Nothing beats hockey on New Year’s Eve. Tonight, the Ontario Reign face — you guessed it — the San Jose Barracuda for the eighth and final time this season.
Although the gloves haven’t come off every night, the rivalry has been real all year. Ontario holds a 3-3-1 series record against their foes from 378 miles north. At home, it’s been a 1-1-1 stretch, and tonight serves as the last remaining battle between the clubs during the AHL’s 2025-26 regular season. Considering these two teams have appeared to not like each other for quite some time — including last year’s playoffs, where San Jose ousted Ontario — there should be plenty of fireworks long before the ball drops in Times Square tonight.
In their most recent meeting last Saturday, the Reign blanked the Barracuda 3–0. Isaiah Saville was perfect in net that night, stopping all 32 shots faced. Meanwhile, forwards Andre Lee, Nikita Alexandrov, and Aatu Jamsen found the back of the net for coach Andrew Lord.
Speaking of Jamsen, he was banged up after that contest and missed last night’s road game in Henderson. From what we’re hearing, there’s a 50/50 chance he’ll return tonight and is expected to be a game-time decision.
As for the goaltending situation, with Darcy Kuemper returning from injury in Los Angeles, Pheonix Copley is back with Ontario and is expected to be between the pipes tonight.
Quickly looking back to last night’s game in Henderson, perhaps there’s one word to best describe it: stolen. The Reign trailed 1-0 most of the night before Taylor Ward tied it with just over six minutes remaining in the third period. That lead proved short-lived, as Ben Hemmerling scored soon after to restore Henderson’s advantage. Ontario was once again left chasing just one goal.
As the clock ticked down, Ontario seemed destined for defeat. Enter Andre Lee, who — in signature dramatic fashion — banked a shot off Silver Knights goalie Carl Lindbom from behind the net with only 25 seconds remaining to knot the score at two.
Lee’s magical season just keeps building more and more momentum. As 2025 draws to an end, he enters play tonight leading the Reign in goals (13) and points (25).
What about the finish? Well, regulation and overtime couldn’t separate the teams, sending the game to a shootout. Cole Guttman’s slick move produced Ontario’s only goal, while Saville stopped all three Henderson attempts. In the end, the Reign escaped Henderson with a victory that required some last-minute heroics — much like their last encounter in Ontario.
Reign Projected Lineup vs. Barracuda
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Lee – Gawdin – Chromiak
Alexandrov – Guttman – Ward
Ziemmer – Connors – Wright
Isogai – Hughes – Doty
Booth – Salin
Dvorak – Bolduc
Kirsanov – Rego
Copley (starter)
Saville
Likely scratches: (F) Brown, Mastrodonato and (D) Berge
Injured: Burroughs, Lawrence, Millar, Parker-Jones, Pinelli, Portillo
On Leave: Hicketts
Key Game Info
Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time and will be streamed via FloSports. Additionally, a Reign radio feed is available here.
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