Three takeaways from the Reign’s 5-1 loss against the San Diego Gulls

Despite putting over 40 shots on goal, the Ontario Reign could only put one past Olle Eriksson Ek, losing 5-1 to the Gulls in San Diego.

SD: Lucas Elvenes (8) ASST Brent Gates Jr (11), Brayden Tracy (18)

SD: Alex Limoges (18) ASST Jacob Larsson (10) Jacob Perreault (21)

ONT: Akil Thomas (1) ASST Jaret Anderson-Dolan (17), T.J. Tynan (67)

SD: Hunter Drew (14) ASST Nikolas Brouillard (24), Jacob Larsson (11)

SD: Bryce Kindopp (10) ASST Nikolas Brouillard (25), Hunter Drew (18)

SD: Jacob Perreault (13)

ONT: 1

SD: 5

ONT: 43

SD: 26

ONT: 1/4

SD:  0/2

Here are three things that stood out on Saturday:

The Ontario Reign took 31 shots through the first two periods, adding 12 more in the third. However, sometimes it just isn’t enough. Good goaltending by Olle Eriksson Ek helped keep the Gulls in the game after they opened the scoring 6:20 into the opening period. Eriksson Ek was also in goal for San Diego in the 4-0 shutout of the Reign on March 12, stopping 22 total shots. The Swedish netminder now has over 60 saves against the Reign in his last two games.

As for the Reign, this is a situation where they probably could have used some of their scorers playing for the Kings at the moment. With players like Gabriel Vilardi and Jordan Spence spending time with the big club, the Reign are going to need scoring contributions from the rest of the lineup to keep up the current pace. Tonight just wasn’t one of those nights.

Ontario was also without the services of Martin Frk in this one, as he missed the game due to an injury.

Akil Thomas potted his first goal of the season on Saturday on a 5-on-3 power play. The 51st pick of the 2018 draft turned pro last season, collecting 26 points in the 40 games the team played in the shortened season last year. The Kings organization is high on Thomas and good things are expected of him. Thomas had off-season shoulder surgery which delayed the start of his season, with Ontario activating him from Injured Reserve in December.  The Toronto native looks to slot in as a bottom-six forward in the NHL and getting on the board was important for him after being snake-bitten to start his season. He’s now up to just three points in 27 games, a number that probably won’t cut it for Thomas. Getting into a rhythm starts with positives and scoring his first goal could be the beginning of that.

All season, the Reign have been fighting the Stockton Heat for the top spot in the Pacific Division. After tonight’s loss (the fifth loss in their last six games), the Reign sit six points back of Stockton and six points up on the Colorado Eagles. Without a major collapse from Stockton, the Reign look like they’ll finish second in the division.

With the expanded playoffs this season, they will take on the seventh seed qualifier. Currently, that happens to be…the San Diego Gulls. Given that the first round is a best of three series, the last two games against the Gulls do not fill one with a whole lot of confidence. However, teams have off days or off clusters of games. If the Reign rattle off at least seven or eight wins in the final 14 of the season, these games could end up forgotten. Here’s to the end of the home stretch.

It’ll be a quick turnaround for the Ontario Reign, who are back at it on Sunday against Grand Rapids.