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Wranglers Win Home Opener 4-1 in Front of 5,809 Fans

The Las Vegas Wranglers won 4-1 over the Utah Grizzlies tonight, opening the team’s 11th season of hockey in front of 5,809 fans (Pictured: Wranglers (D) Eddie DelGrosso (left) helps (D) Greg Coburn celebrate the first goal of the game – Photo credit: IAA Photography). 

The win is a first for Wranglers Head Coach and General Manager Mike Madill, who appeared behind the bench for his first pro game tonight.

Scoring opened up midway through the first period when Wranglers defenseman Greg Coburn tallied a power play goal to put the team up 1-0. Utah held the 12-8 shot advantage through the opening 20 minutes, but was unable to tie the game.

The second period belonged to the Wranglers as the team killed off four penalty minutes at the 13-minute mark. As the Grizzlies power play ended, Wranglers forward Geoff Irwin posted a goal to put Las Vegas up 2-0. Less than two minutes later, Wranglers center Chris Francis fed forward Matt Tassone for a 3-0 advantage for the team. The scoring blitz wrapped up 77 seconds later as Wranglers forward Carlo Finucci hit the back of the net to make it a 4-0 game.

Utah got on the board 4:46 into the third on a power play goal from forward Jamie MacQueen. The 4-1 score held, despite Utah outshooting Las Vegas 41-22, and the Wranglers opened the 2013-14 season with a win. Wranglers goalie Travis Fullerton, making his pro debut with the team, made 40 saves, earning him second Three Star honors.

Next weekend, the Wranglers play a three-game series against the Alaska Aces starting Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:05 p.m. The Wranglers will hold a Halloween ‘Skate and Treat’ on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2:05 p.m., where kids are encouraged to wear costumes and trick-or-treat along the concourse. Those in costume will also be invited to take part in the on-ice costume parade during the first intermission. After the game, the team will hold the first ‘Skate with the Wranglers’ of the season.

Tonight’s full box score can be found here.

Season tickets for the Wranglers’ 11th season are on sale now. The Wranglers offer flexible payment options on all plans, and 2013-14 packages start at just $200. Full season tickets can be reserved for as low as 25 percent down, and include benefits such as buddy passes, exclusive team events, and merchandise discounts. For more information, contact the Wranglers front office at (702) 471-7825 or visit wranglers.co. Don’t forget to find the Wranglers on Facebook and follow @WranglersLV on Twitter for the latest updates.