Wranglers’ rally ruined in OT
In the end, the team that deserved to win did, but it wasn’t the Wranglers, despite their furious comeback from a 4-1 deficit as regulation dwindled.
Aside from the final six minutes of the third period, Fresno outplayed Las Vegas on Friday and gained a 5-4 overtime victory on Oren Eizenman’s second goal of the game.
After the Wranglers scored three goals in the final 5:59 of regulation, Eizenman rewarded the Falcons’ better overall effort 1:35 into overtime, beating Las Vegas goalie Kevin Lalande (31 saves) from the slot.
“We got outcompeted on that last goal. We were outbattled and outskated 70 percent of the time tonight,” coach Glen Gulutzan said, reciting a list of things that have gone wrong during a 2-3-2 stretch that has dropped the Wranglers’ record to 25-5-5.
“We just gave up an extra point to a really good team and we didn’t seem too disheartened by that. I know this team’s not focused on hockey right now. They’re focused on getting through the next two months and the only thing they’re looking forward to is their days off.
“We’ve got to get back to playing hockey here and that’s the bottom line in this dressing room.”
Adam Cracknell scored the tying goal with 16 seconds left in regulation as Las Vegas, having pulled Lalande for a 6-on-4 advantage, snapped a 2-for-35 skid on the power play.
With 20 seconds left, Chris Ferraro managed to keep the puck in the Fresno zone off a faceoff. Shawn Limpright came up with the puck as it trickled toward the slot from the left circle and he dropped it to Cracknell, who managed to squeeze a shot inside the far post to tie it 4-4.
“I just whacked it and it crossed the line, but to be put in that position, we shouldn’t be doing that now,” Cracknell said. “Down 4-1 is always a good comeback if you’re playing well, but we weren’t in the game most of the game anyway.”
The Falcons (16-9-4), 13 points behind Las Vegas and second in the Pacific Division, scored two third-period goals for a 4-1 lead with 8:19 left before the lumbering Wranglers seemed to finally awaken.
Jason Krischuck keyed Las Vegas’ rally, streaking in from center ice and firing a shot past Fresno goalie Jake Moreland (27 saves) with 5:59 left.
The Wranglers, losers in regulation in three of their previous five games, pulled within a goal 46 seconds later when Josh Sciba lifted a rebound into the net after a scrum in front of the net.
After Cracknell’s goal forced overtime, Fresno wasted little time quieting the crowd of 4,606 in the extra session.
Gulutzan said his team’s goaltending, among other facets, has been “average” over the last five or six games.
“They’re only playing when they want to play,” Gulutzan said. “There’s been a little bit of complacency here and I’m guilty of it, too. When you’re winning, sometimes you put it on cruise control instead of pushing on the gas. Now we’re going to push on the gas.”
The Wranglers will get their first chance when the teams meet again at 7:05 p.m. today at the Orleans Arena.