REIGN FINAL – Reign 5, Roadrunners 4 (SO) – Ward, Malott, Sturm

Despite allowing a three-goal comeback in the third period, the Ontario Reign (26-15-1-1) hung on to defeat the Tucson Roadrunners (19-19-2-1) in a shootout on Saturday night at Tucson Arena by a final score of 5-4, sweeping the weekend series in Arizona.

Reign forwards Taylor Ward and Jeff Malott led the way offensively, each scoring twice in the victory, while Glenn Gawdin added two assists and goaltender Erik Portillo stopped 27 shots before denying both shootout attempts he faced.

BOX SCORE

The game was penalty filled throughout, with a total of 16 minor infractions assessed by the officiating crew, with nine power plays awarded to Tucson and seven man-advantages for Ontario. Each club scored once on their opportunities during the third period.

Cameron Hebig opened the scoring for the home side, netting a shorthanded goal at 11:15 of the first period to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead.

But Ward responded for Ontario at 15:42, deflecting a pass by Andre Lee up high and over goaltender Matt Villalta to even up the score at 1-1. Ward’s strike came off a faceoff win by Jack Studnicka, who earned his 14th assist of the season on the play.

Ward then gave the Reign the lead for the first time at 4:02 of the second, scoring his second of the night and eighth of the year off a stretch pass by Gawdin. The Kelowna, B.C. native picked up the puck and flicked a shot upstairs past Villalta to make it 2-1 in favor of Ontario. A second assist on the play went to Angus Booth.

The Reign extended their lead to two goals at 5:33 of the third when Malott scored his first of the contest on a redirect of a shot by Gawdin to make it 3-1. While coming just moments after a power play opportunity had expired, the second helper was credited to Samuel Fagemo.

Malott scored again off a similar deflection less than four minutes later during a power play, putting Ontario ahead 4-1 with his 12th tally of the year off an initial shot by Reilly Walsh. Charles Hudon picked up the second assist on the play.

But Tucson didn’t go quietly, scoring three times in the final nine minutes of the third to extend the game. The Roadrunners first made it a 4-2 game on a goal by Travis Barron at 11:16 before Austin Poganski trimmed the lead to a single goal during a 5-on-3 power play opportunity that included a sixth attacker with an empty net at the other end of the ice at 15:55.

Hebig found the equalizer on a rebound at the side of the net with 18:26 to play during a 6-on-5 situation, forcing overtime with his second goal of the night.

Neither club was able to score in the extra five-minute period, but Ontario had the better of the chances due to another power play opportunity.

Both Gawdin and Malott converted during the two shootout rounds, while Portillo stopped Kailer Yamamoto in the first and Egor Sokolov missed the net in Tucson’s second round.

Villalta suffered the loss for the Roadrunners despite turning out 35 shots in the contest while playing for the second consecutive day.

Postgame reactions from Ward, Malott and head coach Marco Sturm are below –

Taylor Ward + Jeff Malott

 

Marco Sturm

The Reign now enter the league’s All-Star break and will resume their schedule next Saturday night with a matchup against the San Diego Gulls in Ontario at Toyota Arena at 6 p.m.