The Las Vegas Wranglers collected their second 3-0 shutout of the Stockton Thunder tonight on 32 saves from goaltender Joe Fallon and a two-goal night from forward Andrew Sarauer. Las Vegas now holds a 3-2 series lead over Stockton in the best-of-seven Western Conference Quarterfinals (Wranglers goaltender Joe Fallon stops Thunder right wing Matt Reber in the 3-0 shutout – Photo credit: IIA Photography).
Scoring kicked off late in the first as Sarauer posted the game’s first goal with 2:27 left in the period. The 1-0 lead almost became a 2-0 game on a shorthanded breakaway by Wranglers center Eric Lampe midway through the second period, and Fallon made a series of crucial saves to keep the Thunder’s scoring attempts off the board.
Five minutes into the third, the Wranglers went up a man on a delayed Stockton penalty. The power play never came to fruition as Sarauer fed Wranglers center Judd Blackwater, putting Las Vegas up 2-0. Securing the 3-0 shutout win, Sarauer hit the empty Stockton net to give the Wranglers a 3-2 series advantage after returning home down 2-0 to the Thunder. The shutout was Fallon’s second in three days and his second of the series.
Game 6 takes place in Stockton on Friday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. A Wranglers win will advance the team to the Western Conference Semifinals to meet either the Alaska Aces or the San Francisco Bulls, and a Stockton win will force a Game 7 on Sunday, April 14, at 4 p.m.
Tonight’s full box score can be found here.
Celebrating 10 seasons of Wranglers hockey this year, playoff and group ticket packages are on sale now, including pre-game ice skating parties, private luxury suites, and rink-side catered party boxes. Adult tickets start at $21, and youth tickets are $8. Take advantage of the best deals by calling the Wranglers front office at (702) 471-PUCK. The Wranglers play all 36 regular season home games at Orleans Arena, located next to the Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. For more information, visit www.lasvegaswranglers.com.
