11/21 REIGN FINAL – Reign 6, Firebirds 0 – Sturm, Tynan

The Ontario Reign (9-4-1-1) earned their second straight shutout win Tuesday night, defeating the Coachella Valley Firebirds (8-6-0) by a final score of 6-0 on the road at Acrisure Arena. The blank slate was Ontario’s second shutout of Coachella Valley in Palm Desert this season, both of which came with David Rittich in net, who made 24 saves.

Reign captain TJ Tynan assisted on four of his team’s goals, while Samuel Fagemo scored twice and added an assist. Defender Brandt Clarke posted two helpers in the victory, which extended his current point streak to seven games.

BOX SCORE

Rittich improved his record to 5-3-2 in 10 appearances with Ontario, posting a 2.61 goals-against average. The Reign had a big night on special teams, going 3-for-4 on the power play while holding the Firebirds to an 0-for-2 mark on the man-advantage.

Late in the first period while the game was still scoreless, Reign defender Tobias Bjornfot left the game with an injury sustained on a hit into the boards by Coachella Valley forward Jacob Melanson. Melanson was assessed a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct, giving the Reign a five-minute power play.

Fagemo broke through first for Ontario during the man-advantage in the final minute of the first with his fourth goal of the season in four AHL games with the Reign. His strike came off a wrist shot from the left circle that beat goaltender Ales Stezka over his right shoulder and had assists credited to both Tynan and Clarke.

Tyler Madden extended Ontario’s advantage at 11:54 of the second, scoring his fourth goal of the season by knocking home a rebound off an initial shot by Fagemo to make it 2-0.

Then later in the middle frame, after a Coachella Valley turnover at their own blue line to Mikhail Maltsev at 17:35, Francesco Pinelli put the Reign up 3-0 with a high-end stickhandling move and finish from the top of the crease.

The Firebirds were unable to get anything going on offense in the third, held down by an Ontario attack that produced three more goals in the final frame.

Samuel Helenius picked up his first tally of the year at 2:12 of the third, sliding a rebound past Stezka after Alex Turcotte drove the puck to the net for an initial chance. Tynan earned the second helper on the strike, which was the fourth of Helenius’ AHL career.

Fagemo then added his second power play goal of the contest at 11:11 of the third, blasting a one-timer short side on a cross-ice feed by Clarke.

With the game in hand late in the third, Martin Chromiak put an exclamation point on the win for the Reign, scoring his fifth goal of the season by banking the puck off of Stezka’s back and into the net. The strike was Ontario’s third power play goal of the night and had a lone assist from Madden.

Postgame thoughts from head coach Marco Sturm and Tynan are below.

Marco Sturm

TJ Tynan

The Reign will return to action this weekend in San Jose for a pair of matchups against the Barracuda at Tech CU Arena, beginning Friday at 7 p.m.