REIGN PREVIEW 3/11 – Ontario at Tucson

WHO: Ontario Reign (31-19-3-1) at Tucson Roadrunners (27-23-3-2)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #55
WHEN: Tuesday, March 11 @ 6:30 PM Pacific
WHERE: Tucson Arena – Tucson, AZ
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey – AUDIO: ESPN LA App / Reign Radio – TWITTER: @ShafReign & @OntarioReign

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign begin a two-game set in Tucson against the Roadrunners on Tuesday night at the Tucson Arena. This week’s visit to Arizona is Ontario’s second and final trip to the Old Pueblo after earning a pair of victories here on back-to-back nights Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Reign are looking to get back on track after a slow start to March, which has seen the team go 0-4-1 from its last five outings, including a 4-1 loss to Tucson at Toyota Arena last week. Despite its struggles, Ontario remains in fourth place in the Pacific Division standings and just four points out of first, where Colorado and Coachella Valley sit, each with 70 points. The Roadrunners hold the seventh and final playoff position in the division and are just two points back of sixth-place Abbotsford, but also only two points ahead of eighth-place Bakersfield. Ontario still averages the third-most shots on goal in the league (31.98) while allowing the second-lowest total per game (26.07). Tucson is just outside the league’s top-10 on the power play, posting a 19.9% conversion rate that ranks 12th best in the AHL.

LAST TIME OUT: A late goal by Jan Myšák broke a deadlock late in the third period and sent the San Diego Gulls past the Ontario Reign by a 5-3 score at Pechanga Arena on Saturday night. Luke Rowe factored into two of the three Reign goals, scoring one and assisting on another, while Jeff Malott and Jack Studnicka also found the back of the net for Ontario in the loss.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Reign earned wins from their first four meetings with Tucson this season before losing their most recent matchup in Ontario on Wednesday. Ontario held the Roadrunners to just one goal in three of their winning efforts and also outlasted them in a shootout on the first day of February. Overall, Ontario has outscored Tucson 16-11 in the series and outshot them 169-120. The Reign have netted two power play goals (9.5%) and surrendered just three on 21 opportunities (85.7%). Glenn Gawdin and Charles Hudon lead Ontario in this year’s series, each earning an identical six points on two goals and four assists. Hudon, who had three points against the Roadrunners on Feb. 12, has been on the scoresheet in four of the five matchups. Jeff Malott has also posted five points on four goals and one assist. A year ago, the two teams were evenly matched, with each winning four of the eight scheduled meetings during the 2023-24 regular season, despite Ontario outscoring Tucson 30-19.

POWERFUL PINELLI: Reign forward Francesco Pinelli scored his second shorthanded goal of the season in Friday’s overtime loss to San Diego and added a primary assist on Samuel Fagemo’s power play strike during the first period. The second-year attacker then earned an assist on Luke Rowe’s goal just 1:19 into Saturday’s game at Pechanga Arena, giving him 24 points overall on the season. Pinelli’s recent goal was his 13th, tying his output from his rookie year during 2023-24, which he accomplished in 67 appearances. The Stoney Creek, Ontario native hit his stride in December, scoring six goals during the month, before tallying just two each in January and February. Friday’s multi-point effort was the seventh time Pinelli has had two points in a game during 2024-25 and the ninth such effort of his pro career, which now includes 120 games and 44 points (26 goals, 18 assists).

SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS: Tucson finished in second place in the Pacific Division standings last season but bowed out in the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, dropping a best-of-3 series to the Calgary Wranglers. The Roadrunners are 6-2-1-1 from their last 10 matchups and are coming into Tuesday’s contests after splitting an important weekend series in Bakersfield. Forward Kailer Yamamoto leads the team in scoring with 47 points in 45 games this season on 17 goals and 30 assists. Forward Egor Sokolov has also made a big impact with 39 points on 20 goals and 19 assists, while Cameron Hebig has just as many points (39) while leading the club with 21 goals. Defenders Robbie Russo and Artem Duda lead the blueliners with 28 and 22 points, respectively, with each having scored three times. In net, Jaxson Stauber has split time with former Reign goaltender Matt Villalta, with Stauber earning a recall to Utah this week. Villalta is 14-18-3 from 35 contests with a 2.91 goals-against average, a 0.909 save percentage and three shutouts. The Roadrunners have recalled netminder Dylan Wells from ECHL Allen, who has previously appeared in three AHL contests for them this season.

ROWE POSTS FIRST MULTI-POINT EFFORT: Reign defender Luke Rowe tallied a goal and an assist on Saturday in San Diego to record the first multi-point night of his professional career. The Succasunna, N.J. native now has two goals on the season and three in his 47 career AHL appearances, along with seven assists, to give him 10 points with Ontario. Most impressively, Rowe has accumulated a plus-18 rating from his 42 games played this year, which is the best number on the Reign and the 10th-highest in the league. Since the beginning of February, Rowe has accounted for a plus-7 rating and has been even or better in 13 of his last 14 outings.

OLSON RECALLED, BERGE REASSIGNED: Ontario announced multiple transactions with their ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, on Monday, recalling forward Quinn Olson for the first time during the regular season while reassigning defender Parker Berge. Olson, 23, has recorded 19 points with Greenville during his rookie professional season, scoring six goals and 13 assists in 29 appearances. The attacker made his pro debut with Ontario last season after completing his collegiate career at Minnesota-Duluth and then got postseason experience with the Swamp Rabbits, playing in six ECHL playoff games where he put up four points on two goals and two assists. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Olson spent five seasons in the NCAA and totaled 175 career games, hitting the 20-point mark three times to total 96 points on 27 goals and 69 assists. Olson was originally selected by the Boston Bruins in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft (92nd overall). Berge, 22, is also in his rookie professional season and has skated in 49 games for Greenville, earning 35 points on six goals and 29 assists, along with a +10 rating.

Reign Check Gameday Forecast

2024-25 Head-to-Head Schedule vs. Tucson:
Wed., Nov. 13 vs. Tucson, 4-1 W – Full Recap
Fri., Jan. 31 at Tucson, 2-1 W – Full Recap
Sat., Feb. 1 at Tucson, 5-4 SOW – Full Recap
Wed., Feb. 12 vs. Tucson, 4-1 W – Full Recap
Wed., Mar. 5 vs. Tucson, 1-4 L – Full Recap
Tue., Mar. 11 at Tucson, 6:30 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 12 at Tucson, 6:30 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 26 vs. Tucson, 7 p.m.