Wranglers get a few answers in first weekend

Nick Christensen

Monday, Oct. 25, 2004 | 9:14 a.m.

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Two days into the regular season probably isn't the best time for any hockey team to get into an overtime shootout.

But on the new blue ice at the Long Beach Arena, the Las Vegas Wranglers were tied 2-2 with the Ice Dogs after 65 minutes of hockey. The shootout was possibly the weakest part of the Wranglers' game last year, when they were 3-5 including a loss on the road on the second game of the year.

Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan found himself in an even more unfamiliar situation than last year's 3-2 second-game loss at Idaho. Half of his roster was filled with players sent down from Las Vegas' AHL and NHL affiliates, and two of his leading scoring threats, forwards Jeff Attard and Rejean Stringer, were out with groin injuries.

As all five Wranglers' shootout attempts failed, Long Beach center Marco Rosa's goal on Marc Magliarditi in the third round was the deciding goal in the Ice Dogs' 3-2 win before a crowd of about 2,000 on Saturday.

The Wranglers came out of their first weekend with three of the possible four points after an opening night 5-1 win at Fresno on Friday.

After the loss, Gulutzan said the unfamiliarity was a factor in Saturday's shootout.

"I was guessing. I haven't seen enough on breakaways," he said. "You go with the guys that had the reputation, and the captain at the end."

Magliarditi said the 1-0 shootout wasn't a typical result.

"We had five cracks, and two posts," he said. "You're not going to win too many shootouts with zero goals."

Although the Wranglers didn't win the scoring battle on Saturday, they came out on top in shots on goal, something Gulutzan was emphasizing as a difference from last year's team. Las Vegas led 29-20 in shots after two periods, and 38-27 at the end as things slowed in the third period.

Las Vegas outshot Fresno 42-28 on Friday.

"Scoring chances were pretty close though," Gulutzan said. "They had good scoring chances on us. We may have had a territorial advantage, but we'll see what happens."

The Wranglers had multiple breakaway opportunities and man advantages, but were unable to capitalize. Nor were they able to take advantage of four Long Beach penalties.

Center Morten Ask said the team didn't play together as well as in the opener, but is continuing to come together.

"We got some good shots yesterday in Fresno," he said. "I'm surprised how we played tonight. We played well, we looked like a team today."

The Wranglers are now into a nine-day layoff before their home opener, Nov. 2 against Long Beach. With that break, the team enters an extended "training camp" while their West Division counterparts continue their seasons.

"You should think that with practice, we'd get in better shape and be ready to play," Ask said. "But nothing's better than playing games."