Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Wranglers brass hopes for big crowds in Kelly Cup Finals

Wranglers coach and general manager Glen Gulutzan hopes the core of his team’s fan base, 3,500 to 4,500 stalwarts, are loud tonight when the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals continues against Cincinnati in Las Vegas.

He wouldn’t mind if many of those die-hards bring a friend or two, too.

“Anyone else who has come to a game this season or in the past, certainly, come out,” Gulutzan said after practice Wednesday. “Hey, I’m a local now. It’s something we can all grab onto a little bit.

“If you enjoy it, it’ll be a good experience.”

Gulutzan, who hails from The Pas, Manitoba, has been the only coach and GM in the 5-year history of the Wranglers, and this is the team’s first appearance in a championship series.

Las Vegas and Cincinnati are tied at a game apiece in the best-of-seven series. Games 3, 4 and 5, respectively, are today, Friday and Monday at the Orleans Arena.

Officials have coordinated a “Red Sea for Game 3” promotion tonight in which fans are encouraged to wear red.

“It would be phenomenal,” Wranglers assistant coach Brent Bilodeau said of the red-out. “It would get the players jacked up. It would be electrifying. You couldn’t explain it.

“It’s what hockey’s about – playing in the finals, a packed house, the crowd going crazy. Nothing better.”

The Orleans lists its hockey capacity at just less than 7,800, and it’s averaged 3,752 for the playoffs. That’s a bit deceiving, since attendance has picked up as the Wranglers have continued winning.

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