Kyle Garcia 
A Firebird frenzy in the first period was too much to handle for the Ontario Reign in a 5-3 game two defeat.
Goal Breakdown
First period:
CV: John Hayden (1), ASST: Marian Studenic (3), Ryker Evans (3)
CV: Cale Fleury (2), ASST: Shane Wright (2), Cameron Hughes (4)
CV: PP Jani Nyman (1), ASST: Devin Shore (2), Shane Wright (3)
Second period:
ONT: Kevin Connauton (1), ASST: None
CV: Shane Wright (2), ASST: Ryan Winterton (2), Cameron Hughes (5)
Third period:
ONT: PP Hayden Hodgson (1), ASST: Taylor Ward (5), Joe Hicketts (5)
CV: PP Cale Fleury (3), ASST: Gustav Olofsson (3), Andrew Poturalski (4)
ONT: PP TJ Tynan (2), ASST: Charles Hudon (2), Brandt Clarke (5)
Stats
Goals:
ONT: 3
CV: 5
Shots:
ONT: 35
CV: 28
Power plays:
ONT: 2/5
CV: 2/7
Here are the three takeaways from Friday’s game two loss:
Shane Wright, Cale Fleury, and Chris Driedger lead the way
Shane Wright was a player I was keying in on from the Firebirds side for this series. Wright, the fourth overall pick by the Seattle Kraken in 2022, was relatively quiet in game one but found the scoresheet in game two. The 20-year-old forward added two assists (one primary and one secondary assist) in the first period and a goal in the second period for a three-point night. The top-five pick from the 2022 draft played like a top-five pick last night and was noticeable.
Defenseman Cale Fleury added two goals for his second and third postseason goals. Fleury led all Firebirds defensemen in the season series against the Reign with three points in eight games. As for goalie Chris Driedger, he was great in net all night for Coachella Valley. Driedger stopped 32 of the 35 Reign shots on goal and made timely saves throughout the game as the Reign were trying to gain momentum. The only goals he let up were two deflections on the penalty kill and an own goal from his teammate Max McCormick.
The trio were a big reason the Firebirds took a 2-0 series lead.
Shaky night from Erik Portillo
For the first time these playoffs Erik Portillo had an off game for the Reign. He didn’t look like he had a rhythm early as he let in two goals blocker side in the first period and another one in the third period with no traffic in front of him. Those are shots we’ve seen Portillo stop the previous six games, but he wasn’t sharp last night.
He also had trouble tracking the puck behind the net on Wright’s goal in the second period. As the Firebirds have done all season, they make teams pay for their defensive mistakes and they have done that in the first two games, which led to those shaky goals in game two. I expect Marco Sturm to stay with Portillo in net for the do-or-die game three. One off night in the playoffs shouldn’t override six other solid playoff games.
Need more from the top six at five-on-five
Paging Akil Thomas, Tyler Madden, Charles Hudon, TJ Tynan, Alex Turcotte, and Samuel Fagemo! The Reign got points from some of their top six players in the third period, but were on the power play. The six players haven’t found the scoresheet at five-on-five this series, however, each line has been on the ice for two goals against at five-on-five.
They haven’t been bad, per se, but now isn’t the time to be satisfied with good shifts, but rather the results. With an elimination game on Sunday, these players need to lead the way. All year long, the Reign have gotten contributions throughout the lineup, but this series, it’s been Coachella Valley’s depth making an impact. It’s time for the top six players to take the wheel. Perhaps the two goals on the power-play, where they got bodies in front of the net, can be a point of emphasis at five-on-five for game three.
Will Sturm make any line changes or insert new players on Sunday? We’ll see!
NOTES:
*The Reign scored two power-play goals in a game for the second time this postseason. The other game was game one against the Bakersfield Condors.
*Kevin Connauton recorded his first goal of the playoffs. The goal was scored on an own goal as Firebirds Captain Max McCormick batted the puck into his own net.
*Chris Driedger recorded his fifth win of the playoffs. He looks like he may replicate the run Joey Daccord had in net for the Firebirds last spring.
*Hayden Hodgson received a five-minute interference penalty and game misconduct on a hit he committed on Shane Wright early in the third period. Wright left the game and didn’t return. It will be interesting to see Hodgson and Wright’s status for game three. The hit didn’t look good watching it live.
*The Reign will face elimination in game three. One game at a time.
UP NEXT: Game three shifts to Toyota Arena as the Reign will look to live to fight another day. Game three is Sunday at 7 PM PST and can be seen on AHLTV.
Featured image credit: Mike Zitek/Coachella Valley Firebirds