REIGN FINAL – Heat 6, Reign 5 (SO) – Hajt, Kupari

The Stockton Heat (27-8-3-1) prevailed in a thrilling shootout Saturday night to salvage a split in a two-game set at Stockton Arena, defeating the Ontario Reign (25-8-3-3) by a final score of 6-5. The Reign came from behind multiple times to tie the game and force extra time, led by forwards Gabriel Vilardi and Rasmus Kupari, who each found the back of the net twice in a losing effort.

Goaltender Matt Villalta got the start in net for Ontario and made a season-high 44 saves, while forwards Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Tyler Madden and TJ Tynan each posted two assists.

BOX SCORE

More from Reign Assistant Coach Chris Hajt and Kupari below.

Ontario put the first eight shots on net to begin the game, controlling the early part of the contest. Rasmus Kupari had the best look of the eight, moving in on a shorthanded breakaway, but Heat goaltender Dustin Wolf denied the chance.

Stockton got out in front later in the frame, scoring twice to take a 2-0 advantage. Justin Kirkland beat Ontario netminder Matt Villalta first, chipping a shot into the top right corner of the net at 8:47 before Mark Simpson extended the lead with a goal off a 2-on-1 opportunity at 10:14.

Things changed in the final seconds of the period when the Reign got on the board with a late power play goal. Just nine seconds after a penalty to Stockton’s Ilya Solovyov for hooking, Gabriel Vilardi banged home a rebound to cut the Heat lead to 2-1 with just three seconds left on the clock.

Stockton went back up by two on a strike by Luke Philp at 5:29 of the second period, but Ontario responded to take the momentum away with two goals of their own. First, Vilardi capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play, scoring his second of the game at 8:32 from Anderson-Dolan and Tynan. Then just after the man-advantage ended, Kupari evened the game at 3-3 with his first AHL tally of the year off the rush from Madden and forward Austin Wagner.

The Heat went in front 4-3 at 17:20 of the third on a goal of a deflection by Byron Froese. Ontario responded moments later with its third power play goal of the game, just before the close of the middle period. Forward Samuel Fagemo blasted a shot by Dustin Wolf for his 15th goal of the season off a pass from defender Jordan Spence. Tynan recorded the second assist increasing his total to 44 helpers on the year.

The Reign needed another comeback in the third after allowing a goal to Stockton’s Emilio Pettersen at 8:30 of the final frame. With just 2:30 left on the clock, Kupari picked up a rebound off a shot by Jacob Moverare and tied the game at 5-5 with his second of the night. The play started with a pass from Madden, who found Moverare for the initial look on the point.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net in 3-on-3 overtime. The Heat got ahead in the shootout on goals by Kirkland and Matthew Phillips, but Ontario forced a fourth round when Fagemo struck in the last of the third. Vilardi also converted in the opening round of the skill session.

Martin Pospisil scored for Stockton to open the fourth round but Akil Thomas was unable to keep the game going as his bid was stopped.

Ontario had a dominant performance on special teams in the game, going 3-for-5 on the power play and a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Stockton controlled the shot count, racking up 50 chances on net while the Reign ended with 34.

Chris Hajt

Rasmus Kupari