a further 236 games, with 87 total points and 388 penalty minutes.
 
Godfrey, who has been with the club since training camp but only recently activated off reserves, has put in some good work in front of Fallon in his two games played so far for the Wranglers. An extremely talented defenseman who has seen time in the ECHL All-Star game, U20 WJC for Team USA and won the ECHL’s Kelly Cup with South Carolina and the Calder Cup with Hershey, Godfrey is a great addition for any team. However, with his obvious talent and impressive hockey resume, Godfrey has been plagued by injuries and concussion problems, most recently keeping out of the first ten Wranglers games. Assuming that Godfrey can keep himself healthy and out of the medical office this season, he should bolster a struggling but extremely talented Wranglers defensive line.
         
As with any professional sports team, there are always points of weakness and trouble, but it looks like the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL have been able to exploit those trouble spots early in the season and are committed to fixing them before the ECHL season gets too much farther into the season. Poised to a repeat of their amazing run to the Kelly Cup Finals, the Wranglers have all the tools needed to succeed. Hopefully, everything falls into place and they can make the best of their amazing talent and depth.
 
Contact the writer Joel.Hoopaugh@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at Glenn.Harvey@prohockeynews.com