Wranglers Can't Stop Steelheads, 8-5

Published on January 24, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Las Vegas Wranglers News Release


Boise, ID - The Las Vegas Wranglers© (17-20-4, 38 Points) were defeated by the Idaho Steelheads (27-11-2, 56 Points) 8-5 in front of 3,026 fans Sunday night at the Qwest Arena. Forwards Tyler Spurgeon and Evan Barlow led the way for Idaho with three goals each. Forwards Michael Olson and Mark McCutcheon also scored for the Steelheads, who improve to 14-7-1 at home this season. Idaho goalie Rejean Beauchemin made 12 saves in the win. Forwards Jeff Hazelwood, Alex Bourret, Matt Kang, Shay Stephenson, and Adam Miller all tallied for Las Vegas in the loss. Wranglers goalie Michael Ouzas made 37 saves to move to 14-16-3 this season. The Wranglers will head to Utah to take on the Grizzlies Friday, January 29th at 6:05 p.m. at The E-Center.

The Steelheads opened the scoring just 2:38 in with a shorthanded goal from forward Tyler Spurgeon. Forward Michael Olson set up Spurgeon's sixth goal of the season to give Idaho the 1-0 lead. Idaho padded the lead at 8:33 with a goal from All-Star MVP Evan Barlow on the power-play. Barlow's 16th goal of the year gave Idaho a 2-0 first period lead. At 10:11 the Wranglers nipped into the Idaho lead with a tally from rookie Jeff Hazelwood. Forwards Chris Neiszner and Kyle Hagel set up Hazelwood's fifth goal of the season to cut the Idaho score to 2-1. Las Vegas pulled even with 2:21 remaining in the opening frame, with a goal from right wing Alex Bourret. Forward Shay Stephenson set up Bourret's fourth goal of the season to tie the game at 2-2. The Wranglers kept on the pressure and took their first lead of the game with a goal from Matt Kang. Kang notched his fourth goal of the season with just 51-seconds remaining in the first period to give Las Vegas the 3-2 lead through one period.

In the second period, the Steelheads pulled even with Spurgeon's second goal of the game just 1:49 in. The Steelheads regained the lead at 4-3 with Barlow's second goal of the game at 13:01. Las Vegas answered back with a goal from Shay Stephenson at 14:46 to tie the game at 4-4. Just 13-seconds later the Wranglers took a 5-4 lead with a goal from center Adam Miller. The Steelheads pulled even with Michael Olson's second goal of the season at 17:45, to tie the game at 5-5 after two periods.

Idaho took a 6-5 lead 2:08 into the final frame with a goal from forward Mark McCutcheon. The Steelheads kept the pressure up with Tyler Spurgeon's hat-trick goal at 6:59 of the third period. Barlow and forward Mark Derlago set up Spurgeon's third goal of the night for the 7-5 Idaho lead. With just one second remaining, Barlow netted his third goal of the night to cap off the 8-5 Steelheads victory.

The Las Vegas Wranglers© are the ECHL affiliate to the National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes and the American Hockey League's San Antonio Rampage. Follow the Wranglers on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WranglersLV.

Pro rated 2009-10 season seat packages are on sale now at (702) 471-PUCK. The Wranglers play all 36 regular season home games at the Orleans Arena, located at the Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue. Individual game tickets are on sale now at (702) 284-7777.

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ECHL Stories from January 24, 2010


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