Stephen Sylvanie / Special to the Sun
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011 | 11:49 p.m.
Expanded coverage
Las Vegas forward Eric Lampe scored a power-play goal with 42 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Wranglers a 3-2 victory over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday at the Orleans Arena.
The Wranglers (2-1-0-1) earned a four-point weekend with the win over Ontario on Friday night in their home-opener.
“It’s a big weekend for us. It gives us good confidence going here on out,” Lampe said. “Especially winning at home. This is our barn and we just want to take care of it.”
Bakersfield defenseman Matt Campanale picked up a roughing penalty at the 4:16 mark of overtime to give the Wranglers the power play opportunity.
After a Las Vegas timeout, the Wranglers quickly took advantage of the power play as Lampe fired a shot through the legs of Bakersfield goaltender Bryan Pitton for the game-winner three seconds later.
For the second consecutive night, Lampe started the scoring for the Wranglers as he scored a short-handed goal at the 17:12 mark of the first period to hand Las Vegas a 1-0 advantage. Lampe was assisted by Mike Madill and Peter MacArthur.
“He’s a pretty special player,” Wranglers head coach Ryan Mougenel said of Lampe. “He’s got an extra gear that allows him to create some offensive gap for himself. He made the most of his opportunities. He’s a good offensive player and I thought he played real well tonight.”
Bakersfield tied the game at a goal apiece before Wranglers forward Adam Miller scored his first goal of the season in the second period to retake the lead.
Campanale tied the game for Bakersfield with a goal at the 10:09 mark of the second period.
A scoreless third period kept the game tied at 2, which forced Las Vegas’ second overtime game of the season.
Stars of the game: 1. Eric Lampe (2 goals); 2. Mitch O’Keefe (32 saves); 3. Mike Madill (2 assists).
Off the post: Bakersfield left wing Matt Marquardt fired a slap shot off the left goal post with 1:25 remaining in regulation to keep the score tied at 2. Lampe scored the game-winner less than six minutes later in overtime.
Lampe’s leadership: With two goals Saturday, Lampe leads the team with four on the season and is averaging a goal per contest.
Next up: The Wranglers return to action Tuesday as they host the Utah Grizzlies at 7:05 p.m. at the Orleans Arena for the third game of a five-game home stand, which concludes on Friday.
Final word: “He made some huge stops,” Mougenel said of O’Keefe. “He made a real good one with three minutes left on a blown assignment in the defensive zone. He made a great save to keep us in it. He made some real special saves. He’s going to be real good for us down the stretch.”
The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation’s leading mid-sized arenas, and was recently ranked No. 1 in the United States and No. 5 internationally among venues of similar size by Venues Today Magazine.
The Arena hosts more than 200 events each year, including concerts by top names like Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Van Halen, Brooks & Dunn, Black Eyed Peas, Akon and Rihanna; family favorites like The Harlem Globetrotters and Circus Spectacular; and a wide variety of sporting events, including NCAA basketball tournaments, the West Coast Conference and Western Athletic Conference Basketball Championships, mixed martial arts with Superior Cage Combat, and major motorsports events.
The arena serves as home to the Las Vegas Wranglers professional ECHL hockey team, the Las Vegas Legends professional indoor soccer team, and the Lingerie Football League’s Las Vegas Sin. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orleansarena) and on Twitter (@orleansarena).
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