The Wranglers advanced past the second round of the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs for the first time Friday night with a 6-3 victory over the Alaska Aces in Anchorage.
Las Vegas, which had been 0-for-3 in the second round in its five-year history, won the series, 4-1.
It will play the winner of the Utah-Victoria series in a semifinal. Utah leads, 2-1, and the teams play Saturday and Sunday. If needed, Games 6 and 7 of that series will be played Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Las Vegas coach Glen Gulutzan said before the playoffs that veteran right wing Peter Ferraro gives the Wranglers a dangerous element this postseason that they hadn’t had before – someone who could “sting” a foe.
Ferraro stung the Aces on Thursday with two late goals, but Alaska won in overtime. Ferraro stung them again Friday with two more goals. The second tied it, 3-3, in the second period at Sullivan Arena.
Then Daniel Manzato went to work in the third period. A rookie goalie who spent time with the Swiss national team recently, he kept the Aces off the board in the final frame of his first playoff appearance for Las Vegas.
Center Curtis Fraser gave the Wranglers the lead for good, and left wing Shawn Limpright and forward Kelly Czuy scored empty-netters within the final 67 seconds.
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