REIGN PREVIEW – Ontario vs. Bakersfield, 3/7

WHO: Ontario Reign (32-10-3-3) vs. Bakersfield Condors (24-13-4-5)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #49
WHEN: Monday, March 7 @ 7:00 PM Pacific
WHERE: Toyota Arena – Ontario, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: AHLTV – AUDIO: Mixlr – TWITTER: @ShafReign & @ontarioreign

 

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign look for their fifth straight win Monday night when they host the Bakersfield Condors at Toyota Arena. The contest will be the seventh of eight meetings between the two Pacific Division rivals this season. Ontario has won four of the first six with a record of 4-1-1. The Reign are in second place in the Pacific Division standings with a points percentage of 0.729 and although Bakersfield is in third, the Condors have 13 less points in two fewer games (0.620).

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Reign continue to be the highest-scoring team in the AHL, leading the league with an average of 4.10 goals per game. Ontario has scored 16 more goals than any other team in the league, netting 197 total tallies in 48 games. Bakersfield ranks 10th in the league offensively, averaging 3.33 goals per contest. The Reign power play is also No. 1 in the AHL, converting on 26.9% of opportunities. In their six previous meetings this season, the Reign have scored six power play goals on 30 opportunities (20%). all with nine of their goals coming via the power play (37.5%). A few Ontario players will look to extend impressive streaks Monday, as forward TJ Tynan has scored points in his last eight games overall and defenseman Jordan Spence has registered a point in 12 consecutive home games.

LAST TIME OUT: 12 Ontario Reign skaters recorded points Saturday night in a 6-3 win over the Henderson Silver Knights at Toyota Arena, securing a sweep for Ontario in the home weekend series. With the win, the Reign have won six of their seven contests against Henderson during 2021-22 and goaltender John Lethemon improved to 2-0-0 by making 27 saves. Forward Rasmus Kupari scored twice in the victory, while both Martin Frk and TJ Tynan had two assists for Ontario and Lias Andersson scored for the third straight game.

COUNT ON KUPARI: Forward Rasmus Kupari scored twice in the third period of Ontario’s win over Henderson Saturday night, including the game-winning goal at 5:23 and a shorthanded empty-net marker at 16:29. It was the second two-goal game of the season for Kupari, who also netted a pair of tallies on Feb. 12 in Stockton. The former first-round selection by the Kings in the 2018 NHL Draft began the season with LA, appearing in 37 games where he scored nine points (3-6=9). In 13 contests with Ontario since the beginning of February, Kupari has seven points on five goals and two helpers (5-2=7).

TYNAN AT THE TOP OF THE HEAP: Forward TJ Tynan has posted multi-assist performances in three consecutive home wins this week, totaling seven helpers to take over the AHL’s overall scoring lead with 70 points in 42 games played. His assist total is 13 more than the next highest player, Chicago’s Andrew Poturalski, who is also second in the league with 68 points. Tynan has scored at least a point in eight consecutive games, totaling 18 points during that stretch on three goals and 15 assists. The Orland Park, Ill. native has recorded two or more assists in 22 games this season and he also leads the league with 30 power play assists and 32 power play points.

SCOUTING THE CONDORS: After a slow start to the season, Bakersfield has seen more success since the calendar flipped to 2022 and is now in third place in the Pacific Division standings. The Condors’ offense is led by returning forward Seth Griffith, who has 52 points in 42 games on 20 goals and 32 assists. Cooper Marody is having another solid AHL season as well, posting 41 points in 38 games on 16 goals and 25 assists. Brad Malone has chipped in with 31 points but was recently recalled by Edmonton and Adam Cracknell (25 points) has rejoined the club after playing for Team Canada last month at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. In goal, the Condors currently have Ilya Konovalov and Alex Stalock on the roster. Konovalov has earned a 4-4-3 record from 13 games this season with a 2.79 goals-against average while Stalock has appeared in just five AHL games.

ANDERSSON’S SUPER RETURN: Forward Lias Andersson, with the Reign on a conditioning loan from the LA Kings, has starred for Ontario with five goals in his first three AHL games of the season. The former No. 7 overall selection in the 2017 NHL Draft scored twice in the final two minutes on Wednesday night to even the score and send the game into overtime. Andersson followed that up with two more tallies on Friday, scoring on the power play in both the first and second period en route to another Reign victory. Most recently in Saturday’s win, he stayed hot with a first period strike. Prior to his recent injury, Andersson suited up for 13 games with the LA Kings during 2021-22. He’s seen action in 102 NHL contests in parts of five seasons during his pro career and was previously with Ontario for 15 games during the shortened 2020-21 season where he scored 17 points (6-11=17).

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Reign have a jam-packed month of home games during March at Toyota Arena, with nine total contests in their building. Ontario won’t have to leave California at all during the month, staying close by with a pair of matchups in San Diego against the Gulls on the 12th and 26th. The Reign have the best home record in the AHL this season through 24 games with a mark of 18-2-2-2 and a points percentage of 0.833. The team’s road record is no slouch either, earning a mark of 14-8-1-1 which is fourth in the league percentage-wise, and second in the Pacific Division. Ontario also leads the league in goals scored in both home and road situations this season, netting 101 goals in Ontario and 96 tallies on the road.