2003 - 04 Las Vegas Wranglers season The 2003 - 04 Las Vegas Wranglers season was the Las Vegas Wranglers ' inaugural season in the ECHL . The West Coast Hockey League had originally awarded an expansion franchise to Las Vegas , Nevada in 1999 were supposed to start play in the 2000 - 01 WCHL season , but were unable to find a home arena until signing a deal with The Orleans Hotel and Casino to play in their new arena that they were in the process of constructing in 2003 . During the 2002 - 03 WCHL season , the league announced that it would be folding but six of their current franchises ( Anchorage , Bakersfield , Fresno , Idaho , Long Beach , and San Diego ) and three of their expansion franchises ( Las Vegas , Ontario , CA , and Reno ) were approved for membership , with all but the Ontario and Reno franchises to take the ice during the upcoming 2003 - 04 ECHL season . The Wranglers first regular season began on October 17 , 2003 against the Idaho Steelheads and concluded on April 3 , 2004 against the Bakersfield Condors . The Wranglers made ice hockey ' s return to Las Vegas on October 21 , 2003 , defeating Bakersfield 4 – 2 in front of an announced sell - out crowd at Orleans Arena . The Wranglers would finish their first season in second place in the Pacific Division , falling to the eventual Kelly Cup champion , Idaho Steelheads , three games to two , after cruising to a two games to zero lead in the series . Preseason . The Wranglers saw numerous changes to happen to the team before they took the ice for the first time . On May 29 , actor Rick Schroder , filling in for team owner Charles Davenport , introduced former Fresno Falcons player - coach , Glen Gulutzan as the team ' s first head coach and general manager . The team then changed it ' s logo from a red , yellow , orange , and black outline of a cowboys face to a red , black , and silver color scheme with a hockey stick carrying " Wrangler " mounted on a bull . The Wranglers would unveil their home , road , and alternate uniforms a month before their season opener . The home sweater was white with a previously unreleased Wranglers logo on the chest and trimmed with black and red on the sleeves and waist . The road sweater was red with " Las Vegas " in script over the streaking Wranglers ’ poker chip puck and trimmed in black on the sleeves and waist . The third jersey was black with another previously unreleased logo on the chest featuring " VEGAS " in individual circles across a red hockey stick and the Wranglers ’ poker chip puck , trimmed in black with red rolling dice along the waist . Regular season . The Wranglers began the regular season on October 17 visiting the Idaho Steelheads . The team ' s home opener was played on October 21 against the Bakersfield Condors . The Wranglers were known for their unprecedented performance at home during the first half of the season , going 15 straight games without losing in regulation , a streak that started with a 4 – 2 victory over Bakersfield on opening night on October 21 and lasting to December 27 , when the San Diego Gulls defeated the Wranglers 1 – 0 . The Wranglers began the season on a 9 - 1 - 2 run , before heading east on an agonizing six game road trip in which they went 0 - 4 - 2 . The team concluded the regular season on April 3 with a 4 – 1 road victory over Bakersfield . The Wranglers longest winning streak during the season was six games which occurred twice , from November 28 to December 19 and from March 12 to March 26 respectively . The team ' s longest losing streak was also six games , which ran from November 14 to November 22 . Player stats . Skaters . " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; PIM = Penalty Minutes " Goaltenders . " Note : GP = Games Played ; GS = Games Started ; MIN = Minutes played ; W = Wins ; L = Losses ; OTL = Overtime / Shootout Losses ; GA = Goals Against ; GAA = Goals Against Average ; SV = Saves ; SV % = Save Percentage ; SO = Shutouts "