Game 63: San Jose 5, Reign 1 + postgame notes/video

San Jose Barracuda 5, Ontario Reign 1
Final

Radio feed
Box score

SOG: ONT 24, SJ 38
PP: ONT 1/4, SJ 0/3

ONT starters: G Jeff Zatkoff, D Alex Lintuniemi, D Vincent LoVerde, LW Patrick Bjorkstrand, C T.J. Hensick, RW Sean Backman
SJ starters: G Troy Grosenick, D Tim Heed, D Joakim Ryan, LW Nikita Jevpalovs, C John McCarthy, RW Ryan Carpenter

FIRST PERIOD
No scoring

SECOND PERIOD
1) SJ – Timo Meier (13) (Barclay Goodrow), 9:52
2) SJ – Timo Meier (14) (Daniel O’Regan, Jacob Middleton), 16:32

THIRD PERIOD
3) ONT PPG – T.J. Hensick (Zac Leslie, Teddy Purcell), 7:08
4) SJ – Tim Heed (14) (Adam Helewka), 12:31
5) SJ – Buddy Robinson (15) (Joakim Ryan, Troy Grosenick), 15:57
6) SJ – Adam Helewka (13) (Rourke Chartier), 16:45

POSTGAME NOTES

–With the loss, the Reign dropped to 33-20-10-0 overall and finish the regular season 3-4-1-0 against San Jose, which improved to 42-14-2-5. Ontario dropped to 27-19-9-0 against Pacific Division opponents and 12-11-8-0 on the road.

–The Reign’s magic number to reach the playoffs is now at three with five games remaining due to the Condors’ loss to Texas. The Reign still sit at third in the Pacific behind San Jose and San Diego but Stockton has moved into fourth place ahead of Bakersfield. With San Jose and San Diego already clinched, the race for the final spots is getting tougher for Ontario.

–The Reign dropped to 6-7-2-0 in their last 15 games.

–Goalie Jeff Zatkoff finished with 33 saves on 28 shots as his Reign record dropped to 1-3-1.

–Ontario dropped to 3-14-4-0 when trailing after two periods.

–The Reign were outshot 38-24 and were led by Michael Mersch’s four shots on goal.

VIDEO

PREGAME NOTES

–Here’s how the Reign lines (big shakeup) shake out to start:

Patrick Bjorkstrand – T.J. Hensick – Sean Backman
Michael Mersch – Mike Amadio – Sam Herr
Philippe Maillet – Brett Sutter – Teddy Purcell
Joel Lowry – Andrew Crescenzi – Paul Bisssonnette

Alex Lintuniemi – Vincent LoVerde
Zac Leslie – Matt Roy
Cameron Schilling – Alexx Privitera

–Paul Bissonnette is making his return to the lineup after dealing with lower-body injury for most of the season. Bissonnette has been out the last 22 and 41 of the last 42 games.

–Tonight’s scratches for Ontario: D Damir Sharipzianov, D Rob Scuderi, D Kurtis MacDermid, F Quentin Shore, F Devin Setoguchi, F Daniel Ciampini, F Justin Auger and D Zach Trotman.

–The Reign’s magic number to clinch a playoff berth is five points with six games remaining. The number is reduced with points earned or teams outside the playoff picture failing to earn standings points. San Jose has already clinched a playoff berth.

–This is goalie Jeff Zatkoff’s first start since a March 18 3-2 overtime loss to Charlotte. He’s 1-2-1 this season with the Reign with a 2.88 GAA and .910 SV%. Troy Grosenick (28-9-3; 2.03 GAA, .929 SV%) will man the net for the Barracuda.

–Earlier today the San Jose Sharks reassigned forward Timo Meier back to the Barracuda.

–This is the eighth and final meeting for the Reign against the Barracuda this regular season. The Reign are 3-3-1-0 against San Jose and 2-1-0-0 at SAP Center.

–Barracuda forward Daniel O’Regan, who was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team earlier today, leads all first-year players with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists).

–The Barracuda are tied for the AHL lead with 14 shorthanded goals and Barclay Goodrow has four.

–The Barracuda are 22-3-1-2, including a 14-game winning streak, since dropping a 7-2 decision to the Reign on Jan. 21.

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