Ontario Reign: Three Stars of the Week 3/24 – 3/30

Another week has passed, and it’s time for our Three Stars of the Week honors for the Ontario Reign – who went 2-1-0-0 in three games. Before we name the three stars, let’s quickly recap last week’s three games for the Reign.

3-0 loss to Tucson

The Reign returned home after a four-game road trip and looked like a team returning from one. There isn’t much to recap for this game other than Ontario’s lack of energy from puck drop in their 3-0 loss. Matthew Villalta made 24 saves to earn the shutout against his former club.

2-1 victory over Colorado

If the Reign wanted to inch closer to the top seed in the division, they would have to do it against the Colorado, a team that has owned Ontario in recent memory. Ontario flipped the script by playing a team game for 60 minutes. Led by Pheonix Copley, Glenn Gawdin, Samuel Fagemo, and the penalty kill going 5-for-6, the Reign held the league’s number-one offense to one goal and 18 shots on goal in the 2-1 victory.

5-4 victory over Colorado

The rematch between the Reign and Eagles to conclude the week was the opposite of the first game. After combining for three goals the previous night, the Reign and Eagles stormed out of the gates on fire, combining for four goals in the opening 20 minutes, with Ontario scoring their two goals on their first two shots on goal. The two teams added a goal each in the middle frame via special teams, forcing a tie entering the third period.

No team would score until late in the period, which caused an insane ending. Colorado scored the go-ahead goal with 2:23 remaining…or so they thought. Ontario struck back twice in the final minute, scoring 21 seconds apart (more on the scorers as you scroll down) to come out of the game victorious. It was the second time the Reign scored late in the game down a goal with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker this season (October 13th was the other game).

Third star

Pheonix Copley

Stat line: Two games played, two starts, 1-1-0-0 record, two goals against, 41 saves on 43 shots faced, .953 save percentage, no shutouts

Pheonix Copley has answered the call since being relied upon since Erik Portillo’s injury. The veteran netminder has started 15 of Ontario’s last 18 games and had a stellar week. Copley stopped 41 of 43 shots faced in two games, good enough for a .953 save percentage. Copley has allowed two goals or fewer in six of his last eight starts. Ontario has needed him to step up, and he’s done just that in Portillo’s absence. After how hard he’s worked his way back from suffering a season-ending injury last year, you can’t help but be happy for him having the success he’s had lately.

Second star

Glenn Gawdin

Stat line: Three games played, three goals, zero assists, three points, -2 rating, five shots on goal

Glenn Gawdin had a nice week, racking up three goals in the two-game series against Colorado. Gawdin scored the game-winning goal in the Reign’s 2-1 victory over Colorado and scored twice the following day against the Eagles, including the game-tying goal with 33 seconds to play. Not only was Gawdin a key figure in the offense, but he played a vital role in the Reign’s penalty kill (11-for-12 during the week), especially in Saturday’s game against Colorado when Ontario was 5-for-6 shorthanded.

He continues to be one of Marco Sturm’s most trusted forwards in key situations. His two-goal game against Colorado also set personal career highs for him in an AHL season in goals (24) and points (56).

First star

Andre Lee

Stat line: Three games played, one goal, one assist, two points, +1 rating, seven shots on goal

Andre Lee capped off his week with a three-point afternoon in the Reign’s 5-4 victory over the Eagles. But that game wasn’t the only good game he had. Lee had a solid game on the penalty kill in the Reign’s 2-1 victory over the Eagles. In the dying seconds, Lee had the puck and made a smart play by pinning the puck along the boards to kill the clock and preserve a Reign win. When I asked Sturm how Lee’s game has evolved from the moment he arrived until now, he called him ‘a coach’s dream,’ and how he does ‘everything right.’

“He’s been great… He does everything right, and those little details matter… There’s a reason why he made it to the Kings this year, because he does all the little things right,” Sturm said.

In Sunday’s 5-4 Reign victory, the little things popped up on Lee’s goal. With the game tied in the final 20 seconds, Lee took control of the puck at center ice. Rather than skate wide, he drove toward the net, getting by an Eagles defender, and putting the puck past Adam Scheel for the game-winning goal. Those two plays earned Lee this week’s first star.

Featured image credit: Jon Huerta/Ontario Reign

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