Las Vegas Wranglers drop road game to Utah Grizzlies, 3-1

By Anthony Fenech

Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 | 11:15 p.m.

With just two minutes left to play in Saturday night's game against the Utah Grizzlies, the Las Vegas Wranglers quest for two straight road wins ended.

Lance Galbraith's goal with 2:01 remaining on the clock sank the Wranglers, 3-1, in front of 7,043 at the E-Center in West Valley City, Utah.

The game-winning Grizzlies goal came when Galbraith corralled a rebound and scored, assisted by center Tony Romano and defenseman Matt Sorteberg.

"We just didn't come through tonight," captain Chris Neiszner said. "Our goaltender played exceptional and we couldn't pull one out."

Dylan Hunter scored an empty-net goal with 48 seconds remaining to ice the game, assisted by forwards Ryan Kinasewich and A.J. Perry.

The lone Las Vegas goal was off the stick of John Schwarz, a second-period goal assisted by Mick Lawrence that knotted the score at 1-1.

Schwarz' goal came just 1:09 after Matt Clarke opened the game's scoring with an unassisted goal at the 14:02 mark of the second period.

"We had chances and just didn't do anything with them," Neiszner said.

In his first action since Jan. 13, Wranglers goaltender Joel Gistedt stopped 33 of 35 Utah shots.

"He played great. The offense just couldn't pick him up," Neiszner said.

Las Vegas was 0-3 on the power play and continues to be mired in a 2-48 slump with the man-advantage.

"I wish I could explain it," Neiszner said. "We just need to keep working hard, crashing the net and making things happen and try to break through with a goal one of these games."

In their past ten games, the Wranglers have been outscored by nine goals overall and eight goals in the third period.

The Wranglers have been outshot in their past five games, recording 32 shots in Saturday night's game.

Beau Erickson stopped 31 of those 32 Wranglers shots.

The Wranglers wrap up a ten-game road trip Monday against Utah.

"Every game is huge now," Neiszner said. "With the standings as close as they are, every game is a playoff game."

Las Vegas sits in last place in the ECHL Pacific Division with 40 points. With the victory, Utah pulls two points ahead of the Wranglers.