Monday, Jan. 17, 2005 | 8:42 a.m.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - In their past two games here, the Las Vegas Wranglers played arguably their best hockey of the season, taking 5-3 and 8-2 wins against the first-place Condors.
On Saturday night, the dark side of the Wranglers showed itself again, against a team determined to not get shown up by its rival.
The Wranglers took a team-record 15 minor penalties and spotted Bakersfield three first-period goals as they stumbled to a 3-1 loss before 7,503 at the Centennial Garden.
"I don't know if they (the officials) were trying to prevent something from happening," Wranglers defenseman Jason McBain said. "It was almost like a basketball game, you bump someone, you touch them, and you get a penalty."
Two of Bakersfield's goals came on power plays, and the Wranglers had to kill off three 5-on-3 penalties.
The last time the teams met at the Centennial Garden, four fights broke out over a short stretch during the third period, capped by Vegas goaltender Sebastien Centomo's short scrap with Bakersfield's netminder, Randy Petruk.
Las Vegas came into the game with a depleted roster. Even with Jason Spence playing after being jabbed in the eye Friday night against Victoria, and defenseman Ryan Gaucher returning from a brief stint in the AHL, the Wranglers had 14 position players to put on the ice.
Spence left the game midway through the third period after being hit in the foot with a shot, limping off the ice and falling on his tailbone as he approached the exit tunnel.
Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan was already on the team bus in foggy Bakersfield just minutes after Saturday's loss. He said help could be on the way.
"We may be getting an NHL player," Gulutzan said. "We're just starting to talk. I don't think we're very close yet."
Just one fight broke out Saturday, as Rosebush jawed at Centomo before Spence quickly came in and began fighting with the Condors' captain.
Las Vegas plays again Wednesday at San Diego.
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