League trying to keep Thunder in Vegas

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1999 | 10:34 a.m.

IHL president watches as Thunder loses, 3-2

International Hockey League president Doug Moss met with officials from the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the new Mandalay Bay Arena Tuesday about the possibility of hosting IHL hockey next season.

He's also scheduled to meet with officials from the Thomas & Mack Center and the proposed Millennium Arena today.

But Moss says it's still too early to determine whether the Las Vegas Thunder, 3-2 losers to the Chicago Wolves on Tuesday night, will return for the 1999-2000 season.

"I'm neither more encouraged nor more discouraged (about the Thunder returning) because we still have to put it all together," Moss said.

"I had a couple of meetings (Tuesday). I have a couple of more (today). ... It's only appropriate that I analyze where we're at after I meet with everyone and discuss things with Thunder management."

Where the IHL is right now is trying to find a venue that has the interest and the available dates to host what once was one of the league's most promising franchises. Moss hasn't ruled out the possibility of splitting games between two sites.

"Number one, we've got to see if we can acquire the dates to have a team here next year," Moss said. "Number two, we've got to see what the lease arrangement would be. And then after we have that, then we can find out what kind of ownership arrangement we'll have. You can't ask someone to stay in the market if you don't have a rink to play in."

Moss said he wouldn't have any more to say about the future of the Las Vegas franchise "until next week."

"Right now people are receptive and listening, but that could mean a lot of things," Moss said.

Moss sounded upbeat even though an announced crowd of 3,354 --- it appeared less than half that many actually were there --- showed up for the only appearance by the 1997-98 Turner Cup champions.

Las Vegas (21-27-5, 47 points), behind first-period goals by Russ Romaniuk and Sean Berens, took a 2-0 lead into the second period before Chicago (34-12-8, 76 points) scored three goals in a 10-minute span, including a short-hander by left-winger Steve Maltais that tied the game, 2-2.

The Thunder, which pulled goalie Petr Franek with 2:06 left, had a number of good chances in the third period only to come away empty-handed against Chicago goalie Pat Jablonski, who finished with 31 saves.

It was the fifth straight win for the Wolves, who are 24-0-1 this season when leading after two periods and 54-0-2 over the last two seasons.

The Thunder blew a chance to close within nine points of idle Kansas City for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"I'm frustrated because this is a game we had under control and I felt we should have won," Las Vegas coach Bob Bourne said. "We played so well in the first period and then gave it away in the second period."

The Thunder returns to action on Friday night against the Indianapolis Ice at the Thomas & Mack.