Live Blog: Reign at Roadrunners – 12/5/17

Ontario Reign 2 (9-9-0-1) vs. Tucson Roadrunners 5 (11-4-2-1)
Game #19
Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 6 p.m. PT
Tucson Arena in Tucson, Arizona
Referees: Stephen Reneau (#34), Terry Koharski (#10)
Linesmen: Fred Hudy (#30), Eric McDonald (#24)
Box Score

3rd Period:
– Puck is down for the 3rd period and BANG…TUC strikes as Tyler Gaudet puts one past Petersen 36 seconds in. Former ONT FW Mike Latta with assist. 3-2 TUC
2nd Period:
– TUC Goal: Mayo deflects in his first goal of the season at 2:19. In a flash, TUC takes a 4-2 lead. Was 2-2 at start of frame.
– ONT Penalty: Sam Herr takes a roughing call after a crease gathering.
– TUC Goal: Nick Merkley catches pass out of corner and knocks it past Petersen. 3rd PPG for TUC tonight. 5-2 lead for Roadrunners with 14:13 left in 3rd period.
– TUC 2/4 on power play. ONT is 2/5.
– TUC with three goals in first 5:32 of third period
– TUC Penalty: Latta off for holding the stick at 6:32. Opportunity for ONT to get back into the contest. Looking for 1st 3G PP performance of season
– Penalties continue to add up. ONT Justin Auger takes a seat for tripping at 10:45. 6th PP for TUC coming up. 5-2 TUC lead with 9:15 left in 3rd.
– Clock ticks away quickly in the 3rd period. ONT trails TUC 5-2. 2:19 left in contest.
– TUC Penalty: Tye McGinn called for goalie interference on Petersen with 2:19 left in 3rd period. 7th PP for ONT tonight. Down 5-2
– Tonight’s 7 power play chances for ONT is 2nd highest among this season. Went 1/8 on Nov. 4 vs. SD
– The game comes to a close. TUC takes a 5-2 win over @ontarioreign. TUC scored 3 goals in first 6 min of third period to break a 2-2 tie.

– Puck is down for the 2nd period and ONT takes a hooking call 1:20 into the frame. 4th PP for TUC. Matt Luff in the box. TUC up 2-0
– Petersen continues to keep ONT in the contest. Multiple saves in the early stages in the 2nd. 2-0 TUC 5:45 into frame.
– Adin Hill denies Justin Auger in close for his best save of the contest. Keeps it a 2-0 TUC lead. 11:40 left in 2nd
– TUC Penalty: 9:32 into the 2nd, Petersen takes a tripping call. ONT goes on 4th PP of game. 0/3. TUC up 2-0
– ONT Goal: Matt Luff knocks in a rebound on the power play. Brett Sutter with a good screen in front. 2-1 TUC
– T.J. Hensick extends his point streak to four games with primary assist on Luff power-play goal. All 3 goals tonight have been on PP. 2-1 TUC with 8:06 left in 2nd.
– TUC Penalty: Adam Clendening with roughing call at 14:32 of 2nd. ONT to 5th PP. 1/4 tonight. Down 2-1 to TUC
– ONT Goal: Zac Leslie strikes on the power play to make it 2-2. Traffic in front of Hill and guess who…Brett Sutter. 4:26 left in 2nd. ONT now 2/5 on PP tonight
– Tonight the 3rd time ONT has struck twice on the PP this season. Went 2/5 at CLE on 10/27 and 2/6 on 10/28 at CLE
– Complete reversal of 1st period for ONT. Shots 13-4 their favor in the frame. 2-2 late 2nd period.
– 2nd period comes to a close in TUC with ONT-TUC tied 2-2. All 4 goals scored on PP. ONT with both goals in 2nd. Luff and Leslie. Out shot TUC 13-4 in stanza

1st Period:
– ONT Starters: Petersen, Gravel, LaDue, Amadio, Wagner, Mersch. No Roy, Imama, Ward
– Tucson pressuring early. Shades of Sunday. Stothers call it a “gutsy” win. Another 60-min effort required
– Early PP for ONT. TUC’s Merkley called for hooking.
– PP comes to a close for ONT. Couple looks sneak on TUC goal Adin Hill. 0-0 with 6:28 gone in 1st period.
– Falkovsky covering some ground for ONT defense. Breaks odd-man rush with outstretched stick. Follows up with big hit.
– Petersen comes up with the save of the game already. Denies TUC with full splits right-pad save. 0-0 with 11:06 left in 1st period.
– ONT Penalty: Zac Leslie picks up an interference well away from the puck. 10:25 left in 1st. 0-0. 1st PP for TUC. TUC 4th in AHL on man-advantage
– TUC Goal: Looke catches pass and beats Petersen past the blocker. 1-0 TUC with 9:15 left in 1st. PPG for TUC
– TUC Penalty: Roadrunners flagged following center face off. Mayo off for a hold. ONT goes on 2nd PP. 0/1 and down 1-0. 8:54 left in 1st
– Reign PP having a tough time. Amadio and LaDue collide into each other and then Mersch and Walker collide. ONT now 0/2.
– TUC Penalty: Kempe (not that Kempe) takes a tripping. Back-to-back looks for ONT. Down 1-0 with 6:06 left in 1st
– 3rd ONT PP comes to a close. Set up better, but no chances. 3:48 left in 1st. 1-0 TUC
– ONT Penalty: Puck hops over the glass with 1:45 left in 1st. D Sean Walker goes off for Delay of Game. 1-0 TUC
– ONT running into penalty trouble. Interference to Justin Auger at 18:21. 5on3 for TUC late 1st period. Up 1-0
– TUC Goal: Wood sets up Sislo for 5on3 PPG. 2-0 TUC with seconds to go in 1st period.
– A first period ONT would like to forget. TUC up 2-0 with a pair of power-play goals. Looke and Sislo. TUC out shot ONT 15-5. TUC will have PP time to start 2nd period.

Pregame:
What a busy day in Reignland.
– – NHL veteran forward Matt Moulson loaned to Reign from Buffalo (NHL)
– Tonight is Game 2 of a five-game road trip for the Reign. Started journey with a 4-2 win at Tucson on Sunday.
– Reign goaltenders continue to be the backbone of the team’s success. Cal Petersen leads the AHL with a 1.59 goals-against average and is third with a .941 save percentage. Jack Campbell sits seventh in the league with a 2.23 goals-against average.
– The Reign have allowed two goals or less in 10 of their last 12 contests. As a result, they are 9-2-0-1 over that stretch.