REIGN FINAL – ONT 3 , CV 2 (OT) – Lord, Alexandrov, Booth

The Ontario Reign (26-12-1-1) defeated the Coachella Valley Firebirds (25-12-2-1) Friday night by a final score of 3-2 in overtime in front of 6,545 fans at Acrisure Arena posting a record of 4-2-0 on the six-game road trip. The Reign will host the Colorado Eagles Saturday at Toyota Arena for a 6 p.m. puck-drop.

After the Firebirds tied the contest on an extra attacker score with 2:21 left in regulation, Nikita Alexandrov capped off a two-point night scoring his 10^th of the season for the overtime winner 34 seconds into the extra session. Cole Guttman scored for his third straight game and now has eight tallies in his last nine games while also finishing the night with an assist. Glenn Gawdin started the scoring in the first period with his seventh of the season. Francesco Pinelli recorded his first fighting major of the season while Jacob Doty notched his team leading fourth of the campaign. Erik Portillo made 32 saves as he has now won five straight games since returning from injury and nine consecutive decisions. Ontario improved to 15-3-1-1 in one-score games this season having won six straight.

 The score read 1-1 through the opening 20 minutes of play with the Firebirds holding the edge in shots 12-7 in a penalty free first period. Glenn Gawdin (7^th) gave Ontario a 1-0 lead from Nikita Alexandrov and Martin Chromiak 6:16 into the game. At the left point Chromiak delivered the puck down to Alexandrov behind the net where he sent a backhand feed to Gawdin in the left circle. From there Gawdin snapped the puck towards the cage quickly beating Jack LaFontaine far side. Eduard Šalé tied the score at 1-1 with a wrist shot from the high slot off the right post and in with 2:22 left in the stanza.

Erik Portillo stopped all 13 shots that he faced in the second period as Coachella Valley outshot Ontario 13-2 in the frame. Jacob Doty and Ian McKinnon dropped the gloves at 6:24 while the Reign killed off two minor penalties.

Cole Guttman (13^th) put the Reign in front 2-1 just 2:36 into the final period from Angus Booth and Logan Brown. At the right-wing wall Brown worked a takeaway and fed Booth at the blue line where he sent a shot towards the net and Guttman cleaned up the rebound. The Firebirds pulled their goaltender with a little under three minutes to play in regulation and John Hayden tied the score with 2:21 remaining finishing off a passing play with a backdoor score at the crease. Shots were even at seven a piece in the final stanza as overtime was needed to provide a winner.

It took just 24 seconds into the overtime session for Nikita Alexandrov (10^th) to end the game on a setup from Cole Guttman giving the Reign a 3-2 win. Guttman led a two-on-one up the right side from his own blue line. Once he got to the top of the right circle, he slid the puck over to Alexandrov driving down the center lane where he sent the puck short-side into the cage.

Erik Portillo made 32 saves on 34 shots in the win for Ontario. Jack LaFontaine made six saves on seven shots in the first period for Coachella Valley while Victor Östman suffered the loss making eight saves on 10 shots in relief.

Ontario did not have a power-play in the contest while they went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

BOX SCORE

Postgame thoughts from Andrew Lord, Nikita Alexandrov, and Angus Booth.

Lord
On the win
Yeah we found a way. First 10 loved it. I thought we were really good at the races,  generated, got the first goal, and then let off the gas a little bit. Give them credit they’re a heck of hockey team and have some real mobile defensemen that gave us a lot of trouble tonight. I thought the 30 minutes from probably the 10 minute mark in the first through the second period we were we were just not ourselves. We were really slow and sluggish and a little bit uncharacteristic.  Give the guys credit they came out got the first goal there to give us a lead which was huge. Unfortunately we give them one six on five. Then found a way in overtime is great so happy to get the win. 

Getting back on home ice after playing six straight on the road
Yeah we’re excited for tomorrow. It feels like it’s been a while for sure and we get a really tough opponent tomorrow. I know the place will be rocking and the guys will be ready.

Alexandrov
On the overtime goal and winning in overtime
I mean obviously I was the last guy back and it was kind of a one on one and we won the puck back. Gutty knew it was a two on one and I had a feeling that he was going to make the pass with his skill. I think just our character in general as a team helps us because we all want to win. Everyone wants to be the hero but it’s  more of a team thing here and  everyone wants to win and everyone knows what to do so it’s fun to be a part of.

On Erik Portillo
He’s been good always for us and he kept us in that game. It was obviously not our best performance tonight but happy we were able to get the win for him.

Booth
Being able to win close games
I think we just have the confidence to know that we’re able to do it and whenever we get there we know what we’re doing. We have good coaches that have good plans in place for us. 

Being out in overtime
Yeah it’s great. I think I’m getting the coaches trust every day and that’s awesome. Just sticking to my game and good things will happen.