
TWTW: Reign Extend Win Streak to 4 Games
Jan 26, 2016The Week That Was…
The Ontario Reign hosted the Manitoba Moose and took on the San Jose Barracuda in a home-and-home series last week for a week record of 3-0-0-0, improving their overall record to 24-10-2-1 to hold the top position in the Pacific Division. Ontario is currently riding a four-game win streak.
The Reign and Moose collided on Wednesday night for this first time since early October at Citizens Business Bank and skated away with a 4-1 victory. Michael Mersch recorded a goal and two assists and Peter Budaj registered his 200th professional win.
On Friday, the Barracuda rolled into the Inland Empire and carried a 2-0 lead heading into the third period before 2016 AHL All-Star Classic members Vincent LoVerde buried an early-period marker and Sean Backman tallied the game-tying goal with 1:32 left in the frame. Just 28 seconds into overtime, Nic Dowd buried the game-winning tally to complete the Reign comeback.
The two teams moved to SAP Center in San Jose Saturday with the Reign completing the weekend sweep with a 2-1 win. Kurtis MacDermid lit the goal lamp in his first game back from a 12-game suspension and Backman netted the game-winning marker.
The Numbers
- Record: 24-10-2-1 (1st Place, Pacific Division, 1st in Western Conference)
- Home: 14-5-2-1
- Away: 10-5-0-0
- Last 10 Games: 7-3-0-0
- Streak: 4-0-0-0
- Goals: Michael Mersch (13)
- Assists: Nic Dowd (22)
- Points: Sean Backman, Nic Dowd (31)
- Penalty Minutes: Kurtis MacDermid (70)
- Power-Play Goals: Sean Backman (5)
- Power-Play Assists: Sean Backman (9)
- Power-Play Points: Sean Backman (14)
- Shorthanded Goals: Sean Backman, Andrew Crescenzi, Jordan Samuels-Thomas (1)
- Shorthanded Assists: Four players with one assist
- Shorthanded Points: Sean Backman, Jordan Samuels-Thomas (2)
- Game-Winning Goals: Sean Backman (5)
- Wins: Peter Budaj (22)
- GAA: Peter Budaj (1.69)
- SPCT: Peter Budaj (.930)
League Leaders:
- Forward Ryan Horvat is tied for fourth in the AHL with nine major penalties.
- Forward Sean Backman is tied for first in the AHL with 124 shots and forward Michael Mersch is tied for fourth with 116 shots.
- Goaltender Peter Budaj leads the league with a 1.69 goals-against average, five shutouts, 22 wins and 1984 minutes played, stands third with a .930 save percentage and fourth with 749 saves.
- Defenseman Kurtis MacDermid is tied for third among rookies with 70 penalty minutes.
- Defenseman Vince LoVerde is tied for 20th among defensemen with 21 points (5-16=21) and tied for fifth among blueliners with 20 minor penalties.