WCF Game 1: Monsters 4, Reign 3 + postgame notes/video

Lake Erie Monsters 4, Ontario Reign 3
Final (Monsters lead best-of-7 series, 1-0)

Radio Feed
Box Score
Preview links: Reign prep for unfamiliar | Kempe ramps up play in playoffs | Kings Men Podcast

SOG: ONT – 30; LE – 34
PP: ONT – 1/2; LE – 1/4

First Period
No scoring

Second Period
1) ONT PPG – Sean Backman (1) (Kevin Gravel, Nic Dowd), 4:23
2) LE – Lukas Sedlak (5) (Markus Hannikainen, Oliver Bjorkstrand), 7:10
3) LE PPG – Josh Anderson (6) (T.J. Tynan, Ryan Craig), 8:23
4) LE – Ryan Craig (3) (Sonny Milano, Trent Vogelhuber), 9:46

Third Period
5) ONT – Nic Dowd (4) (Derek Forbort, Mike Amadio), 1:38
6) ONT – Joel Lowry (3) (Sean Backman), 8:16
7) LE – Alex Broadhurst (3) (Zach Werenski, Steve Eminger), 8:35

(1) Ontario Reign vs. (2) Lake Erie Monsters
Saturday, May 21, 2016, 8 p.m. PT
Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, CA
Referees: #42 Jake Brenk, #43 Tom Chmielewski
Linesmen: #64 Brandon Gawryletz, #85 Steve Walsh
AHL Live, Mixlr Radio

ONT starters: G Peter Budaj, D Zach Leslie, D Jeff Schultz, LW Andrew Crescenzi, C Kris Newbury, RW Jordan Samuels-Thomas
ONT scratches: F Brett Sutter, F Jonny Brodzinski, F Sam Herr, F Matt Leitner, G Jack Flinn, D Nick Ebert, D Kevin Raine, D Alex Lintuniemi, D Paul LaDue

LE starters: G Anton Forsberg, D Jamie Sifers, D Justin Falk, LW Markus Hannikainen, C Lukas Sedlak, RW Oliver Bjorkstrand
LE scratches: G Brad Thiessen, D Steve McCarthy, D Mark Cundar, D John Ramage, D Michael Paliotta, F Nick Moutrey, F Paul Bittner, D Blake Siebenaler, F Jordan Maletta, F Justin Scott, D Oleg Yevenko, F Brett Gallant

Video

Notes

–The Reign gave up four goals for the first time this postseason. They had given up three goals three times previously.

–Lake Erie scored three goals in a 2:36 span of the second period. It was just the second time all season that the Reign have surrendered three goals in one period at home, the last time being Dec. 31, 2015, in a 4-1 loss to Stockton. Ontario gave up three goals in one period four times in the regular season.

–Sean Backman’s goal was his first of the playoffs and his first since a March 25 game against Stockton in the regular season. In all he went scoreless for 19 games.

–Goalie Peter Budaj made 30 saves in his third loss this postseason. The Monsters’ Anton Forsberg earned his first win this postseason in his first start with 27 saves.

–With Budaj pulled late in the third, Adrian Kempe hit the post with less than a minute to go off a feed from Mike Amadio.

–Here’s how the Reign aligned in line rushes:

Michael Mersch – Nic Dowd – Adrian Kempe
Justin Auger – Mike Amadio – Sean Backman
Andrew Crescenzi – Kris Newbury – Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Joel Lowry – Ryan Horvat – Paul Bissonnette

Kurtis MacDermid – Vincent LoVerde
Derek Forbort – Kevin Gravel
Jeff Schultz – Zach Leslie

–Here’s how the Monsters aligned in line rushes:

Alex Broadhurst – Michael Chaput – Daniel Zaar
Kerby Rychel – T.J. Tynan – Josh Anderson
Markus Hannikainen – Lukas Sedlak – Oliver Bjorkstrand
Sonny Milano – Trent Vogelhuber – Ryan Craig

Justin Falk – Jaime Sifers
Dillon Heatherington – Zach Werenski
Dean Kukan – Steve Eminger