Unlike their parent club, everything is going right of late for the Ontario Reign. Winners in nine of their last eleven starts, head coach Andrew Lord has guided his team to the Pacific Division’s No. 1 spot with 52 points.
When Andre Lee and Taylor Ward were called up to the Kings on Jan. 7, it only made sense to assume that Ontario would perhaps regress in their play.
Not only has that not been true, but it’s been the total opposite.
Since losing two of their key forwards, the Reign have won five of six, including three dramatic come-from-behind victories.
Prior to the pivot point earlier this month, Lee appeared to be the sole source of clutch scoring. Without him, that responsibility now belongs to a much deeper cast.
The defining trait of this Reign squad is simple: they never quit, regardless of circumstance. So, when they trailed 3-2 with the clock winding down Saturday night in Texas, it felt only fitting that they delivered yet again.
Cole Guttman tied the game with just 14 seconds remaining. It was his second goal of the game, but the story didn’t end there. Ontario won the ensuing faceoff, pushed deep into the offensive zone, and with only two seconds left on the clock, Kings prospect Jared Wright banked a shot off a Stars defender to take the lead.
Two goals in 12 seconds sealed another stunning victory. Just 72 hours after what may have been Ontario’s most improbable win of the year in Colorado, they somehow managed to nearly top it with this performance:
Now, Lord & Co. must turn their attention to this afternoon’s game. This will be Ontario’s second back-to-back of the week, and a win would give them their third four-game win streak of the season.
Additionally, Martin Chromiak’s hot streak is still alive. With two more assists Saturday, he’s racked up five helpers in the last two games and now has 15 goals and 15 assists on the season.
Speaking of hot, it’s Pheonix Copley’s turn in the crease today; he’s coming off a season-high 35 save performance in Colorado.
Reign Projected Lineup vs. Stars
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Alexandrov – Gawdin – Guttman
Chromiak – Connors – Wright
Hughes – Pinelli – Jamsen
Isogai – Lawrence – Ziemmer
Hicketts – Salin
Dvorak – Bolduc
Kirsanov – Booth
Copley (starter)
Portilo
Likely scratches: (F) Brown, Doty and (D) Rego
Recalled to LA: Lee and Ward
Injured: Burroughs, Millar
Key Game Info
Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time and will be streamed via FloSports. Additionally, a Reign radio feed is available here.
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