Veteran goaltender Ray Emery is expected to make his debut with the Reign today as the face the San Antonio Rampage at 3 p.m., the second of a back-to-back against the Colorado Avalanche affiliate.
“It’s been a while … I just hope to get in there and continue the good play that the team’s started the year off with,” Emery said following Friday’s 3-2 OT loss to the Rampage. Peter Budaj started the first six games of the season, going 5-0-1-0.
Emery’s last game was on March 15 against the Ottawa Senators as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. Emery, who has spent the last four seasons in the NHL with the Flyers and the Blackhawks, said he’s not too nervous, but was happy to get a look at the AHL Rampage opposition last night from the bench.
“That’s a bonus too because I don’t know many players in the league here so getting a chance to see the opposing team before I get in there against them is definitely a bonus,” Emery said.
Head coach Mike Stothers called Emery, who’s under a pro tryout contract with the team, a “good soldier” earlier this week and has previously commended him for his professionalism and work ethic both on and off the ice.
“He’s put in a lot of time and a lot of hard work, so you know what, he’s been a good team guy,” Stothers said.
Other notes
–It’s expected that this will be defenseman Derek Forbort’s last game of his assignment with the Reign before going back to the Kings. Forbort, who skated alongside Kevin Gravel, had three shots on goal in last night’s loss and finished minus-1.
–The Reign are in the second game of a back-to-back-to-back and will hit the bus after today’s game to visit San Jose on Sunday at 3 p.m.
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