REIGN PREVIEW – Ontario at Abbotsford 10/29

WHO: Ontario Reign (4-0-1) at Abbotsford Canucks (3-1-1)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR SEASON GAME #6
WHEN: Friday, October 29, @ 7:00 PM (Pacific)
WHERE: Abbotsford Centre – Abbotsford, BC
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: AHLTV – TWITTER: @ontarioreign & @ShafReign

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign are in Abbotsford for the first of two straight matchups with the Canucks Friday night. After a five-game homestand in Ontario to begin the season, Friday’s contest is the first game for the Reign outside of the friendly confines of Toyota Arena. Ontario earned at least a point from all five home contests to start the year.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Reign have already seen the Canucks twice this season with a pair of meetings at Toyota Arena that were both decided in extra time on October 17 and 19. Abbotsford took the first-ever game between the two clubs in a shootout by a final score of 5-4 before Martin Frk evened up the series with an overtime-winning goal two nights later. Tonight’s game is the third of eight meetings between the teams this year. Abbotsford is coming off a sweep of the Henderson Silver Knights last weekend, winning by scores of 3-2 and 3-0.

LAST TIME OUT: Ontario finished off their season-opening five-game homestand with a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Gulls on Dia de Muertos Night Saturday at Toyota Arena. Forward Tyler Madden and defenders Helge Grans and Jacob Moverare each had two assists in the win, while five different skaters found the back of the net for the Reign and goaltender Matt Villalta turned aside 33 saves to improve to 3-0-0 on the year.

BOUNCES GO BURKE’S WAY: Forward Brayden Burke has gotten off to a hot start in his first season with Ontario, scoring three times in the team’s first five games. All three goals have required a friendly bounce, which Burke has taken in stride. Two of the three have come on the power play, while his most recent strike in Saturday’s win over San Diego was deflected from a low angle near the goal line. The puck went up and over the shoulder of goaltender Olle Eriksson Ek and into the net to give the Reign a 2-0 lead in the first period. The Edmonton, Alta. native is in his fourth pro season after spending his first three campaigns with the Tucson Roadrunners where he scored 99 points in 146 games on 35 goals and 64 assists.

VILLALTA’S EXCEPTIONAL START: Goaltender Matt Villalta has run with his opportunity in the crease, posting an unblemished 3-0-0 record along with a goals-against average of 1.98 and a save percentage at 0.931 to begin the 2020-21 year. His most recent outing included a season-high 33 saves to defeat San Diego for the second time. The Kingston, Ont. native is in his third pro season with the Reign and has a record of 21-14-3-1 in 43 appearances with the club.

SCOUTING THE CANUCKS: Abbottsford, the newest addition to the AHL’s Pacific Division, has begun its inaugural season with three wins in its first five contests. A loss to Bakersfield in their first-ever game has been the only regulation defeat they’ve suffered so far. Forward Justin Bailey produced six points with three goals and three assists in the first two weeks which led to a call-up from Vancouver. Former Ontario forward Sheldon Rempal has assisted on four of the team’s tallies, while Sheldon Dries and Danila Klimovich each have scored two goals apiece. Goaltender Michael DiPietro has made three appearances, while Arturs Silovs recorded the team’s first shutout last weekend and is 2-0-0, allowing just two goals to begin his first full AHL campaign.

WATCH WAGS FLY: Forward Austin Wagner built off his big night in last Friday’s win over Bakersfield, finding the back of the net for the second straight game in the second period Saturday. After streaking down the right wing and moving in on goal for his first tally of the season Friday, the Calgary, Alta. native cashed in on a chance set up by defender Helge Grans and Tyler Madden for the fourth Ontario goal of the evening in a 5-1 victory over San Diego on Saturday. Wagner has now scored 37 goals since turning pro, with 15 of them coming as a member of the Reign.

BLUELINERS AIDING OFFENSE: In Ontario’s last three games, each of them wins, the team’s blueliners have been major contributors on the offensive end. Tuesday’s overtime victory over Abbotsford saw four of the six Reign defensemen register assists, while Kale Clague posted a pair of helpers Friday night that included the game-winning goal by Austin Strand. On Saturday it was Swedish defenders Helge Grans and Jacob Moverare who got their names on the scoresheet, each posting two assists. The two combined to help produce Ontario’s first goal of the game by Aidan Dudas, while Grans later picked up a helper on Austin Wagner’s second period tally and Moverare set up fellow Swede Samuel Fagemo’s third goal of 2021-22 late in the third period.