Weekly Wrap-Up: 1-1-1 Keeps Reign in the Race
- Updated: March 13, 2017
Three straight weekend games spelled a 1-1-1 week for the Ontario Reign, which now sits at 30-17-9-0 in the Pacific Division with 69 points, four behind the San Diego Gulls and nine behind division leading San Jose Barracuda. The team next plays in North Carolina versus the Charlotte Checkers on Friday, March 17 at 4:15 p.m. and Saturday, March 18 at 3 p.m. PST.
On Friday, March 10, it took an overtime period to decide the game, and it didn’t take long. At 1:05 of OT, Bakerfield Condor’s Joey LaLeggia scored on a rush right after a breakaway by the Reign’s T.J. Hensick was denied. Though outshoot 11-3 in the first period, Ontario kept the game close mostly because of solid play from goaltender Jack Campbell (33 saves on 36 shots). A power-play goal at 13:42 in the third came from forward Jonny Brodzinski who got his 22nd goal of the season. It tied the game, helping the match to need the extra period.
On Saturday, March 11, Ontario outshot the Tucson Roadrunners a whopping 54-28 but still lost 5-4. Tuscon scored on its first two powerplays, helping them to a looming lead of 3-1 at the end of the first. Ontario scored two goals in the third, from Sam Herr and Vincent LoVerde, with the latter coming at 19:05. A little too late as the comeback would not be complete. Jeff Zatkoff made 23 saves on 28 shots, and Roadrunners goalie Marek Langhamer made 50 saves on 54 shots. That is a lot of shots, but that was also just enough saves.
On Sunday, March 12, the Reign returned to the win column in a big way, zapping the same Tucson team 5-0. This time outshooting the Roadrunners 41-22. Unlike the previous game, this time the powerplay was not effective for either team, as Ontario went 0 for 3 and Tucson went 0 for 5. Brodzinski scored his 23rd and 24th of the season, a team lead. The shutout went to goalie Campbell who made 22 saves for his third shutout of the season.
Said coach Mike Stothers, through the Reign Insider, “The win was sweet. It was a good response. It was exactly what we needed. We played the way we’re capable of playing. Now we just gotta figure out how to do it consistently.”
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