Road series could make or break season

Nick Christensen

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004 | 9:12 a.m.

It's been almost two weeks since the Bakersfield Condors and Las Vegas Wranglers last played, and about all that hasn't changed is the Condors' grasp on first place in the ECHL West.

The Wranglers play the first of three games at Bakersfield this week when they play the Condors at 7 p.m. today at the Centennial Garden.

The Condors lost enforcer Ashlee Langdone to injury in that Las Vegas series, then lost coach Marty Raymond to suspension shortly thereafter because of a league salary rules violation. Bakersfield is 2-6-2 in its last 10 games but remains in first place.

As for the Wranglers, they've slipped from a playoff contender to the second-worst record in their division, riding a recent slump that includes their current three-game losing streak.

"This is huge; we have to take this one game at a time," Wranglers forward Billy Tibbetts said after Sunday's loss to San Diego. "People's jobs are in jeopardy, including my own. I'm a realist. I know what I came here to do, but since I've been here, we've been losing. Maybe I'm the difference, who knows?"

Despite the slide, there's still reason for optimism in the Wranglers clubhouse. The last game they won was a 6-0 blowout of the Condors at the Orleans on Dec. 17, and Las Vegas' road record of 6-4-3 is the best in the ECHL West Division.

"I think they're a little bit looser on the road," Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said. "I don't really know, nothing really sticks out."

Aside from the overall record, no numbers jump out when comparing home and away statistics. Wranglers goaltender Marc Magliarditi said he's unsure whether the home struggles and relative road success is a coincidence.

"I don't know what it is," Magliarditi said. "I hope it isn't (a coincidence) and we get three in a row."

With three games this week at Bakersfield, the Wranglers will be looking for a continuation of their road success as they try to beat a team that's lost just twice at home to a division rival this year. A road sweep would put Las Vegas within two points of the Condors, while three wins by Bakersfield would put Las Vegas 20 points out of first place.

Adding to the pressure of playing their division leaders, emotions could be high, as tonight's game is the first Wranglers game at the Centennial Garden since Tibbetts gave Condor Todd Alexander a concussion in Tibbetts' Wranglers debut. The ECHL served Tibbetts with a 10-game suspension in response to his hit.

When Bakersfield came to the Orleans Arena for two games earlier this month, the teams combined for 221 penalty minutes.

"With all the hoopla that went on last time, I think it's over," said Magliarditi, who is recovering from a groin injury since the Bakersfield games and will be taken off the injured list to start tomorrow night.

The absences of Langdone and Raymond could impact any chances of even more delayed retribution by the Condors. But Gulutzan agreed with his goaltender, saying that he thought the matter was probably over.

"He (Langdone) had his chances here; I don't think they wanted any part of it," Gulutzan said. "They'll get their chances (tonight)."