McKenna glad to be back home

Thursday, March 23, 2006 | 7:24 a.m.

Reserve goalie Mike McKenna seems to have missed the Wranglers more than he'll miss the extra per diem - of about $20, to a bit more than $50 - in the American Hockey League.

"I missed the guys here and missed being able to play," he said. "It's a win-win situation, to be around friends and people I'd been around all season."

McKenna, a rookie from St. Louis, beat the Alaska Aces on Saturday at the Orleans Arena to improve to 4-0 since he returned from the Norfolk Admirals earlier this month. It also seems nobody has been happier to see McKenna than regular goalie Marc Magliarditi.

"He indicated that," McKenna said with a smile. "He'd had plenty of work. For him playing 18 straight, he was happy to get a little bit of a break."

On Jan. 20, McKenna won in San Diego. The Wranglers returned to Las Vegas at 4 a.m. on Jan. 21, and coach and general manager Glen Gulutzan rang McKenna at 8 a.m. to tell him of his call-up to Norfolk.

At 2 p.m., McKenna boarded a flight from Las Vegas to Philadelphia and signed a 25-game contract shortly after arriving at 11 p.m. He was told at 3 p.m. Jan. 22 that he'd be starting against the Phantoms that night.

He led Norfolk to a 4-3 shootout victory.

"And it was against Jamie Storr, who played in the NHL for eight or nine years," McKenna said. "An incredible experience. It happened so quickly."

Aces (fans) are wild

Matt Lund flew south with scores of faithful Aces fans to watch the three-game series in Las Vegas that ended Tuesday with the Wranglers winning the final two games.

Many brought miniature cow bells, more like dinner bells, to ring every time the Aces did something well. That group was loudly booed Tuesday when introduced by the Orleans Arena public address announcer.

Lund, 32, works in the computer industry in Anchorage and said as many as 150 from Alaska attended the Friday and Saturday games. He said about half missed Tuesday's game because of work.

Baked Alaska

Wranglers defenseman and captain Mike McBain said a game is just a game and a series is just a series - unless Alaska is the opponent.

Las Vegas (48-11-6, 102 points) pulled to within a point of the Aces (49-10-5, 103) in the West Division with a 6-1 win Tuesday.

"We looked at it like it was a playoff series for us," McBain said. "The more we could wear them down in those first and second games, the easier it would be for us in the third game. I think that showed."

Slap shots

Peter Laviolette (Carolina), Bruce Cassidy (Washington) and Dave Allison (Ottawa) are the others. Moreover, the next ECHL player to make an NHL roster will be the 300th.

An annual "Guns N Hoses" charity game, pitting police officers against firefighters, is scheduled April 8, before the Wranglers' game against Phoenix. For more information about both events, call 471-7825 .