LALANDE RETURNS TO WRANGLERS (QC pr)

[Hoody]

LALANDE RETURNS TO WRANGLERS
Rookie Netminder Back in ECHL

For Immediate Release
December 31, 2007

Moline, IL - The Quad City Flames announced today that goaltender Kevin
Lalande
has been returned to the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. The rookie
netminder
has played seven American Hockey League games this season and has a
2-3-0
record. During two stints in the Quad Cities, Lalande has recorded a
3.34 goals
against average and .888 save percentage.

During his most recent stint with the Flames, Lalande appeared in three
games
and recorded a 1-1-0 record. He had a 1.63 goals against average and a
.951
save percentage while stopping 81 of the 85 shots he faced.

Lalande appeared in four American Hockey League games with the Flames
in
October and November. He went 1-2-0 with a 4.53 goals against average
and
a .837 save percentage. The Flames assigned Lalande to Las Vegas on
November
23rd. In five ECHL games prior to his second recall to the AHL, he
recorded a 4-
0-1 record with a 1.18 goals against average and a .950 save
percentage.

The Flames face the Peoria Rivermen twice this week in a home-and-home
series.
On Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. the team hosts the Rivermen at the i
wireless
Center. The first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive a Quad City
Flames
Sports Bottle courtesy of Max Muscle. Tickets are available at the i
wireless
Center Box Office, via phone at (563) 326-1111 or on-line at
ticketmaster.com.

Contact:
Aaron Roof
Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations
Quad City Flames
(563) 277-1343

[Wranglers110]

Hallelujah!

[STeeLy]

Lalande will definitely give a boost to the LV Squad

On a side note: I saw a Las Vegas Wranglers Jersey with Cracknell, 32 on it at the Dec 29th Hockey game... i had to take a second look to be sure it was LV Wranglers. and it really was

[dante48]

I followed Lalande when he was with Belleville - is the reason that he was sent down so that he could get more starts?

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by dante48

I followed Lalande when he was with Belleville - is the reason that he was sent down so that he could get more starts?

IMO I dont think that he quite ready for the AHL. He shows some spurts of a "wow what a save goalie" but also shows way to much of his age in the blue paint.

[Wranglers110]

I was under the impression that his first stint here in Vegas served, among other purposes, as a method to boost his confidence. Shut out a couple of ECHLers, feel good about himself, and come back to Quad Cities with a renewed sense of vigor.

And that more or less happened. I don't think he lost, he strung together a couple of shutouts (I think his first conceded goal came off not an opponent but rather an errant flick at the net by a teammate), and left Vegas with monstrous numbers.

But if you want my opinion, and I well could be wrong, but I think the Wranglers were playing lights out defense in front of him. Lalande was seeing something like 18-20 shots a night during that (nearly?) undefeated, shutout heavy first stint here. Check the box scores in the Wranglers thread.

My worry is that he didn't REALLY learn anything from playing in Vegas. He was handed wins on a silver platter, probably felt better about himself, and that was that.

That being said, he's here again because he's the odd man out in the numbers game, the Wranglers are NOT playing so well in front of him, and he's really having to show up and prove himself now. He's needed now more than ever since Manzato (our other goalie) was playing every night and certainly looking the worse for wear. Manzato's still getting playing time, but Lalande appears to be making his starts count and I think you can reasonably judge his progression with this second stint. He is performing well under the circumstances and I feel comfortable with him in net if he's still around for the crucible of playoff hockey (really where AHL goalies are made).

We expect to win it all this year and I think Lalande is up to the task.

[chris lindberg]

Would it be possible for Vegas to play both Matt Keetley & Kevin Lalande when both Brent Krahn & Curtis McElhinney are healthy in Quad City.
I wonder if James Spratt is in the Wranglers goaltending plans?

[Wranglers110]

I think we're married to Daniel Manzato being around. He's a Carolina Hurricanes prospect and it doesn't look like there's any room for him to move up to Albany given how Nastiuk (who we have the ECHL rights to, btw) and Leighton are playing.

If Lalande gets called back up, I assume we're picking up an EBUG or trading for one. Selfishly, as a Wranglers fan, I'm really hoping that the one-two punch of Lalande and Manzato is what we're taking to the playoffs, because I think we can win it all with them in rotation.

[Drunk Skunk]

Originally Posted by Wranglers110

I think we're married to Daniel Manzato being around. He's a Carolina Hurricanes prospect and it doesn't look like there's any room for him to move up to Albany given how Nastiuk (who we have the ECHL rights to, btw) and Leighton are playing.

If Lalande gets called back up, I assume we're picking up an EBUG or trading for one. Selfishly, as a Wranglers fan, I'm really hoping that the one-two punch of Lalande and Manzato is what we're taking to the playoffs, because I think we can win it all with them in rotation.

It would take a disaster for Lalande to get called back up this season.