3/6 REIGN FINAL – Reign 5, Canucks 3 – Sturm, Hodgson

Two third period goals by Samuel Fagemo helped the Ontario Reign (29-19-3-3) run their season-long winning streak to six games with a 5-3 victory over the Abbotsford Canucks (28-20-4-2) at Toyota Arena on Wednesday night.

Fagemo finished with three points in the game, while the Reign also got multi point efforts from captain TJ Tynan, Hayden Hodgson and Francesco Pinelli, who all earned a goal and an assist in the win. Goaltender Aaron Dell made the start and stopped 21 shots to pick up his third straight win.

BOX SCORE

By scoring twice, Fagemo pulled himself into a tie for the AHL’s league lead with 31 goals this season.

Ontario had to come from behind to extend their streak after allowing two goals in the opening period. Sheldon Dries started the scoring on Abbotsford’s first shot of the game, converting on a 2-on-1 for the Canucks at 2:58 of the first to net his fifth goal against the Reign this year. Dries now has 20 total tallies on the season.

Abbotsford didn’t have a shot for almost eight minutes after Dries’ goal but their second attempt on goal also beat Dell, a wrister by Filip Johansson that found its way to the top right corner to make it 2-0 at 10:49 of the first.

The Reign got on the board at 3:15 of the second to cut into the Canucks lead when Jacob Doty hit Hodgson with a perfect pass on the back door. Hodgson’s strike was his fourth of the season and also had a second assist from Pinelli, the third member of that line.

Tynan tied the game up at 2-2 later in the frame at 14:34 with his second goal in his last three outings and seventh on the season. The captain found a loose rebound at the top of the crease after an initial drive from the point by Fagemo and flipped it home with a shot from between his legs.

Then Pinelli gave the Reign their first lead of the night three minutes later with his eighth goal of the year. With a power play goal that was scored at 17:35, Pinelli scored for the third time in his last four games on a shot that deflected off a defender’s stick through goaltender Nikita Tolopilo’s legs with a single assist by Tyler Madden.

The Canucks got back in the game just 1:07 into the third when Arshdeep Bains was left open in front of the Reign net and flipped the puck over Dell to make it a 3-3 score.

But Ontario’s defense held Abbotsford off the board for the rest of the way. Fagemo put the Reign in front for good with his 30th goal of the season at 13:26 of the third, scoring with a blast from the high slot off a feed from Tynan in the offensive end.

With Tolopilo at the bench and an extra attacker on for the Canucks in the final minute, Fagemo added another tally with a shot from Ontario’s own end that found its way into the empty net.

Pinelli’s goal was the lone man-advantage strike in the game, which saw the Reign go 1-for-3 and hold Abbotsford to an 0-for-2 night on the power play. Ontario also outshot the Canucks by a 32-24 margin in the contest. Tolopilo finished with 27 saves in a losing effort.

Postgame thoughts from Reign head coach Marco Sturm as well as Hodgson are below.

Marco Sturm
On pulling through in the third period
That goal against just didn’t fit our plan but we stuck with it. It took us a few minutes but we got a big goal there from Sammy [Fagemo] and overall I think we’re happy with where we’re at right now. In the past, we almost found ways to lose all the time but lately it’s been the opposite. The guys are confident and feeling good right now, and that’s why those goals are going in.

On Samuel Fagemo surpassing 30 goals
He’s just a pure goal-scorer and we’re very lucky to have him. There aren’t too many in general out there who can score like him, especially with his shot. He’s been an unbelievable threat on the power play and now lately at five-on-five too. It’s great to have him and I hope sooner or later he gets another shot in the NHL because he has that weapon to be on top.

On winning every game of the home stand
It’s very important because we had a tough stretch at home and we wanted to prove, not just to ourselves, but to our fans here in Ontario that we care at home. We want to win at home and produce and play good hockey. I think we made up by playing those tight games and winning those kinds of games. Now we’ve just got to do the same thing on the road.

On Jacob Doty’s pass to set up Hayden Hodgson’s goal
He made an unbelievable pass. We were all screaming “shoot, shoot” and then he decided to pass. Those guys on the third and fourth lines have slowly found their identity and you can see it. They’ve been really solid the last little bit and that’s what we need, not just goals but energy and toughness. Everyone has a different role and now they’re showing it.

On the important upcoming series in Calgary
It’s always a tough battle every time we go up there. They have a good, tough team. They play really hard and very simple, but they will give us everything. I think right now we’re not afraid. We showed in the past that we can steal a few points up there so that’s what we’re going to try to do again.

Hayden Hodgson

Ontario is back in action on Sunday evening when they begin a two-game series north of the border in Calgary against the Wranglers at the Scotiabank Saddledome at 5 p.m. PT.