Live Blog: Reign at Roadrunners – 12/3/17

Ontario Reign 4 (9-8-0-1) vs. Tucson Roadrunners 2 (10-3-2-1)
Game #18
Sunday, December 3, 2017, 3 p.m. PT
Tucson Arena in Tucson, Arizona
Referees: Andrew Wilk (#57), Mitch Dunning (#3)
Linesmen: Colin Besch (#58), Brent Hooks (#20)
Box Score

3rd Period:
– Puck is down for the 3rd period. ONT up 3-1 with goals from Mersch, Auger and Hensick
– ONT Goal: Hensick picks up his 2nd goal of the game 49 seconds into the 3rd period from Luff and Leslie. Deflection from point shot. 4-1 ONT early in 3rd period.
– TUC Goal: Roadrunners come right back as Looke one-times Cheek pass from below the goal line to make it a 4-2 Reign advantage. 4:53 into 3rd period.
– ONT Penalty: Zac Leslie in for hooking at 8:27. TUC holds all the PP chances tonight. Going on 3rd opportunity. 4-2 ONT
– TUC Penalty: Crouse picks up a boarding on Gravel seconds after TUC PP starts. 4on4. 1st infraction against TUC. 8:45 of 3rd. 4-2 ONT
– Jack Campbell once again stands tall for ONT. Denies wrap-around and shot in low slot. TUC with 37shots to ONT’s 20. 6:22 left in 3rd. 4-2 ONT
– Lintuniemi and Bunting locked up and tumble down. Legs wrapped up. Video showed dangerous angles with skate blades. Lintuniemi NOT happy and holds up Bunting. 3:05 left in contest. 4-2 ONT
– Campbell has now tied a personal season high with 36 saves. Now easily passed with flurry in front. Up to 38 now.
– Miska pulled for TUC. 6on5 with 1:15 left in game. 4-2 ONT
– TUC Penalty: Clendening takes a tripping call with 36 sec left. All but seals the deal.
– That’s the ball game. ONT down TUC 4-2 in 1st meeting. Campbell with 38 saves. Hensick with 2g. Auger and Mersch the others. Campbell the top star of this one.

2nd Period:
– Shades of the 1st period, TUC comes out with pressure and chances in front of Campbell. ONT sits tight.
– Open hockey in the midway stretch of the 2nd period. Both teams kept to the outside. 2-0 ONT with 11:40 left.
– TUC Goal: Roadrunners grab #TeddyBearToss goal on 2on2 rush. Capobianco beats Campbell off the right post. 2-1 ONT with 7:25 left in 2nd period.
– TUC keeps the pressure up following the Teddy Bear Toss goal. Point-blank looks and Campbell denies. 2-1 ONT with 3:46 left in 2nd period.
– ONT with just two shots in the 2nd period. D tested
– ONT Goal: Brett Sutter screens Miska on top of crease and Hensick fires it in with 1:44 left in 2nd period. 3-1 ONT.
– TUC Goal: Roadrunners come right back as Looke one-times Cheek pass from below the goal line to make it a 4-2 Reign advantage. 4:53 into 3rd period.

1st Period:
– Austin Wagner on the ice for warmups and pregame festivities. Looks to make pro debut today vs. @RoadrunnersAHL
– ONT Starters: Campbell: Gravel, LaDue, Amadio, Wagner, Mersch
– Tucson with a handful of chances in opening seconds. ONT scrambles and gets clear. Jack Campbell tested quickly. Also…Teddy Bear Toss in TUC today…
– Quick start for TUC. Pressure early. 3:23 into contest. 0-0
– ONT Goal: Michael Mersch opens the game scoring by crashing the front of the net and making it 1-0 with 15:25 left in 1st. D Sean Walker with lone assist.
– ONT Goal: Auger makes it 2-0 on a nice break down the right wing. Beats Miska clean from left-wing circle.
– ONT Penalty: Sutter in the box for tripping at 9:24 of 1st period. 2-0 ONT
– ONT PK stands tall. Quick return to ice for Sutter. 2-0 ONT with 8:19 left in 1st period.
– ONT Penalty: Jamie Devane at 17:02 takes a seat for hooking. 2nd PP for TUC. ONT up 2-0.
– PP comes quietly to a close for TUC. 0/2 for TUC. ONT up 2-0 with 1 min left in 1st period.
– 1st period comes to a close. ONT up 2-0 with goals from Mersch and Auger. ONT leads in shots 14-12. Good period by Jack Campbell.

Pregame:
– The Reign and Roadrunners met in preseason action on September 29 with the Reign prevailing 5-3. Recap
– The Roadrunners celebrated their first season in the AHL and in the Pacific Division last season. Over 12 meetings, the Reign went 5-5-2-0 against their new division rivals. Forward Jonny Brodzinski, now with the Kings, led the Reign against the Roadrunners with 10 points (six goals, four assists). Goalie Jack Campbell went 5-2-1 in eight appearances against Tucson with a 1.88 goals-against average and .934 save percentage.
– On Friday, the Reign saw a season-high four-game winning streak come to a close in a 3-2 setback to the San Diego Gulls at Citizens Business Bank Area. Heading into today’s contest, the Reign are 7-2-0-1 in their last 10 games. Forward Andrew Crescenzi saw a five-game point streak come to a close (three goals, four assists).
– The Roadrunner currently lead the Pacific Division with a 10-3-2-1 record and are 6-2-1-1 in their last 10 games.