Steelheads Swept in Two-Game Vegas Set

The Idaho Steelheads (12-9-6) fell for the second straight game to the Las Vegas Wranglers (15-6-2) in Las Vegas; this time by a 6-3 score. Junior Lessard scored twice for the Steelheads, who have won just once in their last six games. Lessard gave Idaho a 1-0 lead when he pushed home the rebound from a Kael Mouillierat shot at 1:53 of the opening period for his second goal of the season. Las Vegas responded at 4:54 when Jamie Fritsch scored from the top of the left circle over the right shoulder of Idaho goalie Mike Zacharias. Less than three minutes later, Zacharias gave up a goal to the Wranglers? Greg Collins, and after Las Vegas took the 2-1 lead, Idaho Coach Hardy Sauter opted to pull Zacharias in favor of Jase Weslosky. At 16:45, just 11 seconds after starting a power play, the Wranglers extended their lead to 3-1 when Ryan Huddy snapped a wrist shot from the right circle through traffic to beat Weslosky in the Idaho net. Jamie Bates gave the Wranglers a 4-1 lead at 2:14 of the second period when he tipped a Sean McMonagle shot into the Idaho net to beat Zacharias, who had been re-inserted between the pipes for Idaho. Just under 12 minutes later, Lessard cut the Las Vegas lead to a pair when he fired home a rebound from the right circle to beat Wranglers goalie Michael Ouzas. The goal was the second of the game for Lessard, and his third of the season. John-Scott Dickson and Adam Huxley earned assists. On a penalty shot at 2:07 of the third period, Mark Derlago pulled Idaho to within a goal when he netted his 15th of the season; a total that leads the team. Later in the period, the Wranglers answered when Collins scored his second of the game to make the score 5-3, and when Blake Gallagher added the empty-netter to give the Wranglers a 6-3 lead. Zacharias falls to 7-4-3 in the loss; he stopped 16 of 20 shots. Weslosky stopped four of five shots in 12:48 of relief. Michael Ouzas stopped 27 of 30 shots in the win; he is 11-3-1 in net for Las Vegas. The Steelheads go on the road for two games against the Utah Grizzlies in Utah on December 21st and 22nd. Idaho returns home to Qwest Arena to host the Bakersfield Condors on December 31st and January 1st.