Ontario Reign: Three Takeaways From 2-1 OT Win To Coachella

The Coachella Valley Firebirds went down in flames on Kingston’s Version night as the Ontario Reign completed the late third-period comeback.

Goal Breakdown

First period: 

None

Second period: 

None

Third period: 

CV: Ville Ottavainen (6), ASST: Luke Hennan (5)

ONT: Samuel Fagemo (24), ASST: Joe Hicketts (7), TJ Tynan (35)

Overtime: 

ONT: Jacob Moverare (2), ASST: TJ Tynan (36)

Stats

Goals: 

CV: 1

ONT: 2

Shots: 

CV: 34

ONT: 33

Power plays: 

CV: 0/3

ONT: 0/2

Here are the three takeaways from Friday’s 2-1 victory:

Aaron Dell shines in net

Aaron Dell was given the start last night on the first night of a back-to-back this weekend. The start was Dell’s fourth of the season and sixth career start against the Firebirds. In the previous five career games against Coachella Valley, Dell owned a record of 0-2-3, allowing three goals or less in three of those starts. Start number six against the number-one seed in the division would be his best.

Dell saw 34 shots and turned away 33 in his best start of the season. While Dell lost his first three starts since signing his PTO (Professional Tryout) with the Reign, he wasn’t necessarily playing poorly and got better each game. He earned his first win of the season and number-one star of the game honors with his 33-save night. His best save of the game came when he robbed Firebirds’ Max McCormick with 32.4 seconds left in the third period, moments after Samuel Fagemo tied the game for the Reign.

Here is what Dell had to say about his save on McCormick:

“It was kind of chaotic. I saw it pop out, and it was kind of rolling a little bit that he wasn’t going to be able to get a good handle on it, so he just had to throw it. I threw everything I had at it… one of those rolling pucks you never know where it’s going to go. ” – Aaron Dell

On how it felt earning his first win as a member of the Reign:

“It’s fantastic. Hopefully lots more to come.” – Aaron Dell

Samuel Fagemo finds the blank space to tie it late

The first period was even for both teams. However, Coachella Valley pushed the pace in the middle frame to put the Reign on their heels, but Dell stopped all 11 shots. The third period looked to be heading the same way when Ville Ottavainen scored the game’s first goal at the 2:56 mark. After the goal, the Reign pushed back and were able to create chances but couldn’t solve Chris Driedger.

With 2:49 to play, head coach Marco Sturm opted to be aggressive and pulled Dell for the extra attacker. After losing the puck off of Fagemo’s stick, TJ Tynan was able to gain zone entry. Tynan moved the puck from the wall to the middle to Joe Hicketts. Hicketts was able to quickly move the puck to Fagemo, who snapped a shot from the left circle, by a screen Chris Driedger to tie the game with 54.7 seconds left.

Also, credit Nikita Pavlychev for the screen in front of Driedger to make it difficult for him to track the puck. The goal was Fagemo’s fourth in the last four games. He found the blank space on Reign’s side of the scoresheet and wrote his name in it for his 24th of the year.

A Swede finish

You never know what can happen in the three-on-three overtime. Something crazy can happen, nothing can happen, or someone unexpectedly can be the hero. Both teams had one shot on goal through the first four minutes of the overtime session before the Reign’s second shot found the back of the net. That shot came off the stick of Jacob Moverare from the inner top of the right circle to beat Driedger stick side. Moverare, the unexpected hero, scored his second goal of the season (both against Coachella Valley) to snap the Reign’s seven-game losing streak at home.

Here is what Moverare had to say about how he saw the play develop on his goal:

“I saw that they kind of forgot me a little bit, and I just tried to find a pocket. TJ [Tynan] is a great passer… I kind of closed my eyes and shot it honestly.” – Jacob Moverare

Here is what head coach Marco Sturm had to say about why Coachella Valley, one of the best teams in the league, brings out the best in his team:

“We know they’re a really good team. We want to show them too how we can play. A lot of details matter against these guys to keep them off the scoresheet for a long period of time. I give my guys credit.” – Marco Sturm

NOTES:

*Joe Hicketts has recorded his fourth assist in his fourth game back since returning from injury.

*The Reign won their first home game since January 6th.

*Aaron Dell recorded his first win as a member of the Reign.

*Akil Thomas recorded his second career fight in his professional career.

UP NEXT: The Ontario Reign are back in action tonight as they hit the road to take on the San Diego Gulls. The game starts at 7 PM PT and can be seen on AHLTV.

Featured image credit: Mike Zitek/Ontario Reign

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