Steelheads, Wranglers to meet in 1st Round of ECHL Playoffs

(Boise, ID) ? The Idaho Steelheads will open the 2011 ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs with a best-of-five series against the Las Vegas Wranglers. Game One will be at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, the home arena of the fourth-seeded Wranglers. Idaho is the fifth-seeded team in the ECHL's Western Conference. Game Two will also be in Las Vegas before shifting to Qwest Arena in Boise on Friday, April 8, for Game Three. Tickets for Friday's game are on sale, with single-game ticket prices beginning at $17 per seat. Tickets to Game Four in Boise will not go on sale until it is known that it will be necessary. Here is the game-by-game schedule for the first-round matchup: Game 1 Tuesday, April 5: Idaho at Las Vegas, 8:05 PM (Mtn) Game 2 Wednesday, April 6: Idaho at Las Vegas, 8:05 PM (Mtn) Game 3 Friday, April 8: Las Vegas at Idaho, 7:10 PM (Mtn) Game 4 Saturday, April 9*: Las Vegas at Idaho, 7:10 PM (Mtn) Game 5 Tuesday, April 12*: Idaho at Las Vegas, 8:05 PM (Mtn) (* - If Necessary) The winner of this series will advance to face top-seeded Alaska in a best-of-seven, second-round series opening in Anchorage on Friday, April 15. This will be the fourth playoff meeting between the Steelheads and Wranglers, with the Steelheads winning two of the previous three matchups. Idaho won a best-of-five first-round series in 2004 in five games and won a best-of-seven third-round series in 2007 - each year going on to win the ECHL's Kelly Cup championship. Las Vegas defeated Idaho in seven games in 2006. Las Vegas won five of the seven head-to-head meetings during the regular season, but Idaho won two of the final three. Idaho's Mark Derlago (7 goals, 3 assists) and Las Vegas's Ryan Huddy (3 goals, 7 assists) are the top scorers in the head-to-head matchup between teams. Derlago set a Steelhead record with four goals in one game against Las Vegas on March 5 in Boise. Idaho wraps up the regular season Saturday night in Ontario against the Reign. Game time is 8 PM (Mtn) and can be heard on KTIK (1350-AM). The Steelheads will travel directly from Ontario to Las Vegas on Sunday in anticipation of Tuesday's playoff opener. The ECHL?s Kelly Cup Playoffs are right around the corner and the Idaho Steelheads are out to defend their conference title from last season. Fans can lock in their favorite seat for every possible home playoff game while saving up to 35 percent off the walk-up prices with the ?Pay as We Play? playoff ticket plan. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.