Wranglers staying up late

2318295

The band Mini Kiss was well received by Wranglers fans at the team’s annual Midnight Holiday Roundup two years ago, but it still got the proverbial kiss goodbye in favor of a Billy Idol impersonator last season.

The crowd booed the imposter, er impersonator, out of the Orleans Arena.

After last year’s "performance," the only entertainers scheduled for Las Vegas’ fifth midnight game, slated to start at 11:59 p.m. today, are the ECHL’s Phoenix Coyotes and Wranglers — believed to be the first professional sports franchise to host a midnight game.

"We feel we’ll probably get a better return on our money if the event stands on its own," team president Billy Johnson said. "The atmosphere sort of feeds itself."

In past editions of the contest, the lively crowd has included people decked out in everything from pajamas and slippers to Santa suits. Revealing shots of fans also have been shown on the arena’s jumbotron.

"It’s a fun game all-around for both teams," said Wranglers forward Shawn Limpright, who will play in his third midnight game. "The crowd gets crazier than usual and it’s a good atmosphere."

Johnson, a Kentucky native, took the concept for the game from the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team’s annual "Midnight Madness" practice, which regularly attracts more than 23,000 fans to Rupp Arena.

"I don’t necessarily think we re-create the excitement, just the uniqueness of it," said Johnson, who also said Kentucky’s club hockey team used to play at midnight as well, due to lack of available ice time.

The Wranglers averaged more than 5,000 fans for their first four midnight games, attracting a mix of casino workers and late-night revelers.

"It has a cult popularity," Johnson said. "It’s not anything that’s going to sell out, but there is a market that really looks forward to going out at midnight and making a night out of it.

"The one element we didn’t expect was the number of families we get here. We thought, being in Vegas, that we’d get a lot more party-goers, but it’s been an interesting mix that has created a very unique atmosphere."

Besides offering its fans something different — the midnight game is one of the team’s most popular promotions, along with mullet night and Dick Cheney hunting vest night — Johnson said it also was born out of necessity.

"(The crowd’s) going to be better than if we played at 7 (p.m.) on a Tuesday, from a financial standpoint, being close to the holidays," he said.

The Wranglers lost 5-1 to Bakersfield last year to fall to 2-1-1 in midnight games.

The first three went to overtime or a shootout, with Las Vegas beating Bakersfield 3-2 in 2003 in overtime; the Wranglers falling to Fresno 5-4 in a shootout in 2004; and Las Vegas beating Long Beach 5-4 in a shootout in 2005.

The Wranglers enter the night on a 17-game unbeaten run in regulation (15-0-2) and are 19-2-2 overall after a wild 7-5 win at Utah on Saturday in which Chris Ferraro tied a franchise record with five points (two goals, three assists) and surpassed 600 career points (604).

Las Vegas got several days off after past midnight games for an extended holiday break, but will travel Tuesday afternoon to Idaho to play three games in four nights, starting Wednesday.

Still, players such as rookie Tyson Strachan are looking forward to playing in their first midnight game.

"I’m excited about it personally," he said. "I think it will be a lot of fun. I hope the crowd is a little crazier."

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0354.