Game 60: Reign 2, San Antonio 0 + postgame notes/video

Ontario Reign 2, San Antonio Rampage 0
Final

Radio feed
Box score

SOG: ONT 23, SA 25
PP: ONT 0/4, SA 0/5

ONT starters: G Jack Campbell, D Damir Sharipzianov, LW Michael Mersch, C T.J. Hensick, RW Teddy Purcell
SA starters: G Spencer Martin, D Mat Clark, D Duncan Siemens, LW Turner Elson, C Colin Smith, RW Reid Petryk

FIRST PERIOD
1) ONT – Andrew Crescenzi (7) (Sean Backman, Brett Sutter), 5:03

SECOND PERIOD
2) ONT – Michael Mersch (16) (Teddy Purcell, T.J. Hensick), 5:39

THIRD PERIOD
No scoring

POSTGAME NOTES

–With the win, the Reign are now 32-18-10-0 overall and finish 4-1-1-0 against San Antonio, which dropped to 25-34-5-2. Ontario improved to 26-17-9-0 against Pacific Division opponents and 20-9-2-0 at home. They continue to sit at third in the Pacific Division behind first-place San Jose and second-place San Diego, which have both clinched playoff berths.

–Goalie Jack Campbell picked up his fourth shutout of the season, making 25 saves in his second straight start. His record improved to 28-13-6. His 28 wins lead the AHL.

–Michael Mersch scored for a second straight night and now has four goals and four assists in the last six games.

–Ontario improved to 23-5-5-0 when scoring first, 15-4-1-0 when leading after the first period and 25-1-2-0 when leading after two periods.

–The Reign went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill to improve to 81.3 percent on the season.

–Ontario won consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 15 (3-1 over Iowa) and Feb 17 (4-1 over Tucson).

–Andrew Crescenzi was credited with the game-winner. The goal broke a 22-game drought and was his seventh of the season and his first GWG.

–With the secondary assist on Mersch’s goal, T.J. Hensick now has seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last seven games.

–The Reign were outshot by San Antonio, 25-23, and were led by Mersch’s four shots on goal.

VIDEO

PREGAME NOTES

–Here’s how the Reign aligned in rushes. No changes to the forward lines from Friday but changes to defense with Kurtis MacDermid out for just the second time all season. Reign head coach Mike Stothers said in the radio pregame show that the Reign are a little banged up on the blue line.

Michael Mersch – T.J. Hensick – Teddy Purcell
Brett Sutter – Mike Amadio – Sean Backman
Patrick Bjorkstrand – Andrew Crescenzi – Sam Herr
Daniel Ciampini – Quentin Shore – Joel Lowry

Damir Sharipzianov – Vincent LoVerde
Alex Lintuniemi – Zac Leslie
Cameron Schilling – Alexx Privitera

–Tonight’s scratches for Ontario: D Rob Scuderi, F Paul Bissonnette, D Kurtis MacDermid, F Devin Setoguchi, F Justin Auger, D Craig Wyszomirski, D Zach Trotman.

–Goalie Jack Campbell (27-13-6-3; 2.61 GAA, .911 SV%) will make his second consecutive start tonight and will face Spencer Martin (18-18-4; 2.89 GAA, .906 SV%) on the other end.

–The Reign are 3-1-1-0 against the Rampage this season, including Friday’s 3-2 win. This is their sixth and final meeting of the season.

–With last night’s win the Reign’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot dropped from 12 to 10 points. For those wondering, the number is reduced with points earned by Ontario or losses by teams outside the playoff picture in the Pacific Division.

–Reign forward T.J. Hensick leads the head-to-head series with the Rampage with seven points (seven assists) and has six points (two goals, four assists) over his last six games.