Ontario Reign 4, San Diego Gulls 1
Final
Ontario Reign (2-2-0-0) at San Diego Gulls (2-2-0-0)
Calder Cup Playoffs: Best-of-5 series tied, 2-2
Monday, May 1, 2017, 7 p.m. PT
Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, CA
Referees: #10 Terry Koharski, #48 Chris Schlenker
Linesmen: #53 Bevan Mills, #81 Tanner Nua
ONT starters: G Jack Campbell, D Kurtis MacDermid, D Paul LaDue, LW Justin Auger, C T.J. Hensick, RW Jonny Brodzinski
ONT scratches: G Jack Flinn, D Damir Sharipzianov, D Matt Roy, F Keegan Iverson, F Philippe Maillet, D Rob Scuderi, F Paul Bissonnette, F Andrew Crescenzi, F Matt Luff, F Devin Setoguchi, D Chaz Reddekopp, F Justin Gutierrez, D Zach Trotman
SD starters: G Jhonas Enroth, D Brian Cooper, D Jaycob Megna, LW Antoine Laganiere, C Kalle Kossila, RW Nick Sorensen
SD scratches: G Matt Hackett, G Kevin Boyle G Agnus Redmond, D Stu Bickel, D James Melindy, F Kyle MacKinnon, F Corey Tropp, F Ryan Garbutt, F Emerson Etem, F Tyler Morley, F Nick Tarnasky, F Tyler Soy, F Mitch Hults, F Austin Ortega, F Zac Larraza, F Deven Sideroff, F Giovanni Fiore, F Austen Brassard
SOG: ONT 35, SD 22
PP: ONT 0/2, SD 1/2
FIRST PERIOD
No scoring
SECOND PERIOD
1) ONT – Justin Auger (1) (Jonny Brodzinski, T.J. Hensick), 5:16
2) SD PPG – Keaton Thompson (1) (Spencer Abbott, Kevin Roy), 18:47
THIRD PERIOD
3) ONT – Paul LaDue (1) (T.J. Hensick, Justin Auger), 3:30
4) ONT – Justin Auger (2) (Michael Mersch, Cameron Schilling), 15:57
5) ONT ENG – T.J. Hensick (2) (Teddy Purcell, Michael Mersch), 18:06
POSTGAME NOTES
–The Reign have won Game 4 to tie the best-of-5 series at 2 and also force a winner-take-all Game 5 on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in San Diego.
–Justin Auger had two goals and an assist for a breakthrough game and his first points of the playoffs.
–T.J. Hensick had three points (an empty-netter and two assists) and now has a two goals and three assists in the series. His five points lead the series.
–Michael Mersch had two assists for his first multi-point game of the postseason.
–Defenseman Paul LaDue was credited with the game-winning goal in just his second game back from an undisclosed injury.
–The Reign held San Diego to 22 shots on goal, their lowest of the series.
–With the win, the Reign have yet to lose three consecutive games all season.
–Goalie Jack Campbell made 21 saves on 22 shots and is now 2-2-0 in the series. The Gulls’ Jhonas Enroth countered with 31 saves on 34 shots to drop to 2-2-0.
–The Reign outshot San Diego 35-31. For a second straight game Mersch had the game-high for SOG between both teams with eight.
VIDEO
PREGAME NOTES
—Full morning skate notes were posted earlier today which include topics like: The Reign’s mindset going into a do-or-die scenario, forward Philippe Maillet being out of the lineup, and more. There were no line rushes during morning skate so there will be a better idea of Ontario’s lineup during warmups.
–Here’s how the Reign aligned in rushes with more new looks up front. D pairings are the same from Game 3:
Justin Auger – T.J. Hensick – Jonny Brodzinski
Brett Sutter – Mike Amadio – Teddy Purcell
Michael Mersch – Adrian Kempe – Sean Backman
Joel Lowry – Patrick Bjorkstrand – Sam Herr
Cameron Schilling – Vincent LoVerde
Kurtis MacDermid – Paul LaDue
Alex Lintuniemi – Zac Leslie
–San Diego’s lines for tonight:
Tonight's lineup! @NicKerdiles returns from his cup of coffee, and @Jack_Kopacka makes his professional debut! #FlightToTheCup pic.twitter.com/7iGTxNIaJ3
— San Diego Gulls (@SDGullsAHL) May 2, 2017
–Shortly before 5:30 p.m. PT, the Ducks announced that they reassigned forward Nic Kerdiles back to the Gulls. He’s expected to be eligible for tonight’s game. Both Kerdiles and Ondrej Kase were recalled by the Ducks on Sunday morning prior to Anaheim’s Game 3 in Edmonton.
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