Reign Gears Up For Four-Game Home Stand
ONTARIO, Calif. – Ontario is on home ice for all three of their games this week. On Wednesday, February 18, the Pacific Division-leading Reign will face-off against the West Division-leading Victoria Salmon Kings at 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 20, the Reign will match up against the Phoenix RoadRunners at 7:00 p.m. The Reign will close out the week with a 5:00 p.m. match-up against the Alaska Aces on Sunday, February 22.
Last week, the Reign claimed two wins in four games (4 points). Right wing Brad Mehalko played his career 300th professional game on Wednesday, February 11 against the Las Vegas Wranglers.
2008-2009 RECORD:
Overall Record: 27-19-3-1 (58 points)
Home Record: 14-9-2-0 (30 points)
Away Record: 13-10-1-1 (28 points)
STANDINGS:
Pacific Division:
Team GP W L OTL SOL Points
Ontario Reign 50 27 19 3 1 58
Las Vegas Wranglers 51 26 20 1 4 57
Stockton Thunder 52 24 23 3 2 53
Bakersfield Condors 53 20 27 3 3 46
UPCOMING GAMES:
Wednesday, February 18 – Ontario Reign vs. Victoria Salmon Kings – 7:00 p.m. (PST)
Friday, February 20 – Ontario Reign vs. Phoenix RoadRunners – 7:00 p.m. (PST)
Sunday, February 22 – Ontario Reign vs. Alaska Aces – 5:00 p.m. (PST)
*All games are viewable online on B2 networks, or fans can listen to the game online by clicking on the “Listen” link in the Game Center section of www.ontarioreign.com.
LAST WEEK’S GAMES:
Wednesday, February 11 – Ontario Reign vs. Las Vegas Wranglers (L, 1-5)
The Ontario Reign was defeated by the Las Vegas Wranglers, 1-5, Wednesday evening before a crowd of 4,034 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena. The Wranglers opened up the match with three unanswered goals in the first period, with two being scored by Mick Lawrence and the other by Shawn Limpright. Las Vegas led the Reign 3-0 going into the second period. Mike Madill extended the Wranglers’ lead to four at 7:41 in the second when he took advantage of a Reign penalty and fired the puck past Ontario goaltender Kellen Briggs. Dan Spang and Mick Lawrence registered the assists on the goal. The score remained 4-0 in favor of the Wranglers until 11:46 in the third period, when left wing Ryan MacGregor received a feed from right wing Geoff Walker at the top of the crease and buried the puck behind Las Vegas netminder Matt Keetley. Defenseman P.J. Atherton also registered an assist on MacGregor’s power play goal. Las Vegas’ Dan Spang answered back less than four minutes later with an unassisted goal that put the Wranglers ahead 5-1. Ontario was unable to find the back of the net for the remainder of the final period, and Las Vegas claimed the win with a final score of Wranglers 5, Reign 1.
Friday, February 13 – Ontario Reign at Bakersfield Condors (L, 3-5)
The Ontario Reign was defeated by the Bakersfield Condors, 3-5, Friday evening before a crowd of 5,525 fans at Rabobank Arena. The Condors got on the board first with a goal from Mike Wirll off assists from Andrew Ianiero and Scott Balan. Right wing Jon Rheault tied the game at one with a power play goal at 9:53. Left wing Ryan MacGregor and center Jon Francisco registered assists on the play. Less than three minutes later, Matt Pope put the Condors ahead, 2-1, with a power play goal off assists from Mark Derlago and Donny Grover. The Reign tied up the game, 2-2, to close out the first period when left wing Todd Jackson fed the puck to defenseman Shawn Germain, who fired it past Fukufuji. Germain’s shorthanded goal came at 17:38, and both teams headed into the second period looking for the go-ahead goal.
Bakersfield scored three unanswered goals in the second period. The first came from Mike Wirll at 4:39. Chad Painchaud scored the second and third in a six-minute stretch, extending the Condors lead, 5-2. Defenseman P.J. Atherton reduced Bakersfield’s lead to two goals during a power play, when he launched a one-timer from the point that blazed past Fukufuji at 3:23 in the third. Jon Rheault registered an assist and his second point of the match, while defenseman Andrew Martens was credited with the secondary assist. The Reign was unable to find the back of the net for the remainder of the match, and the Condors picked up the win with a final score of Bakersfield 5, Ontario 3.
Saturday, February 14 – Ontario Reign vs. Las Vegas Wranglers (W, 2-1) (OT)
The Ontario Reign defeated the Las Vegas Wranglers in overtime, 2-1, Saturday evening before a crowd of 6,657 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena. The Reign claimed the first goal of the game at 8:38 in the first period, when right wing Mike Howe launched a slap shot towards the goal, where it was deflected into the net by left wing Chris Curran. The Wranglers answered back at 14:09 when center Chris Ferraro sent the puck past Ontario netminder Kellen Briggs to tie the game at one. Defenseman Sean Owens registered an assist on the goal. Neither team found the back of the net for the remainder of regulation, and the teams headed into a five-minute, sudden-death overtime session looking for a game winner.
At 1:30 in the overtime session, left wing Chris Curran found center Tim Kraus with a wraparound feed from behind the net. Kraus buried the puck in the right corner of the goal behind Wranglers goaltender Glenn Fisher. Andrew Martens also registered an assist on the game-winning goal, and Ontario claimed the victory with a final score of Reign 2, Wranglers 1.
Sunday, February 15 – Ontario Reign at Stockton Thunder (W, 3-2)
The Ontario Reign defeated the Stockton Thunder, 3-2, Sunday evening before a crowd of 5,008 fans at Stockton Arena. The Thunder took an early lead 30 seconds into the match when Ryan Huddy sent the puck over Ontario netminder Kellen Briggs’ shoulder. Craig Valette and Garet Hunt registered the assists. At 12:35, Adam Huxley grabbed a rebound off Briggs’ pads and poked it into the net, giving the Thunder a 2-0 lead. Midway through the second period, forward Dale Reinhardt grabbed a loose puck and sent it over Stockton goaltender Bryan Pitton, off assists from defensemen Dan Knapp and David Walker. The score remained Thunder 2, Reign 1 as the teams headed into the final period of play.
Only 41 seconds into the third period, captain Jon Francisco scored the equalizer goal for the Reign when he buried the Puck behind Pitton off assists from left wing Ryan MacGregor and defenseman P.J. Atherton. Six minutes later, P.J. Atherton notched his second point of the game when he found the back of the net and scored a huge shorthanded goal for the Reign. Ontario held on to their lead for the remainder of the match, and claimed the win with a final score of Reign 3, Thunder 2.
STREAKS
• Dale Reinhardt is currently on a 2-game point streak (1g, 1a) (2/14/09-2/15/09)
TEAM LEADERS
• Goals – Jon Francisco (19)
• Assists – Andrew Martens (21)
• Points – Jon Francisco (37)
• PIM – Chris Curran (99)
• PPG – (tied) Jon Francisco, Geoff Walker (8)
• +/- – Chris Curran (+7)
• Wins – John Murray (13)
• GAA – Jeff Zatkoff (2.25)
• SVP –Jeff Zatkoff (0.936)
LEAGUE LEADERS:
• Attendance – 5th (avg. 5,072)
• Shootouts (overall) – 1st (.800)
• Power Play (overall) – 7th (.189)
• Power Play (home) – 9th (tied) (.171)
• Geoff Walker – 15th (tied) (rookie scoring) (34)
• Jon Francisco – 11th (tied) (game winning goals) (4)
• Jon Francisco – 8th (tied) (first goals) (5)
• John Murray – 15th (goals-against average) (2.81)
• John Murray – 6th (tied) (save percentage) (.917)
• Wins – John Murray – 16th (tied) (13)
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