REIGN PREVIEW 11/10 – Ontario at Coachella Valley

WHO: Ontario Reign (4-5-0-0) at Coachella Valley Firebirds (5-5-0-0)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #10
WHEN: Sunday, November 10 @ 3:00 PM Pacific
WHERE: Acrisure Arena – Palm Desert, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey – AUDIO: ESPN LA App / Reign Radio – TWITTER: @ShafReign & @OntarioReign

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign travel to Palm Desert for a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The clash will be the third meeting of the 2024-25 season between the two I-10 rivals, with Coachella Valley winning each of the first two contests by scores of 5-2 and 4-3.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: After Friday’s result in Ontario which saw the Firebirds earn their fifth win of the season, Coachella Valley is tied for sixth place in the Pacific Division standings while the Reign are in eighth with eight points to their name. By virtue of scoring eight goals in each of their past two wins, Ontario has vaulted itself up the league’s offensive rankings, now averaging 3.44 goals per game on the season which is sixth highest. In comparison, the Firebirds average 2.9 goals per contest through 10 outings and ranks 19th out of 32 teams. Ontario is also averaging 31.22 shots per contest (9th), while Coachella Valley is in the top five with an average of 32.6 shots on goal (4th). Defensively, the Reign allow 25.89 shots per night (3rd), and the Firebirds allow 27.8 (12th).

LAST TIME OUT: A late third period goal by Jagger Firkus sent the Coachella Valley Firebirds past the Ontario Reign by a final score of 4-3 on Friday night at Toyota Arena. Taylor Ward led Ontario offensively with a goal and an assist in a losing effort, while Glenn Gawdin and Jacob Doty each netted their second tallies of the season for the Reign.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Prior to the Firebirds’ success in the first two contests between the two teams this season, Ontario won four of the eight matchups against Coachella Valley during the 2023-24 campaign, earning a record of 4-3-0-1. Samuel Fagemo had a team-high five goals against Coachella Valley a year ago along with an assist for six points while playing in six of the contests. The Firebirds had the Reign’s number in the teams’ first-ever postseason series, as Ontario’s year ended in the Pacific Division Finals. After 18 regular season matchups in the first three seasons of competition, Ontario has come away with a 7-9-1-1 record which gives the Firebirds an advantage in the all-time series with 11 wins.

TEAM SCORING TIGHT AT THE TOP: Through their first nine games, Ontario’s top seven scorers are all within two points of each other. Currently there’s a tie for the team scoring lead between linemates Glenn Gawdin (2-6=8) and Jeff Malott (1-7=8), who each have eight points. Just behind them are Samuel Fagemo (4-3=7), Tyler Madden (3-4=7) and Jack Studnicka (3-4=7), each with seven points to their name. In addition, Charles Hudon (4-2=6) and Joe Hicketts (0-6=6) have six points apiece. All seven of the team’s highest-scoring players have played in every one of the Reign’s nine games to begin the 2024-25 year.

SCOUTING THE FIREBIRDS: Coachella Valley advanced to the Calder Cup Finals in each of its first two seasons in the AHL but came up short of the league’s title both times, falling to the eventual champion Hershey Bears. The Firebirds have finished both of their first two regular seasons with 103 total points in the Pacific Division standings, earning a first-place finish and a bye in the opening round of the postseason last year. Dan Bylsma, who led the team behind the bench in both of those campaigns, has moved up to the NHL this season as the head coach of the Seattle Kraken. Derek Laxdal has taken over his spot and is now the man in charge for Coachella Valley. After a 3-point night on Friday, rookie forward Jagger Firkus leads the Firebirds in scoring with eight points in nine games this season on three goals and five assists. Forward Ben Meyers has also made a big impact with seven points on two goals and five assists in 10 games. Defender Cale Fleury has chipped in from the back end with six points on three goals and three assists.

OH MY GAWDIN: Forward Glenn Gawdin has broken out offensively over his last four games, totaling seven points during a four-game point streak. The Richmond, B.C. native had just one assist in his first four games of the season with Ontario before picking up two assists on Nov. 1 in Henderson. He then netted his first goal as a member of the Reign and an assist the following night at home before posting a pair of helpers in a lopsided win over Abbotsford on Wednesday. Most recently, Gawdin scored Ontario’s first goal of Friday’s loss to Coachella Valley in the first period after linemate Jeff Malott forced a turnover behind the net. The seventh-year pro was originally selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft at 116 overall.

NO WORRIES FOR WARD: Forward Taylor Ward had his first multi-point effort of the season during Friday’s loss to Coachella Valley, scoring a goal in the second period before assisting on a third period strike by Jacob Doty. Ward found the back of the net for the second straight game, after potting his first of the season in Wednesday’s win over Abbotsford on a centering feed by Martin Chromiak. His second strike came off a drop pass by his other linemate, Francesco Pinelli, and led to a long range wrist shot that beat goaltender Nikke Kokko underneath the blocker. Now in his third full season with the Reign, Ward is coming off a 32-point campaign which saw him post 11 goals and 21 assists in 71 outings a year ago. In 167 career AHL games with Ontario, Ward has 25 goals and 47 assists for 72 points.