Team Struggles on the Power Play
VICTORIA, BC – The Ontario Reign, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, lost the first game of a three-game road trip, 5-2, to the Victoria Salmon Kings. Kyle Kraemer and Shawn Collymore each scored their second goals of the season in the loss.
The power play proved troublesome for the Reign on Wednesday, as the team managed only one power-play goal in seven opportunities, including an abbreviated five-minute major.
Play was even for most of the first period, but the Salmon Kings took over in the final five minutes, with Ryan Turek and Ryan MacMurchy scoring on consecutive power plays to go up 2-0.
The Salmon Kings continued to pressure the Reign in the second, but at 13:11 Victoria’s Derek Couture took out Kyle Kraemer with a knee-on-knee hit. David Walker took exception and dropped the gloves with Couture. While both were sent off for fighting, Couture also received a five-minute major kneeing penalty and a game misconduct.
With just over a minute ticked off the advantage, Tim Kraus deked a Victoria defender and put a centering pass right on the stick of Kraemer, who snapped a shot on goal and then buried his own rebound to cut the deficit to one goal. However, as the players were celebrating, Kraus threw a jab at a Salmon Kings player and was sent off for roughing.
Victoria made it 3-1 just after the teams returned to full strength, as Chad Painchaud tipped the puck past Kellen Briggs. Briggs was unsuccessful in swaying the referee as he argued that Painchaud had entered the crease before the shot and interfered with him.
At 1:24 of the third period, Shawn Collymore notched the 150th point of his professional career when he beat David Shantz with a wrist shot to the top shelf, cutting Victoria's lead to 3-2. The Salmon Kings would not let up. Painchaud put them up 4-2 with his second goal of the game at 6:15 and Milan Gajic scored at 12:16 to put it out of reach.
1) VIC – Chad Painchaud
2) VIC – David Shantz
3) VIC – Taylor Ellington
Complete scoring summary available by clicking here.
REIGN DROPS
The Reign plays two more games in Victoria before returning home to play the Alaska Aces Thursday, November 4th at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 6th is Military Night, sponsored by Stater Bros. Charities. Reign players will be wearing special edition military jerseys for the game, which will be auctioned off immediately following the game against Alaska. Auction proceeds will benefit local veteran organizations.
The first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a limited edition Jeff Zatkoff bobblehead, so be sure to arrive early!
A post-game player party will be held at Boston's Pizza (4th & Milliken location) immediately following the game. Come out, meet your favorite Reign players, and enjoy 15% off of your bill (excluding alcohol) when you show your ticket stub from the game against Alaska.
Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at the Citizen Business Bank Arena box office or online at ontarioreign.com. Call the Reign front office for more information at (909) 941-PUCK (7825).
-www.ontarioreign.com-
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