The Las Vegas Wranglers enjoyed the most successful season in the team’s three-year existence in 2005 - 06. The Wranglers rattled off the third best record in ECHL history by posting a 53-13-6 record, good enough for 112 points and the second best record in the ECHL in 2005-06. Las Vegas set over 60 new team records in 2005-06, including tying an ECHL mark for consecutive road wins. The Wranglers saw a jump in attendance at the gate with over 199,000 fans hitting the turnstiles at the Orleans Arena. The Valley embraced the team, and for the third consecutive season, the Review-Journal selected the Wranglers as the Best Sports Team in Town. The 2005-06 Wranglers lassoed the hearts of Las Vegas and built a following for a much anticipated 2006-07 season.
The Wranglers started the season 6-1-1 before heading to Alaska for a three-game series that would transform the team into one of the league’s best. After falling in three straight to the Aces, the Wranglers went an unprecendented 20 games (18-0-2) without a loss in regulation. Over that span Las Vegas moved into first place in the West Division and tied the ECHL record with ten straight wins on the road. The 20-game unbeaten streak started on November 22nd and lasted until December 31st. The run marked one of the best in ECHL history and easily became the best unbeaten streak Las Vegas had seen in the team’s three-year stint.
With all their success, the Wranglers were starting to receive some league-wide honors. Las Vegas Head Coach / General Manager Glen Gulutzan was selected to coach the 2006 Bud Light ECHL All-Star Game in Fresno. Rookie goalie Mike McKenna and rookie defenseman Tim Hambly were both selected to play in the game, but were eventually replaced due to American Hockey League callups. Rookie winger Marco Peluso and veteran goalie Marc Magliarditi were both chosen as replacements for the mid-season classic. Magliarditi stole the show in the skills competition, taking home the Outstanding Goaltender Award.
Throughout the season, Las Vegas remained in a heated race for the best record in the league with the Alaska Aces. The Wranglers faced the Aces at the Orleans Arena on February 7th, the first meeting since their November clash in Anchorage. The Wranglers proved to be a true contender, handing the Aces their worst defeat of the season at 7-1. The race continued throughout the season with Las Vegas taking two out of the next three meetings between the two clubs. Alaska edged Las Vegas by one point for the ECHL’s best record and the West Division title. The two teams would meet again in the playoffs, after the Wranglers made first round history.
Prior to the start of 2006 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Wranglers Head Coach Glen Gulutzan was honored with the John Brophy Trophy, awarded to the ECHL’s Coach of the Year. Gulutzan guided the Wranglers to a 42-point turnaround from the 2004-05 season. Goalie Marc Magliarditi also took home an award, as he was named to the All-ECHL Second Team and finished third in votes for the league MVP.
The Wranglers found themselves in a familiar position as they started the 2006 Kelly Cup Playoffs. As in 2004, the Wranglers and Idaho Steelheads met as the #2 and #3 seeds in the first round of the playoffs. Game 1 was an amazing goaltenders duel as Magliarditi and Matt Yeats posted shutouts deep into a second overtime. Tyler Kindle gave the Steelheads the win scoring a shorthanded goal with just under seven minutes to play in the second overtime. The game was the longest scoreless playoff contest in ECHL history. After falling in Game 2 at the Orleans Arena, the Wranglers won Game 3 in overtime at Qwest Arena to cut the Idaho series lead to 2-1. The Steelheads pushed the Wranglers to the brink of elimination with a 4-2 victory in Game 4. Las Vegas did not quit, the Wranglers responded with a vengeance, winning the final three games of the series by a combined score of 17-4. By winning the final three games of the series, Las Vegas became only the second team in ECHL history to comeback to win a seven-game series after trailing a series 3-1. It also marked the first time in league history that it occurred in a first round match-up. With the Game 7 win, Las Vegas won their first playoff series in team history.
After eliminating Idaho, Las Vegas would face Alaska, taking on the Aces in Anchorage. The Wranglers surprised Alaska by taking Game 1 with a 5-0 victory. Game 2 was much closer and ended with Alaska’s Olivier Filion scoring the game-winning goal in overtime, sending the series to Las Vegas tied at one game a side. With the home crowd behind them, the Wranglers dismantled the Aces by a tune of 6-2 in Game 3. The Aces found themselves looking for help and they got it from the AHL. The Providence Bruins assigned All-Star defenseman Ryan Gaucher and the Peoria Rivermen sent the Aces goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu. The two AHL-caliber players lifted the Aces to a 4-0 shutout win in Game 4, tying the series at two games a piece. The Aces continued to carry the momentum with a 3-1 Game 5 victory at the Orleans Arena. Alaska took the 3-2 series lead back to Sullivan Arena with hopes of ending the Wranglers season. Despite a valiant effort, the Wranglers lost Game 6 in triple overtime by a score of 4-3. Aces forward Cam Keith scored the series-clinching goal with only 6:30 left in the third overtime. The game lasted 113:30, ending as the third longest game in ECHL history.
With all their success on the ice, the Wranglers enjoyed their best season at the box office. The team set three new attendance records, including the highest total attendance in team history at 199,131, which beat the previous high by 12,161 set in 2004-05. The team raised their average from 5,193 per game in 2004-05 to 5,531 in 2005-06. The team also welcomed their biggest playoff crowd in team history, as 6,873 witnessed Game 4 of the West Division Finals.
Now the 2005-06 season is in the record books and the Las Vegas Wranglers plan to build on their great success. The stage is set for plenty of great hockey at the Orleans Arena this coming October.
