The Las Vegas Wranglers entered mired in a team-record 10-game winless streak, missing seven players to American Hockey League promotions and point-per-game scorer Tyler Mosienko to suspension, and dressing a thin lineup that amounted to really only about 12 or 13 skaters.
The outcome was predictable: Las Vegas 2, Alaska 1.
By the time the Aces generated some energy before an announced crowd of 4,495 -- they fired 12 shots in the third period after managing just 13 in the first 40 minutes -- it was too late.
And the points they squandered to a determined Wranglers club cost them in the standings, where they fell to second in the West Division, one point behind Idaho, which won 6-5 against visiting Victoria on Marty Flichel's power-play goal with one second left in regulation.
Wranglers goaltender Glenn Fisher made 24 saves. Alaska's Jean-Philippe Lamoureux stopped 24 shots.
The Aces barely mustered a threat until Las Vegas veteran Peter Ferraro was issued a five-minute major for spearing Aces winger Matt Stefanishion early in the second period. By then, Las Vegas owned a 1-0 lead on the strength of a first-period goal from former UAF winger Kelly Czuy.
Las Vegas killed nearly four minutes of that penalty before Alaska winger Colin Hemingway, stationed in the left circle, took a pass from behind the net by defenseman Matt Shasby and snapped off his team-leading 20th goal. Shasby's assist marked the seventh straight game he has furnished at least one point.
But the sloppiness and inattention to detail that plagued the Aces all evening bit them later in the period. Fisher made a pad save on a Stefanishion blast and Chris Ferraro, Peter's twin, seized the loose biscuit and set sail, leading a 3-on-1 into the Aces' zone. Ferraro eschewed the pass and bombed a rocket from the right circle off the left post and in for a 2-1 Wranglers lead.
The teams meet again tonight and wrap their three-game series Sunday afternoon at Sullivan.
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