Wranglers recover to best Idaho in OT

By Ed Hauth

Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011 | 11:42 p.m.

The Wranglers (6-4-1-1) fought back from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime and came away victorious with a 1-0 shootout win over Idaho Tuesday at the Orleans Arena.

“This could be a good identifying moment for this hockey team,” Wranglers head coach Ryan Mougenel said. “We gave up two kind of cheesy goals, but we responded the right way, which I’ve learned as a coach is the most important thing. The guys played extremely well after that.”

After a scoreless first period, the Steelheads scored two goals in a 19-second span early in the second period to take a 2-0 advantage.

Idaho forward David Fredriksson scored a power-play goal at the 3:08 mark of the second period to get the Steelheads on the scoreboard.

Fredriksson received a centering pass from Kael Mouillierat and fired a slap shot into the back of the net for the opening goal.

Fredriksson scored his second point 19 seconds later as he assisted forward Derek LeBlanc for a goal at the 3:27 mark of the second period following a Wranglers’ turnover in their own zone.

The Wranglers cut their deficit in half on an Adam Miller power-play goal with 3:54 left in the second period. Miller handled a loose puck in the air with his stick and banged it past Idaho goaltender Jerry Kuhn for the goal.

Las Vegas forward Eric Lampe tied the game at two goals apiece with 5:41 left in the third period with assists from Peter MacArthur and Judd Blackwater.

Lampe leads the ECHL with 13 goals and 17 points in 12 games. Blackwater is tied for third in the ECHL in scoring with 15 points on six goals and nine assists.

“It was a big win for us,” Lampe said. “It was a big character builder for us. We dug deep and found a way to win. It’s what good teams do. They come close together as a team and get wins like this. It feels good for us.”

After a scoreless overtime, Las Vegas forward Chris Francis was able to score on the Wranglers’ first shot of the shootout.

Las Vegas goaltender Joe Fallon stopped all five of Idaho’s shots in the shootout to secure the victory.

“It feels really good,” Francis said. “We battled hard during the third period to tie the game up. It was a good team effort. Fallon did really well in the shootout and we got one. So that’s all we needed.”

Stars of the game: 1. Chris Francis (Shootout goal, 1 assist); 2.Eric Lampe (Game-tying goal); 3. Judd Blackwater (2 assists); 4.Joe Fallon (25 saves in regulation, 5 saves in the shootout).

Military Appreciation: The Wranglers will celebrate Military Appreciation Weekend on Saturday and Sunday with free admission for active and retired military and their families. The Wranglers will also play each game dressed in military-themed camouflage jerseys.

Fill the Mayflower: The “Fill the Mayflower” food drive which benefits Three Square Food Bank is taking place this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and cash donations to help fill the Mayflower moving truck to capacity. The Mayflower truck will be located at the southeast entrance of the Orleans Arena with hours of donation from 3 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Next up: The Wranglers return to the ice on Saturday as they host the Stockton Thunder at the Orleans Arena with the puck being dropped at 7:05 p.m. Stockton (3-3-0-2) currently resides in fourth place in the Pacific Division.

Final word: “I honestly don’t think we win that game without Adam Huxley in the lineup,” Mougenel said of the recently acquired forward. “I think he brings another dynamic to our team. I think he is a great leader. I think he is a great teammate. I’m very excited to have Adam Huxley with us and part of us for what’s going to be a long journey hopefully.”