Game 62: Bakersfield 4, Reign 1 + postgame notes/video

Bakersfield Condors 4, Ontario Reign 1
Final

Radio feed
Box score

SOG: ONT 20, BAK 27
PP: ONT 0/2, BAK 1/1

ONT starters: G Jack Campbell, D Vincent LoVerde, D Alex Lintuniemi, LW Michael Mersch, C T.J. Hensick, RW Teddy Purcell
BAK starters: G Nick Ellis, D Mark Fraser, D Dillon Simpson, LW Joey LaLeggia, C Anton Lander, RW Patrick Russell

FIRST PERIOD
1) BAK PPG – Jesse Puljujarvi (11) (Anton Lander, Jordan Oesterle), 13:43

SECOND PERIOD
2) BAK – Mark Fraser (1) (Jere Sallinen, Jaedon Descheneau), 3:04
3) BAK – Josh Currie (18) (Justin Fontaine, Ben Betker), 4:52
4) ONT – Joel Lowry (1) (Cameron Schilling, Matt Roy), 6:33

THIRD PERIOD
5) BAK – Anton Lander (24) (Joey LaLeggia), 10:25

POSTGAME NOTES

–With the loss, the Reign are now 33-19-10-0 overall and finish the season 6-2-2-0 against Bakersfield, which improved to 31-25-5-1. Ontario dropped to 27-18-9-0 against Pacific Division opponents and 12-10-8-0 on the road.

–The Reign’s magic number to reach the playoffs stays at five with six games remaining due to their loss and Stockton’s 5-3 win over San Antonio. The Reign still sit at third in the Pacific behind San Jose and San Diego. Bakersfield is third and Stockton fourth.

–Joel Lowry scored his first goal of the season in his 34th game. He had missed much of the season with a lower-body injury.

–Goalie Jack Campbell made his fourth straight start and finished with 23 saves. His record dropped to 29-14-6.

–The loss broke a three-game winning streak for Ontario.

–Three goals were scored in the first 6:33 of the third period: BAK – Mark Fraser at 3:04, BAK – Josh Currie at 4:52 and ONT – Lowry at 6:33.

–Defenseman Matt Roy earned his first AHL point in his second game with the secondary assist on Lowry’s goal.

–Ontario dropped to 3-13-4-0 when trailing after two periods.

–The Reign were outshot 27-20 and were led by Sam Herr and Roy with three shots on goal each.

VIDEO

IN-GAME NOTES

–With 23.3 seconds left in the first period, Bakersfield goalie Nick Ellis misplayed a dump-in and as it went through his equipment, a crashing Sam Herr pounced and buried it into the empty net. But it was a tough break for Ontario as the officials blew the whistle too soon, believing Ellis had covered the puck and no goal was awarded.

PREGAME NOTES

–Here’s how the Reign were aligned early in the game:

Michael Mersch – T.J. Hensick – Teddy Purcell
Philippe Maillet – Brett Sutter – Sean Backman
Andrew Crescenzi – Mike Amadio – Sam Herr
Joel Lowry – Patrick Bjorkstrand – Daniel Ciampini

Alex Lintuniemi – Vincent LoVerde
Zac Leslie – Matt Roy
Cameron Schilling – Alexx Privitera

–Tonight’s scratches for Ontario: D Damir Sharipzianov, D Rob Scuderi, F Paul Bissonnette, D Kurtis MacDermid, F Quentin Shore, F Devin Setoguchi, F Justin Auger and D Zach Trotman.

–This game is the final regular season meeting between the teams. The Reign are 6-1-2-0 against the Condors this season and 1-1-2-0 in Bakersfield, earning their first road win last night in a 3-1 victory. Forwards Brett Sutter (four goals, three assists) and Teddy Purcell (two goals, five assists) lead the Reign in the series with seven points. Forward Joey LaLeggia leads the Condors with seven points (five goals, two assists). All time, the Reign are 14-5-2-0 against the Condors and 5-3-2-0 in Bakersfield.

–Tonight the Condors will wear some pretty awesome law-enforcement themed jerseys.

–Earlier today the Reign released D Craig Wyszomirski, 24, from his PTO. Wyszomirski was injured in his last game with the Reign. He played in a total of three games with Ontario, earning a plus-two rating.