Thunder may not make it to playoffs

Tim Graham

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 1998 | 9:31 a.m.

Only one Western Conference team does not qualify for the Turner Cup playoffs.

The Las Vegas Thunder could be that team.

The Thunder, still reeling from its recent seven-game losing streak, will try to steady itself with two games against the Western Conference's worst two teams this week.

"Making the playoffs is not a question that needs to be asked or answered," Thunder head coach Chris McSorley said. "In Las Vegas, postseason play is assumed, not anticipated."

Las Vegas always has qualified for the playoffs. It even won the Huber Trophy as the IHL's regular-season champion in its inaugural campaign of 1993-94 and again in 1995-96.

But if the Thunder continues to slip at the Thomas & Mack Center tonight at 7:05 against the Manitoba Moose and Friday night against the San Antonio Dragons, it further will jeopardize its playoff hopes.

"I would think these teams are categorized as real important games for us, considering the places we are in the standings," Las Vegas general manager Bob Strumm said. "They're huge games."

There are nine teams in the Western Conference. The Thunder is in seventh place with only the Moose and Dragons below.

With 23 games left in the regular season, Las Vegas is 26-27-6 for 58 points. Never has it been below .500 so late.

Manitoba is close behind at 25-30-5 for 55 points.

San Antonio currently is the odd team out in the Western Conference at 18-36-5 for 41 points. But the Dragons are far from harmless.

"San Antonio has already beaten us twice at home, and they've only won five on the road all year," Strumm said.

All the injuries Las Vegas has experienced have taken their biggest toll in February. The Thunder is 2-8 this month, including the team-record skid as Jesse Belanger (knee), Ilya Byakin (back), Jeff Christian (back), Jamie Linden (groin) and Barry Potomski (back) continue to heal.

In those 10 games, however, the Thunder has seen some positives. It went 14 of 56 (25 percent) on power-play opportunities. It also killed 50 of the 57 (88 percent) penalties it faced. Those percentages would rank first and second, respectively, in the IHL.

So how did the Thunder lose so many games?

It only scored 17 even-strength goals, something McSorley -- known as a special teams expert -- cannot overcome without healthy personnel.

But Strumm contends the Thunder is getting its act together as players return to the ice and become reacquainted.

"I think we've got our game back," Strumm said. "It's a key time for us."

Thunderbolts

* LEGACE LEAVING: Las Vegas Thunder goaltender Manny Legace will be sent to Springfield of the American Hockey League for 10 days. The Thunder is loaning its No. 1 goaltender to give him more ice time down the regular-season homestretch. Tim Cheveldae relieved Legace in Friday's 4-3 loss to Utah and then started Saturday night against Utah and Sunday afternoon at Long Beach. Cheveldae played well in both starts, stopping 40 shots to beat the Grizzlies 4-1 and 28 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Ice Dogs. "Unfortunately, the rules say we can't play two guys at once," Thunder GM Bob Strumm said. Springfield will play six games during Legace's stay, and Strumm predicts his goalie will see action in four or five. Legace spent his last three seasons with Springfield, when it was an affiliate of the Hartford Whalers. Konstantin Simchuk will be called up from Tacoma of the West Coast Hockey League to serve as Cheveldae's backup.

* ATLAS SHRUGGED: Tim Cheveldae noted that playing through the Thunder's recent seven-game losing streak felt like the weight of the world. "Every game it just gets worse and worse," the former NHL all-star said. "Once you get to three in a row it gets bad. And every loss after that it just keeps piling on your back. After a while you're not going to be able to crawl." The Thunder snapped its skid Saturday night. After that, at least Cheveldae felt renewed. "I think everyone felt better about themselves, and certainly we were in a better mood going into (Sunday's) game," he said. "It's just so much more enjoyable coming to the rink (after a victory). You like going to work. You feel better about yourself."

* LOOSE PUCKS: Left wing Ken Quinney needs 18 goals to become the first Thunder player to score 200. ... Defenseman Steve Bancroft is 14 points away from becoming the ninth player in franchise history to record 100. ... When forward Chad Wagner reached the 100-minute mark in penalties last week, he did so in just six games. ... Despite owning the worst record in the Midwest Division at 25-30-5, the Manitoba has a league-high five players with 20 or more goals this season. ... Former Thunder center Bill Bowler joined the Moose eight games ago. He has three goals and three assists since.