REIGN PREVIEW – Ontario at Abbotsford 10/30

WHO: Ontario Reign (5-0-1) at Abbotsford Canucks (3-2-1)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR SEASON GAME #7
WHEN: Saturday, October 30, @ 7:00 PM (Pacific)
WHERE: Abbotsford Centre – Abbotsford, BC
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: AHLTV – TWITTER: @ontarioreign & @ShafReign

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: On Saturday night the Ontario Reign close out their series with the Abbotsford Canucks, doing battle for the fourth time in their first seven games of the 2021-22 season. Friday’s 5-2 win for Ontario was the first game in the series that did not require overtime after the two teams needed a shootout in the first matchup and the second contest was won in overtime on a goal by Martin Frk. The weekend series marks the first time this season Ontario has played away from its Toyota Arena home. Ontario has earned at least a point in six straight games to start the year.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Reign have already seen the Canucks three times this season after a pair of meetings at Toyota Arena that were both decided in extra time on October 17 and 19. Tonight’s game is the fourth of eight meetings between the teams this year. Abbotsford came into the weekend after sweeping the Henderson Silver Knights by scores of 3-2 and 3-0 last week.

LAST TIME OUT: Three goals in the third period pushed the Ontario Reign past the Abbotsford Canucks in the first game of a weekend series by a final score of 5-2 on Friday night at the Abbotsford Centre. Ontario defender Sean Durzi led the way with two goals and an assist, while forwards Tyler Madden, Johan Sodergran and Brett Sutter also found the back of the net in a game that saw the Reign outshoot the Canucks 36-18.

DURZI DOMINATES: Defender Sean Durzi had a breakout game in Friday’s victory, posting a career-high four points to help his team defeat Abbotsford. It was also Durzi’s first-career multi-goal game and the third time he’s recorded three or more points in an AHL contest. The Mississauga, Ont. native broke a 2-2 tie at 4:55 of the third period with his first goal of the year before adding a power play tally with just 2:05 to play that put the game out of reach for the Canucks. Durzi is one of the Reign’s leaders on the back end and now has six total points in six games this season.

VILLALTA’S EXCEPTIONAL START: Goaltender Matt Villalta has run with his opportunity in the crease, posting an unblemished 4-0-0 record along with a goals-against average of 1.99 and a save percentage at 0.924 to begin the 2020-21 year. His most recent outing on Friday had him face only 18 shots on goal after he needed a season-high 33 saves to defeat San Diego last Saturday. The Kingston, Ont. native is in his third pro season with the Reign and has a record of 22-14-3-1 in 44 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 six contests. A loss to Bakersfield in their first-ever game has been one of just two regulation defeats they’ve suffered in the early part of the season. 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, while former Ontario forward Sheldon Rempal has assisted on six of the team’s tallies. After scoring twice on Friday, Sheldon Dries leads the team with four goals on the season, while Danila Klimovich has found the back of the net twice. Goaltenders Michael DiPietro and Arturs Silovs have each made three appearances in the team’s six games. Silovs, who recorded a shutout of Henderson last weekend, has a 2.28 goals-against average and a 0.929 save percentage in his first full AHL campaign.

MADDEN MAKES IT COUNT: Forward Tyler Madden scored Ontario’s first goal of Friday night’s win, his second of the season, while on the power play in the middle period to even the contest at 1-1 off a feed by linemate TJ Tynan. While Madden has only accounted for two goals during the young season, he has registered 16 shots on net, which ranks him third on the team. Madden was originally drafted by Vancouver in the 3rd round of the 2018 NHL Draft and has almost matched his point total of five (1g, 4a) from 14 games last year in just six outings this season with two goals and two assists.

BLUELINERS AIDING OFFENSE: In Ontario’s last four games, each of them wins, the team’s blueliners have been major contributors on the offensive end. Last Tuesday’s overtime victory over Abbotsford saw four of the six Reign defensemen register assists. Then on Friday, Kale Clague posted a pair of helpers that included the game-winning goal by Austin Strand. Last Saturday in a win over San Diego, Swedish defenders Helge Grans and Jacob Moverare got their names on the scoresheet, recording two assists apiece. Most recently on Friday in Abbotsford, Sean Durzi had a 3-point night with two goals and an assist, while Markus Phillips earned his first point of the year with a helper on a goal by Brett Sutter.