Something Special

Something special is happening in Las Vegas.

The top team in the West. No Eric Lampe. 25-1.

Those were the facts.

The Western Conference’s top dog was in town two weeks ago, and with their leading goal scorer fastened tightly to the bench for the night, Las Vegas trudged into the locker room trailing Alaska 1-0 after the first period – a situation in which the Aces were 25-1 this season.

25-1.

Think about that. 26 times Alaska has taken a lead into the first intermission. And only once – one single, measly, accidental time – had they been upended in the latter periods. As a team, they had effectively cut a 60-minute hockey game into thirds – something most hockey teams only dream of.

It’s why baseball teams spend copious amounts of money on their bullpen, and why closers – a guy who’s sole responsibility it is to pitch one inning every three days – are household names. It’s to trim the game down. Cut a nine-inning game down to eight, seven innings if possible. Six, if you’re lucky and extremely talented.

Or three, if you’re the Alaska Aces.

One third – that’s the game plan for Alaska. Jump on top early, and then slam the jail doors down. Win the first 20 minutes – the first third of the game – and then the rest is history. Simple to understand, impossibly difficult to implement for everyone except for the Aces, that is – a team that’s as systematically sound as any you’ll ever see.

They won’t blow you away with offensive prowess. They won’t blow you up into the boards with physical defense. But they have a script written that they follow to the letter. A script that would make Steven Spielberg’s finest work look like a finger painting, and all it does is win, win and win some more. A system of gold. A system that won the Kelly Cup last season. And a system that right now has them atop the Western Conference once again.

So when the Wranglers made their way into the dressing room trailing 1-0 after the first period of Saturday night’s game, things didn’t exactly look bright and shiny. In fact, they looked “1 in 26” bleak.

As the two teams skated out of the locker rooms, Alaska’s system was fully fired up; a first goal lead in tact, the opponent on the ropes, and win number 26 hanging in the balance.

Then, a funny thing happened at Orleans Arena.

Adam Miller and the Wranglers decided that wasn’t okay with them – they decided they weren’t about to become victim #26 – and they threw a wrench into Alaska’s golden Willy-Wonka system of tubes and pulleys…and winning.

Four goals and 40 minutes of hockey later, Las Vegas had jumped up to a 4-2 lead with only seconds remaining on the clock. As those seconds ticked away and the Wranglers faithful stood to their feet, it was apparent to all 7,227 at the Orleans Arena – something special was happening here in Las Vegas.

Just being around the team, you can tell it – you can feel it. After this past weekend’s series of events, can’t you see it?

Something’s going on here with this group of guys. Sure, they want each other to do well, but more importantly, they want the team to do well. All before one – the way it should be. And it all starts at the top, with the coach.

Though he’s not on the ice, Ryan Mougenel deserves as much credit as anyone for this team’s success. It’s more than just Xs and Os on the white board. This guy breathes passion for this Wranglers team. He eats, sleeps, and lives it. And because of that, the team does, too.

Consider this past weekend’s series against Bakersfield. After suffering a heartbreaking shootout loss to the worst team in the Pacific Division, which was preceded by an obnoxious two-hour ice delay – the Wranglers had suffered their third straight defeat, one that ended after the clock struck midnight. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, their next game was in 12 hours, in another state, against the hottest team in the ECHL.

That’s right – waiting for the Wranglers in Las Vegas for a Sunday afternoon matinee was an Ontario Reign squad that had won eight of their last nine games, and stood only a short five points behind the Wranglers in the Pacific. Perfect. Definitely one of those games you don’t mind heading into with only four hours of rest under your belt.

The Wranglers’ response? Oh, you know, just your run of the mill “down 2-0, comeback, overtime win, on virtually no rest, against a team that had only lost once in their last nine games.”

You know – the usual. For these guys anyway…

Look – we like to make the game of hockey as simple as possible at times. Sports writers and announcers will do that every now and then (sue me). But the truth is, it’s more than just offense + defense + goaltending = winning. It’s more than just a system. It’s more than that.

It’s a team – a group of guys working towards one goal; a group of guys with one heartbeat. A group of guys playing for something more than themselves, more than each other, for an entire fan base. For an entire city.

And that’s a very tough thing to play against.

Just ask the Colorado Eagles, who were swept out of their own building a few weeks ago by Las Vegas. Or the Alaska Aces, who came to Las Vegas leading the West, only to be sent home with their tails between their legs. Or better yet, ask the Ontario Reign and the 17 other victims that have been sent home from the City of Lights as losers – compared to just the five that have found victory here at the Orleans.

The fans here in Las Vegas have known for a while now that this team is capable of something great. They know it, I know it, the team knows it – and after sending the reigning champs home squealing, the rest of the league is starting to notice it, too.

Things are a long way from being set. A long way. Don’t forget that – we know Mougenel won’t let the boys forget it.

But if this team plays to its capability – plays the way we’ve seen possible the past few months – then it might be hard to avoid the city of Las Vegas on the road to a Kelly Cup.

Wait a minute – huh? Sounds kind of strange, doesn’t it? The road to a Cup, coming through Las Vegas… the desert.

Yeah – almost as strange as the Aces losing a game when leading after the first period. Or slapping a team that had won eight of their last nine, while you’re running on nothing but Five Hour Energy and caffeine.

Who knows. Maybe Miller and the boys will throw a wrench into that one, too.