The Ontario Reign Are Headed Back to the Calder Cup Playoffs

For the fourth straight year, the Ontario Reign have punched their ticket to the Calder Cup playoffs. The Reign need one of three scenarios to happen to qualify for the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, and got two of them to happen in their favor.

Here are the scenarios:

  • A win against San Jose
  • A Tucson Roadrunners loss in regulation to the Calgary Wranglers
  • An OT/SO loss to San Jose AND a Tucson OT/SO loss to Calgary

First, the Roadrunners lost in regulation, which allowed the Reign to clinch a playoff spot before their game ended. For good measure, they defeated the Barracuda 3-2 in regulation to maintain their lead for second place in the division and keep pace with the Colorado Eagles for the top seed.

Ontario started fast and strong, striking twice in the first 32 seconds on goals from Andre Lee and Martin Chromiak for a 2-0 lead. However, two special-teams goals by San Jose tied the game. Patrick Giles scored a short-handed goal, and Luca Cagnoni scored a power-play goal on an unfortunate break when Taylor Ward’s clearing attempt hit the referee, allowing Cagnoni to score a wraparound on a surprised Pheonix Copley.

Aatu Jamsen scored in the second period off a rebound goal to give the Reign a lead they wouldn’t surrender. Pheonix Copley made 36 saves to earn his 22nd win of the year. It’s the second straight year the Reign clinched a playoff spot in San Jose by a score of 3-2.

For the Reign, this year’s team has been led by veterans Glenn Gawdin, Charles Hudon, Jeff Malott, Jack Studnicka, Taylor Ward, Samuel Fagemo, Joe Hicketts, Caleb Jones, and Copley. Prospects such as Francesco Pinelli, Angus Booth, Jakub Dvorak, Erik Portillo, Lee, Chromiak, and Jamsen have contributed to the team’s success as well. It took a team to get this point.

Now that a playoff spot is secured, the next step in the final seven games will be to get home-ice advantage, and maybe, just maybe, the top-seed in the division.

To see the standings, go to theahl.com.

Featured image credit: Andreea Cardani/San Jose Barracuda

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