Monday, May 5, 2008 | 4:02 p.m.
The ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs usually mean long layoffs, during and between series, which Las Vegas Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan doesn’t mind.
They won’t start their National Conference finals series against Utah, at the Orleans Arena, until next Monday. Game 2 will be Tuesday, May 13, at the Orleans. Games 3 and 4 will be in Utah on May 15 and 16, respectively.
Since they advanced past the second round for the first time in their five-year history last Friday, in Alaska, the Wranglers have been on the mend and relaxing.
They will resume practicing Tuesday.
The Orleans Arena is booked Friday through Monday for a Nike coaches clinic. A Latin singer will play the E-Center in Utah on Friday.
“We needed a few days off to heal some bumps and bruises,” Gulutzan said. “So it worked out well for us.”
The Grizzlies are seeded sixth in the conference, but Gulutzan said that’s misleading. They have about eight players back from the American Hockey League who have made the difference.
“They’re disguised as a top seed,” Gulutzan said.
Las Vegas is 10-1 against Utah this season and 16-5-4 lifetime against the Grizzlies. Gulutzan expects the series to be very physical.
* If the Wranglers advance, they will own home-ice advantage against every American Conference foe except Cincinnati in the Kelly Cup finals.
Gulutzan played in a few finals and won one championship.
“Nothing changes,” he said. “It just gets more intense as you go. We won’t change anything. Just another series.”
* Las Vegas closed out its series against Alaska with Daniel Manzato between the pipes. He allowed three goals, but the Wranglers tattooed the Aces with six goals.
That was the first professional playoff game for Manzato, a rookie from Switzerland. Kevin Lalande had minded the nets for the Wranglers.
Among ECHL playoff goalies, Lalande is 16th in allowing 2.71 goals a game. Manzato is 20th and last, with that 3.00 average.
They split time during the regular season and Gulutzan will use either as he sees fit.
“We have two good goalies and we’re not scared to use either,” Gulutzan said. “We ran that way all year and we’ll run that way in the playoffs.”
* It didn’t surprise Gulutzan that veteran right wing Peter Ferraro leads the league with 17 playoff points. He fired in four goals against Alaska in the last two games of that series.
“Up until those last two games, Peter’s play was solid,” Gulutzan said. “Those last two, he really stung Alaska. It hurt them, no question. He scored goals other guys couldn’t score.”
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