Home-ice edge still on hold after a chippy loss to Idaho

Nick Christensen

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 | 9:30 a.m.

Needing a win to secure home-ice advantage through the first round of the playoffs, the Las Vegas Wranglers had every reason to step it up Tuesday night at the Orleans Arena. But it was the Idaho Steelheads who put on the pressure, defeating the sluggish Wranglers 4-2 before an announced crowd of 3,708.

The games started even before the opening faceoff Tuesday night at the Orleans Arena, as the Steelheads and Wranglers gave a preview of their first- round playoff series that starts next week.

Idaho center Lance Galbraith shot a puck into the Wranglers' warmups, apparently hitting Wranglers defenseman Jonathan Shockey. Shockey jawed at Galbraith, and pretended to take a swing at him near center ice, causing Galbraith to flinch and later to shoot another puck at Shockey's head.

Shockey wouldn't comment on it, other than to say that he'll "wait until we eliminate them from the playoffs, then you can interview me about that guy."

The game would not get any less interesting. As Idaho's Jeremy Mylymok sat for fighting and roughing penalties, Idaho's Dylan Gyori scored a short-handed goal, the second the Wranglers have allowed in two games.

Jeff Attard made it 1-1 on the next Las Vegas power play with the first of his two goals of the night.

With seven minutes to go in the second period, Idaho's Dave Cornacchia knocked a shot high over the Las Vegas goal. Galbraith's stick, well over his head, knocked the puck down and about an inch under the top pipe. Replays showed that Galbraith's goal should have been disallowed because of the high stick, but ECHL rules prevented referee Chris Ciamaga from calling back the goal.

Idaho was still leading 2-1 late in the game when Attard scored his second goal of the year, which was just as controversial as Galbraith's. Attard shot the puck right into the center of the goal past Steelheads goalie Blair Allison, and simultaneously Idaho's Dan Vandermeer knocked the net off its bearings.

Ciamaga initially waved off the goal, but after a long discussion with off-ice officials and the teams' captains, decided to award Las Vegas the tying goal.

But the Wranglers didn't play like a playoff team down the stretch. Galbraith was left unattended in front of the Las Vegas net with 45 seconds remaining, and scored the go-ahead goal. Idaho's Darrell Hay scored an empty net goal after the ensuing faceoff to seal the game for Idaho.

"It's obvious that someone standing beside him was not doing his job," Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said of Idaho's go-ahead goal. "It's crunch time now. We don't have any easy games now. If we want the second spot, we've to step it up and do something."

Idaho coach John Olver was surprised by the Las Vegas output.

"We're just pleased we could get a win finally in here, it gives us confidence," he said. "Las Vegas didn't play very hard. I'm sure they were playing possum a little bit. The next game, they'll have a completely different tempo."

Gulutzan showed some concern over his team's recent struggles. His team has scored just three goals in the past two games, both losses.

"I didn't think we played well in the first 30 minutes, we were better in the third period, but (Idaho) was sitting back a little bit," he said. "Going into the playoffs, we can't be playing like this."

The Wranglers traveled to San Diego after the game to play the first-place Gulls tonight, then planned to return home Friday to play the Alaska Aces in their last home game of the season.