REIGN PREVIEW 10/19 – Ontario vs. Colorado

WHO: Ontario Reign (1-0-1-0) vs. Colorado Eagles (3-0-0-0)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #4
WHEN: Friday, October 19 @ 3:00 Pacific
WHERE: Toyota Arena – Ontario, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey – AUDIO: Reign Radio – TWITTER: @ReignInsider & @OntarioReign

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign and Colorado Eagles square off in the first of eight total meetings this season, the first of four in Ontario at Toyota Arena. The Reign wrap up a four-game homestand looking to bounce back after a 2-0 loss on Friday vs. Henderson before hitting the road for the next five games. Meanwhile, Colorado has begun the season with a 3-0-0 record after collecting a 3-1 win on the road in Coachella Valley last night.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: For the Reign, Martin Chromiak is slated to play in his 200^th career AHL becoming just one of six players in franchise history to play 200 gams as a member of the Reign. Glenn Gawdin is two points shy of 300 career AHL points. Chromiak notched his 100^th career AHL point last Sunday with a power-play goal in the third period while Gawdin is looking to find the scoresheet for the first time this year after finishing second on the club last year in points, goals, and assists (26-36-62). For the Eagles, Danil Gushchin has four goals through the first three games after potting two goals last evening for his second multi-score game of the year. Familiar face to Ontario, T.J. Tynan collected three assists in Colorado’s opening night victory defeating Calgary 7-4 on Oct. 10 but has been held off the scoresheet since. Tynan is the franchise leader in points and assists having appeared in 205 games notching 245 points (31-214-245) in three seasons from 2021-24 leading the Reign in scoring all three years. During the 2021-22 campaign he was named AHL MVP finishing second in the league with 98 points and first with 84 assists.

 BETWEEN TWO PIPES: Erik Portillo of the Reign has made three straight starts to begin the season and has allowed just two goals in back-to-back starts. He suffered the loss on Friday making 23 stops on 25 shots. Isak Posch of the Eagles has also made three straight starts after recording 19 saves on 20 shots last evening. After allowing four goals on 17 shots in the season opener on Oct. 10, Posch has turned aside 37 of 38 shots that have come his way since including a 18 save shutout on Oct. 11, a 1-0 win over Calgary.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Ontario and Colorado split last year’s season series as each team won four meetings. The Reign won the final three meetings with two of the three contests being determined by one-goal at Toyota Arena. Colorado shutout Ontario on home ice in the previous two meetings having won four of the first five meetings. The Eagles outscored the Reign 28-22 as Jacob McDonald paced the way with eight points (6-2-8). Glenn Gawdin tied for the Ontario team lead with seven points (5-2-7). Erik Portillo’s lone appearance against Colorado was a 4-2 loss on Jan. 29 where he made 21 saves on 25 shots. Neither Isak Posch nor Kyle Keyser of the Eagles have appeared against Ontario in their careers. The Reign went (3-for-22, 13.6%) on the power-play while Colorado went (4-for-24, 16.7%).

STAYING OUT OF THE BOX: Through their first three games the Reign have taken 17 minor penalties. They’ve been short-handed 13 times this season having allowed four power-play goals against. Ontario’s 322 minor penalties a year ago were 10^th most in the AHL while they also finished 10^th on the penalty kill (213-for-255, 83.5%).

PUCKS TO THE NET: The Reign have averaged just 21 shots for per game through the first three contests ranking 32^nd in the league. In their first nine periods of play they’ve hit double digits in shots in a stanza on just one occasion when they produced 13 in the second period last Sunday. Ontario is fifth in the AHL allowing just 24.33 shots against per game having kept their opponents to single digits in six of their first nine frames.

 SCOUTING THE EAGLES: The Colorado Eagles are the only team in the Pacific Division with an undefeated record and just one of six teams in the AHL with a perfect record. They’ve scored 11 goals through their first three games while surrendering just five. Currently in their eighth AHL season, the Eagles had their best campaign in franchise history last year setting records with 43 wins and 94 points finishing first in the Pacific Division. Mark Letestu is under the helm as head coach this season after spending the last four years as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Monsters. Former head coach Aaron Schneekloth was named an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken this past off-season.