REIGN PREVIEW 10/3 – Ontario vs. Coachella Valley

WHO: Ontario Reign (1-0-0-0) at Coachella Valley Firebirds (0-0-1-0)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #2
WHEN: Saturday, October 3 @ 6:00 Pacific
WHERE: Toyota Arena – Ontario, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey – AUDIO: Reign Radio – TWITTER: @ReignInsider & @OntarioReign

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: It’s a quick turnaround for both the Reign and Firebirds who squared off against one another less than 24 hours ago in Palm Desert, as Ontario gets ready for their home opener tonight.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Reign were able to erase three, two-goal deficits last evening and pick up 6-5 overtime victory as Jared Wright provided the game winning score 39 seconds into the extra frame from Kenny Connors and Angus Booth.

NEVER A DOUBT: Despite trailing last evening by two goals on three separate occasions the Reign showed great resiliency to earn a hard fought two points. Martin Chromiak got the Reign on the board 5:10 into the contest before J.R. Avon, Eduard Sale, and John Hayden struck in the first period with the Firebirds leading 3-1 after 20 minutes. After Taylor Ward scored his first of two on the evening 70 seconds into the second period Jani Nyman netted his first of two on the night 38 seconds later regaining Coachella’s two goal lead. Nyman’s second of the contest made it 5-3 with seven minutes to play in the middle frame. Francesco Pinelli got it back to a one-goal game with 35 seconds left in the second and then Ward’s second of the evening came with 4:44 remaining in regulation.

COLLECTIVE EFFORT: In the win last night five different skaters found the back of the net, 10 recorded at least one point, and five had multi-point outings including, Taylor Ward (2-1-3), Lane Pederson (1-2-3), Angus Booth (0-2-2), and Jared Wright (1-1-2).

SPECIAL TEAMS FILLED: There were a combined 42 penalty minutes across the game last night with Ontario finishing the night 2-for-7 on the power-play and Coachella going 2-for-4. The first power-play goal of the night came from Firebirds Captain John Hayden at 17:34 set up by Jagger Firkus. Lane Pederson scored on the man advantage from Taylor Ward at 4:58 of the second pulling the Reign deficit back to one then Jani Nyman with seven minutes left in the stanza made it 5-3 from Tyson Jugnauth and John Hayden. The last power-play score of the night was from Taylor Ward set up by Lane Pederson and Scott Perunovich at 15:16 of the third period tying the score at 5-5.

HERE’S HOW THEY LINED UP: We’ll have to wait until later tonight to see if either teams decide to make some lineup changes but below is how the two squads matched up last evening.

ONTARIO
Chromiak        Connors           Wright
Ward               Pederson         Guttman
Jämsen            Pinelli              Ziemmer
Čihař                Slukynsky        Doty

Kirsanov          Booth
Hicketts           Brzustewicz
Woolley           Perunovich

Portillo
George

COACHELLA VALLEY
AVON              MØLGAARD    FIRKUS
SALE                MIETTINEN      NYMAN
ROED               STEPHENS       HAYDEN
REHKOPF         EVERS              VILLENEUVE

OLOFSSON      NELSON
JUGNAUTH      HAMMELL
PRICE               DRAGICEVIC

KOKKO
OSTMAN