Wranglers eke out short-handed win

The Wranglers have specialized in wins of that nature, though, for most of this season, and Friday night’s 2-1 triumph over defending ECHL champion Idaho — their 11th consecutive victory — was no different.

Through a combination of injuries, illnesses and American Hockey League call-ups, Las Vegas dressed only 14 position players for the game, including veteran defenseman Mike McBain, who suited up for the first time this season after serving as an assistant coach.

The Wranglers quickly were down to 13 position players when rookie center Justin Donati left the game after aggravating an upper body injury early in the first period. But it didn’t stop them from pulling out the win in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 6,385 at the Orleans Arena.

Peter Ferraro scored two goals in the third period, including the game winner with 2:15 left. Las Vegas (15-2) erased an early 1-0 deficit to the Steelheads (6-6-6), who are still searching for their first win on the road, where they’re 0-5-2.

They’ll get another chance at 7:05 tonight when the Wranglers wrap up their six-game homestand.

“That was a gutsy effort, with 13 guys, to come (from behind) and score two goals,” Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan said. “The fans tonight got a great, great hockey game.”

Idaho, limited to 20 shots by Las Vegas, which fired 32 on net, scored on its first attempt of the night 1:37 into the game but was held scoreless the rest of the way.

Wranglers left wing Ryan Donally was whistled for hooking four seconds into the game, and Mike Sullivan made him pay, backhanding a rebound of a shot by Taggart Desmet past Las Vegas goalie Kevin Lalande, who improved to 4-0 at home.

The Steelheads, who entered with the top power play in the league (23.9 percent), finished 1-for-5 with the man advantage and are 1-for-12 in their last two games here.

The Wranglers came up empty on their first three power plays, including two spanning the first four minutes of the third period but finally converted at the 6:55 mark to tie the score 1-1.

Defenseman Mike Madill fired a perfect pass across the slot to set up Ferraro, who blasted a one-timer past Idaho goalie Steve Silverthorn, with the sound of the puck clanging off the post resounding through the arena.

Bruce Mulherin and Ryan Donally helped set up the game winner, passing it back and forth in the left corner before Donally flicked the puck on net from the boards. Ferraro went to the front of the net and redirected it in for his 300th career goal.

“I was lucky enough to get a stick on it,” he said.

Chris Ferraro missed the game with the flu, and defensemen Jason Jozsa and Gerry Burke were called up to the AHL’s Quad City Flames before the game.

“It just doesn’t seem to faze our guys. They just step up to the plate every night,” Peter Ferraro said of playing short-handed. “Through any adversity, we seem to rise to the occasion. The guys are very mentally strong on this team, and they continue to impress me every single day.”