Akil Thomas pulled off a highlight-reel goal in overtime, using a spin move to create space before backhanding the puck to the top corner and sent the Ontario Reign (33-21-3-4) past the Calgary Wranglers (31-22-5-3) by a final score of 2-1 on Friday night at Toyota Arena.
Thomas also had an assist in the win, which featured a tying goal by Tyler Madden in the third period. Goaltender Erik Portillo stopped 30 shots for Ontario to earn the win in the crease and reduce the Reign’s magic number to clinch a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs to eight.
Calgary outshot Ontario 11-5 in the opening period, but neither team was able to make a dent on the scoreboard. The Reign’s best chance came from Samuel Fagemo, who hit the post on a breakaway after a deke to his backhand.
Ben Jones broke through for the Wranglers during a power play at 4:28 of the second period with the first goal of the contest. Jones’ 20th goal of the season had Calgary in front 1-0 through 40 minutes despite Ontario putting 14 shot attempts on goal during the middle period.
But Madden got the Reign even at 7:02 of the third, scoring for the second straight game by one-timing a saucer pass from Brandt Clarke into the net for his 14th tally of the year. Thomas was credited with the second assist on the play.
The winning overtime strike came with 1:30 remaining in the extra session on Ontario’s second shot of OT. Steven Santini started from deep in the Reign zone and found Thomas with space on the left side of the ice. The attacker then took it the rest of the way, converting on his most impressive goal of the campaign to earn Ontario the extra point from the contest.
Calgary ended 1-for-3 on the man-advantage and successfully held the Reign to an 0-for-3 night on the power play. Each team finished with a total of 31 shots on goal in game and Wranglers’ netminder Oscar Dansk stopped 29 attempts in a losing effort.
It was also the eighth and final game between the two during the 2023-24 regular season, with the Reign winning five to capture the season series.
Postgame thoughts from Sturm as well as Thomas, Clarke and Madden are below.
Marco Sturm
On Akil Thomas’ spectacular spin-o-rama goal in overtime
We were very excited. The whole bench was very excited. The whole building was. What a move, and when you get a reward like that on that kind of stuff he pulled, good for him.
On tonight’s effort compared to Wednesday
It was a totally different game [tonight]. We didn’t like the way we played the last couple of games. We talked about it. I thought we had a good practice the other day and we came out totally different. Those playoff hockey games will be tight. Little mistakes and little things will matter and that’s exactly what happened tonight.
On the full team effort tonight
We needed it. A few guys were missing. The young guys were the fourth line and Doty even moved up to the third line. We need all those guys right now. That’s the only way we can hold those kinds of wins together. The big guys have been pretty good at leading us all year but sometimes you need some other guys to step up. I thought we definitely had everyone tonight.
On Akil Thomas’ impact
He’s been outstanding all year long. He has been a leader. It’s funny, two games ago with Hudon out and some other guys playing a lot of minutes, I told him to take charge. That’s exactly what he did. I’m not surprised. He’s not done yet. Not this year, but hopefully down the stretch he’ll get a crack with the Kings.
Akil Thomas
Brandt Clarke
On Akil Thomas’ overtime winner
Oh, that was insane. That was one of the nicest goals I’ve seen in my entire life. To do it in overtime to win the game, in a tight game and a defensive battle, is pretty impressive. All credit to him and I’m happy we got the job done.
On assisting Tyler Madden’s game-tying goal
I just stretched it up the ice and then followed the play up and luckily Akil got his head up. He slid it over to me and it was kind of a two-on-one. The defense slid and I knew the only way I could get it to him was to put it in the air a little bit. Luckily it sat flat. Sometimes that will bounce at the last second and it wont work out. This time it didn’t. It sat flat and [Madden] did a great job there, and that’s good on him.
On the team pulling out another win from a tight game
We’re a resilient group. We don’t quit on each other at all, even in those games we were losing. There was still belief in those games that we could come back and pull it off. We didn’t start a spiral or anything. There’s always positivity and the proof of that is us pulling out another comeback win like this one.
Tyler Madden
The Reign cap off a week of three consecutive home games on Sunday afternoon when they host the Bakersfield Condors at 3 p.m. at Toyota Arena.
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