McSorley can’t recall it this bad

Tim Graham

Friday, Feb. 20, 1998 | 1:13 a.m.

As bad as matters appear for the Las Vegas Thunder, this concept should be kept in mind: Things can get worse.

The Thunder currently is experiencing its worst losing streak in team history and never had been at or below .500 this late in any of its five seasons.

After six straight losses, Las Vegas is 25-25-6 heading into tonight's 7:05 contest with the Utah Grizzlies at the Thomas & Mack Center. The teams also will play Saturday night at 7:05.

The Thunder's archrivals are 35-15-7 after a 4-0 victory over the Houston Aeros, who took two games at the T&M earlier this week.

"It's important that we make a stand against our previous record," Thunder head coach Chris McSorley said. "We need a commitment 18 men deep."

McSorley claims not to have slept much since Tuesday night, when his team blew an early lead and lost 3-2 to the Aeros.

"This is something that has never happened to me before," said McSorley, who is in his third year as the Thunder's bench boss. 'I've never lost five games at any level, much less six. I'm consumed with what's happening.

"I'm dwelling on it. There's not a whole lot I feel like doing other than getting our first win in a while out of the way."

Facing a losing record so late in the season has spurred the meticulous McSorley to analyze every aspect of his profession.

"There's definitely a very thick air of concern within the locker room," he said. "Our practices have been very positive, our video has been very descriptive, and our team knows what we have to do to be successful.

"Tactically, I firmly believe that what we're trying to accomplish is correct. I've spoken to a number of different coaches and talked strategy. I feel we're consistent. I believe our strategy is very sound. It's just important for it to be executed."

McSorley at least will have more executors at his disposal tonight with the return of goaltender Manny Legace, who has been unavailable since suffering a concussion against Long Beach on Friday the 13th. Legace is penciled in as tonight's starter.

Also expected back is Sergei Yerkovich. The rangy defenseman was scheduled to return to Las Vegas Thursday night from Nagano, Japan, where he competed for his home country of Belarus in the Winter Olympics.

Both will be in demand against Butch Goring's boys, who handed the Thunder a 6-3 defeat in West Valley City, Utah, on Feb. 3.

"They're a good team that's got some good rhythm going," McSorley said. "In every facet of the game we have to be on top of our game."

Thunderbolts

* SIMCHUK TO COYOTES: Part-time Thunder goalie Konstantin Simchuk was sent back to Tacoma of the West Coast Hockey League with the return of Manny Legace. But Simchuk first stopped off in Phoenix to practice with the Coyotes. Simchuk was asked to fill in for Coyotes backup Jimmy Waite, who is battling a sprained ankle. Simchuk will not play in a game for Phoenix. If Waite remains out for an extended period, the Coyotes will recall rookie Scott Langkow from Springfield of the American Hockey League.

* LOOSE PUCKS: Las Vegas is 2-7-0 against Utah this season. In those nine games, Grizzlies center Fred Knipscheer has seven goals, nine assists and is a +10. ... Thunder winger Patrice Lefebvre leads the IHL in scoring with 78 points on 17 goals and 61 assists. ... Utah's goaltending tandem of Wade Flaherty and Philippe DeRouville is among the best in the league. Flaherty is 16-5-3 with 1,79 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. DeRouville is 13-5-1 with a 2.32 GAA and a .923 save percentage.