TAKE FIVE: LAS VEGAS WRANGLERS

Friday, Nov. 24, 2006 | 7:05 a.m.

What: Las Vegas Wranglers vs. Bakersfield Condors

When: 5:05 p.m. Sunday

Where: Orleans Arena

Tickets: $12.50-$36.50; lasvegaswranglers.com

Playing away from the Orleans Arena hasn't been much of a challenge for the Wranglers. After all, they did win 12 in a row on the road last season.

So Las Vegas coach and general manager Glen Gulutzan saw his team's recent sweep of a three-game series in Alaska coming, right?

"Oh no, you never see that coming," he said. "That was, for us, a pretty big deal."

Gulutzan said it was "by far" the most successful series in one city in the team's four-year history, and Las Vegas left the Great White North with an ECHL-best 21 points (7-1-7). The hottest team in the league returns to the Orleans Arena on Sunday to play Bakersfield.

Alaska hadn't lost three in a row at home since January 2003.

Although both teams have experienced some turnover and they're now in different divisions, they were the top two teams in the ECHL last season. The Aces ousted the Wranglers in the second round of the Kelly Cup playoffs, clinching it with a Game 6 victory in triple overtime at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

That Las Vegas went to Alaska this time without the services of seven regulars - including captain Mike McBain, a defenseman sidelined by broken ribs and other nicks - gave Gulutzan further cause for concern.

Then the Wranglers jumped on the Aces, scoring 16 seconds into the first game. Alaska held a lead for only 11 minutes in the three-game series, between the first and second periods of the third game. Then Las Vegas slapped in the next four to secure the sweep.

Gulutzan said "spirits were soaring" during the team's five-hour direct flight home Monday.

1. A ringing endorsement

Alaska curiously conducted its ring ceremony before the Nov. 16 opener against Las Vegas. The jewelry supposedly arrived the previous day and management wanted to dole it out as quickly as possible. To say the least, veteran Wranglers were ticked. At first, Gulutzan downplayed the "bling" significance.

"We thought about it, obviously," he said when pressed. "But it's been a while... We've got a new team, and we're worried about this team. Those things fade quickly."

2. Quick start

The fired-up Wranglers started hot and stayed that way. In the opener, they needed only 16 seconds to get on the scoreboard, when center Tyler Mosienko passed to a wide-open Marco Peluso in front of the net. Peluso then zipped the puck by Alaska goalie Derek Gustafson's glove for the early lead. Mosienko, 22, extended his scoring streak to six games in the series.

3. Big ice

Forward Aki Seitsonen obviously relished playing on the big ice at Sullivan Arena, the only Olympic-size rink in the ECHL. Seitsonen, 20, was reared on the large rinks in his native Finland. Seitsonen drove the Aces crazy with three goals and three assists in the series. Gulutzan has a gem of a first line in Peluso, Mosienko and Seitsonen.

4. The stopper

Mike McKenna has been sterling in his first season as the Wranglers' starting goalkeeper. He made 20 saves in earning his second career shutout in a 4-0 victory in the opener. In a 5-3 victory the afternoon of Nov. 18, he turned away 37 shots by the Aces. He stoned Alaska in the second and third periods of Sunday's finale and was named ECHL goalie of the week.

5. Powerful play

When the series started, Alaska led the league by killing 89.7 percent of its penalties. Las Vegas obliterated that figure, scoring on seven of 23 power-play advantages. That dropped the Aces to ninth in the 25-team league in penalty killing, at 85.2 percent.

THE GREAT WHITE SWEEP

The scores in Anchorage

Nov. 16: Las Vegas 4, Alaska 0

Nov. 18: Las Vegas 5, Alaska 3

Nov. 19: Las Vegas 4, Alaska 1