Sometimes in life you need to look back in order to move forward.
Last week, the Ontario Reign shuttered Abbotsford in three straight games for their second consecutive sweep to open the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Since then, days have been filled with rest and practice in preparation for what comes next: a best-of-five test against Coachella Valley. It won’t be easy either, as the Firebirds finished best in the Western Conference and second overall in the AHL regular season.
Before moving on to that Division Final matchup, let’s first take one last look at the Abbotsford series to highlight a few top performances, reasons for optimism, and areas of improvement to keep an eye on heading into Round 3.
THREE STARS OF THE SERIES
First Star – E. Portillo, G
Kings prospects Erik Portillo has been nothing short of stellar in his first AHL postseason. Finishing the second round, he allowed only four goals in three games while stopping 77 of 81 shots on goal with a .951 save-percentage. The 6-foot-6 rookie goaltender capped Game 2 vs. the Canucks with a 29-save shut-out, his first in postseason play. On top of that, he’s undefeated in two rounds and backstopped a perfect penalty kill against the Canucks – more on that later.
Second Star – B. Clarke, D
Also playing in his first professional postseason, Brandt Clarke is topping his rookie season by showcasing his brand of hockey when it matters most. Of the 11 goals scored in Round 2 for Ontario, Clarke led the defense and was on the ice for five goals-scored with a plus-three rating. He was only out for one goal against.
He’s expected to be on the NHL roster next season, yet that hasn’t stopped Clarke from continuing to shine in what will be his final audition before training camp in September. The 21-year-old rearguard has been open about wanting to win a Calder Cup this season.
Third Star – A. Lee, F
Rounding out our top honors, 23-year-old Andre Lee lands the third star of the series via a game-winning, individual effort in Game 3 to put the series away. He helped secure the victory by grabbing the puck at center ice, fighting his way down the boards and behind the net, and came back out front to finish things off with a perfect shot. The towering forward ended Round 2 with two goals – tying Charles Hudon for the series lead.
Honorable Mention – S. Fagemo, F
When there are too many top performers to narrow down to only three, it’s usually a good sign. NHL prospect Samuel Fagemo was the only player to record at least one point in all three games vs. Abbotsford (1G, 2A), along with a plus-three rating, and zero goals scored against him.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Reign (and Portillo) excelled on the penalty kill against the Canucks, holding a perfect 8-for-8 record when shorthanded. This area of the game plagued Ontario at times throughout the regular season when they finished 23rd with an 80.2% kill rate. Thus, there has been a complete — and noticeable — turnaround come postseason action.
The power play was a different story.
While boasting the AHL’s second-best regular season power play, the Reign went a measly 1-for-11 against the Canucks. They struggled in the first round, as well, scoring only two goals on twelve chances. It’s their 5-on-5 play that has carried them in the postseason through five games and two different opponents.
SLOW STARTS, STRONG ENDINGS
In Round 2, Ontario continued a trend from their opening series vs. Bakersfield — as well as through periodic stretches of the regular season — where they displayed stronger results as the game wore along. Against the Canucks, the Reign were an even two goals-for to two goals-against in accumulation of the first periods; however, they had a 5-1 goal-advantage in the middle frames and 4-1 advantage in the third periods.
PROSPECTS MAKING AN IMPACT
The Reign have found postseason success this spring through a balanced roster composition, featuring a diverse mix of players — including seasoned vets, primed contributors, experienced youth, and dynamic rookies.
For example, Clarke is playing heavy minutes and logging contributions while keeping pucks out of his own net. Meanwhile, Tyler Madden has two game-winning goals and leads the team in goals (4) and points (6) over five postseason games.
A pair of LA’s key prospects, Alex Turcotte and Akil Thomas — both of whom are targeted for the Kings NHL roster next season — put some of their offensive skills on display in Round 2. Each had a game winning goal in the series and chipped in with an additional goal and assist. Along with Fagemo, Hudon, and Taylor Ward, Turcotte was one of four players without a goal scored against him while on the ice. He finished Round 2 with a plus-three rating.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
As Ontario shifts attention to Coachella Valley for their upcoming series, coach Marco Sturm is looking to continue the success he and his players have found in the postseason so far. With a deep roster available to work with, questions still linger about when Franky Pinelli and/or Martin Chromiak will be able to draw in. Both were part of the Reign lineup over the final few months of the regular season, when Ontario put together one of the best records across the league.
Sturm’s top three lines have evenly scored three 5-on-5 goals, while allowing zero. There’s been a concerted effort to play responsibly with proper “game management,” as Sturm puts it.
For Coachella Valley, they have a tall task to keep up with three consistent and productive lines, in addition to an Ontario fourth line that brings a sizable focus (pun intended) of heavy checking.
Games 1 and 2 of the Pacific Division Finals will be held in Coachella Valley, kicking off on Wednesday at 7pm, followed by a rematch on Friday. Things then turn to Toyota Arena on Sunday night.
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