HOCKEY:

A little jail house fun

Wranglers to host Gov. Rod Blagojevich prison uniform night

Published Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008 | 3:27 p.m.

Updated Friday, Dec. 12, 2008 | 12:36 p.m.

More on the Wranglers

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Dec. 9 -- Wranglers freeze Fresno with scoring flurry
Dec. 3 -- Wranglers squander early lead
Dec. 2 -- Fresno blanks worn out Wranglers
Dec. 1 -- Wranglers shut out first-place Fresno
Nov. 30 -- Wranglers return home on high note
Nov. 23 -- Road weary Wranglers fall in Utah

The publicity machine at the Las Vegas Wranglers has done it again.

The ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames will don prison-style uniforms to pay tribute to recently disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on Jan. 30 against the Bakersfield Condors.

The Wranglers' uniforms will feature broad, horizontal black and white stripes with mock prison numbers on the back of each jersey that begin with "ILLGOV" followed by the players' actual number.

Following the game, the Las Vegas players will autograph their uniforms and auction them to the public to support the team's various charities.

"Over the years we've asked our players to not look so tough for a cause," said Wranglers president Billy Johnson in a team press release. "Once they had a lot of chirping from opposing players when we've dressed them in pink for cancer research. We owe them a game of looking a little sketchy. G-Rod helps us with that."

The Wranglers will also auction off a chance to sit at ice level between the two benches for that Friday night contest at the Orleans Arena.

Earlier this season, the Wranglers grew mustaches and wore light blue helmets to auction for prostate cancer research. In 2006, the team attracted national attention by hosting Dick Cheney Hunting Vest Night to mock the vice president's aiming skills while hunting.

The Wranglers (9-11-2) travel to Bakersfield on Saturday before returning to Las Vegas on Monday for the annual "Midnight Game" as the squad squares off against the Ontario Reign at 11:59 p.m. at the Orleans Arena.

Steve Silver can be reached at 948-7822 or steve.silver@lasvegassun.com.