Friday, April 20, 2007 | 7:23 a.m.
Round One: Las Vegas Wranglers vs. Phoenix Road Runners
Game 1: Las Vegas 5, Phoenix 1
Game 2: Las Vegas 3, Phoenix 2
Game 3: Las Vegas 5, Phoenix 4, OT
Game 4: Las Vegas 3, Phoenix 2
Round Two: Las Vegas vs. Idaho Steelheads or Fresno Falcons
Game 1: at Las Vegas
Game 2: at Las Vegas
Game 3: Las Vegas at
Game 4: Las Vegas at
Tickets: $12.50-$36.75 for adults, $7.50-$10.50 for kids; 471-7825, www.lasvegaswranglers.com, www.orleansarena.com
Mike McKenna admits he's a much different goaltender than he was a year ago, when he split two playoff starts for the Las Vegas Wranglers.
The improvement has nothing to do with reaction time, how he handles his stick or the way he maneuvers between the pipes.
It's about the space between his ears.
"I was nervous," McKenna says of his first playoff experiences, an overtime victory and then a defeat in a game he didn't finish at Idaho. "No way around it. I was real nervous. This season, I feel like every weight's off my back."
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound native of St. Louis stoned Phoenix in a 5-1 victory in Game 1 of the National Conference quarterfinals, and he followed that with a 3-2 win in Game 2.
"Having those experiences and drawing on them gives you confidence," McKenna says. "I went into this season knowing I can play at this level, and play well, whereas in the past it was a question mark. You didn't know."
1. Shooting for 18
Las Vegas has won an ECHL-record 17 consecutive games, but no Wrangler has been dwelling on that figure. "We're definitely riding a wave of confidence that other teams see more than us, sometimes," McKenna says. "We find ways to win games ... we just expect to win."
2. R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Phoenix finished the regular season at 27-40-5. After a decisive Game 1, though, the Wranglers eked out three one-goal victories. Slim reality checks, McKenna called them. "You definitely learn to respect every team out there," he says. "Phoenix had a losing record, but they gave us a true test. Playoffs change everything. It's a new season."
3. Quick understudy
McKenna, 24, was stout during the season, posting a 27-4-7 record in his first full season as a starter. As a rookie in 2005-06, he went 19-2-1 while serving as Marc Magliarditi's understudy. "Mac" learned plenty from "Mags" as he led the ECHL this past season with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. He is the first player to win the league's Rbk Goaltender of the Week award four times in a season.
4. Gotta play
He spent time with Milwaukee and Omaha in the American Hockey League, the level between the NHL and ECHL, this season, but he didn't even play two full games. "For sure, it's good to be at that level," he says. "Then again, you need to be playing games, too. At this level, I do. I wouldn't want to be in the AHL all season and play only four games."
5. Sidelined
Wranglers reserve goalie Kevin Nastiuk played, and won, Games 3 and 4 against Phoenix as McKenna sat out with an undisclosed ailment. "I'll be fine," he says. "I'm OK." Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said McKenna's injury is minor and he would be fine, with rest, through the end of this week. Expect McKenna to play all of the National Conference semifinals.
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