December 9: Bus Texts with Stothers

Today’s Bus Texts with Stothers comes following an overtime loss, a game in which the Reign tried to come back but could never get the lead. The group stays in Tucson tonight and will travel back to Ontario on Saturday morning, where they’ll face Charlotte just hours later at 6 p.m. PT.

Tucson 5, Reign 4 (OT)
The Reign chose to not leave Tucson’s arena before making things interesting on Friday night but a power play marker by Christian Fischer (his ensuing archery-like celebration drew the ire of the Reign bench) 26 seconds into OT capped off a high-scoring game that featured a wild third period. Tucson jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and that spot would be the back-breaker for the Reign. Ontario flexed with 17 shots in the second period and despite not scoring on three power play tries in the middle 20 minutes, a goal by Mike Amadio with 36 seconds left got the Reign in a better place down 3-1. Michael Mersch scored (on a breakaway off a strech pass from Sean Backman) and again (on a power play deflection of a T.J. Hensick shot) and suddenly at 13:34 of the third period the game was tied. Then the ping pong match began. Kyle Wood scored 10 seconds into a power play, just 1:15 after Mersch tied it. Then 23 seconds later, Jonny Brodzinski buried a rebound of a Hensick-Adrian Kempe play to make it 4 all. Mersch was called for interference late in the third and when that power play carried over into overtime Fischer capitalized as he skated into the high slot uncontested and beat Jack Campbell, who finished with 23 saves on 28 shots.

BUS TEXTS WITH STOTHERS
ORI: Hi, Stutts. Came back, but what do you want the team to take away and learn from this after Tucson’s early lead?
Stothers: Once again the lesson is it is a sixty minute game. When it starts at 7:00 and you show up 20:00 minutes late you are lucky to only be down by 3 goals. We battled to get back in it, and salvaged a point, but we came here to gain ground on this team not split the points.
ORI: What did you think of the pace in the third period? Seems like it’s been good battles, nearing a rivalry with these guys now with 3 OT games
Stothers: Oh there is definitely a rivalry. Clearly the players have generated some early animosity towards each other. That’s never a bad thing. It makes for great hockey
ORI: What did you make of the celebration on the OT goal, seemed to really upset the players
Stothers: Well you are asking the wrong guy that question. I use to file it away, in a place never to be forgotten, and then would use it as fuel for the next meeting. Funny, I could never remember my anniversary, but I never forget when a player, or team, shows disrespect. But the game is decided thru your play, and conduct, on the ice. We will conduct ourselves with class and professionalism

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