Storms KO two opponents

Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005 | 7:04 a.m.

Let's just say it was a heck of a power play that not even the old Edmonton Oilers could have neutralized.

The devastation wrought by hurricanes Katrina and Rita has reduced the number of Las Vegas Wranglers' ECHL competitors by two as the Mississippi Sea Wolves and Texas Wildcatters have been granted one-year suspensions to regroup, rebuild and hopefully, recover.

The Sea Wolves are based in Biloxi. Their home arena, Mississippi Coast Coliseum, was virtually destroyed by Katrina. The Wildcatters play in Beaumont on Texas' Gulf Coast, which took a direct hit from Rita.

Ford Arena, the hockey team's home, survived the storm but is being used as a staging area for the Beaumont-area relief effort.

While franchises in minor league sports come and go for various reasons, Wranglers President Billy Johnson said he couldn't recall two literally being blown away.

Johnson said Sea Wolves officials have contacted him about rebuilding the Mississippi franchise from scratch, which is basically what the Wranglers did two years ago when they joined the ECHL as an expansion team.

Many of the Mississippi team principals, season-ticket holders and fans lost homes in the hurricane.

"What's really sad is that the teams in those cities were like social clubs. They were the community green," Johnson said.

The Wranglers will hold a Red Cross night at the Orleans Arena Nov. 4 against the Phoenix Roadrunners. The Wranglers will donate $5 of every ticket sold to the relief effort, he said.

That game was added to the schedule as a result of Texas suspending operations. In addition, the Wranglers will open the season in Florida against the Everblades, basically because they were the only team available to travel at short notice.