Ferraro Brothers :: Official Website

2009-02-14

Wranglers keep hot streak sizzling in 3-2 win

Las Vegas earns seventh straight victory, Peter Ferraro hospitalized with neck injury

"The Las Vegas Wranglers are finally starting to look like –- well –- the Las Vegas Wranglers.

After three consecutive 100-plus point seasons, the Wranglers have struggled this year to stay above the .500 mark, let alone make another run to the Kelly Cup finals.

But the defending National Conference champions are not ready to relinquish their crown just yet as the Wranglers knocked off the Phoenix Roadrunners 3-2 Tuesday night at the Orleans Arena to pick up their seventh straight victory.

"I think they are getting more confident in what they need to do night after night and how they need to approach games," Gulutzan said about his squad. "It has taken us a while to find that. Who knows where this is going to go, but it came at a good time."

The Wranglers (25-18-4), who have won nine of their last 10 games, are now tied for the Pacific Division lead with the Ontario Reign (25-17-4).

Las Vegas, conveniently enough, travels to Ontario next for two games against the Reign on Wednesday and Saturday nights for a chance to claim sole possession of the Pacific Division lead.

"We have been waiting a long time to get on our roll," said Wranglers forward Mick Lawrence, who registered two assists Tuesday. "All we kept talking about was getting on this roll and now it's finally here. We proved we could do it and now we have to keep it going."

Chris Ferraro lit up the scoreboard first Tuesday when he buried a doorstep feed from Hugo Carpentier with 4:38 remaining in the first period to put the Wranglers on top 1-0.

Just 58 seconds into the second period, Chris Neiszner capitalized on a two-man power play advantage to extend Las Vegas' lead to 2-0.

A dose of harsh reality, however, struck the Wranglers halfway through the second period when Peter Ferraro went down with a neck injury.

Although the routine body check seemed harmless, Ferraro hit the boards awkwardly and never bounced up. Medical personnel attended to Ferraro for more than 20 minutes before several of his teammates helped lift him onto a stretcher. Paramedics transported Ferraro to UMC.

His twin brother, Chris, never left his side during the scary moment.

"He wasn't really answering questions, he was just holding still," Chris said. "He didn't want to move. My back was turned to the play, so I didn't see it… I was real, real nervous about the situation."

Fortunately, CAT Scans of Peter's head and neck came back normal and doctors expect him to be back on the ice within a week. Ferraro is supposed to return home tonight, but he will remain in an Aspen collar for two days..." ~ read the entire news article here.