Ontario Reign: Three Takeaways From 6-4 Loss to San Diego

The Ontario Reign dropped game one of the weekend series of the Gulls with a 6-4 road loss on Friday night.

Goal Breakdown

First period:

SD: SH Judd Caulfield (4), ASST: Tim Washe (5)

Second period:

SD: SH Nico Myatovic (2), ASST: Ryan Carpenter (3)

ONT: PP Martin Chromiak (4), ASST: Akil Thomas (5), Aatu Jamsen (2)

SD: Nathan Gaucher (1), ASST: Judd Caulfield (1), Nikolaus Brouillard (4)

Third period:

SD: Tim Washe (4), ASST: Nico Myatovic (3), Judd Caulfield (2)

ONT: Kenny Connors (2), ASST: Martin Chromiak (2), Joe Hicketts (5)

SD: Justin Bailey (3), ASST: None

ONT: PP Joe Hicketts (2), ASST: Martin Chromiak (3), Akil Thomas (6)

SD: Tim Washe (5), ASST: Judd Caulfield (3), Stian Solberg (2)

ONT: Martin Chromiak (5), ASST: None

Stats

Goals:

ONT: 4

SD: 6

Shots: 

ONT: 45

SD: 32

Power play: 

ONT: 2/8

SD: 0/2

Here are the three takeaways from Friday night’s 6-4 loss:

Special teams, self-inflicted wounds

Former Reign head coach Marco Sturm used to preach how special teams can be the difference in a game. In a way, that held true last night. Entering last night, the Reign allowed a power-play goal in each of the last three games. However, it wasn’t the penalty kill that was the negative spot. It was the power play.

Although the Reign tallied two power-play goals (2-for-8 on the night), they surrendered two short-handed goals. That’s a net even value, but those two short-handed tallies were also a difference as the Reign lost by two.

It wasn’t just the special teams, though. Other factors bled in later on. Pheonix Copley gave up a bad, and I mean very bad, goal on a floating shot by Tim Washe, which was defended well by Kirill Kirsanov, in the third period with the Reign down by two.

Ontario would get a goal back, but Taylor Ward’s turnover at the offensive blue line led to a Justin Bailey breakaway goal to give the host their three-goal lead back.

When a team shoots itself in the foot that many times, the chances of them winning are slim. Good thing for the Reign is that they’ll get a crack at redemption against the Gulls tonight.

Ville Husso stymies the Reign

Yes, the Reign shot themselves in the foot, but offensively, they had their chances. Their 45 shots on goal were a season-high, and while the scoreboard says four goals, credit should be given to San Diego’s goaltender, Ville Husso. Husson was dominant all game, making big save after big save after big save.

It looked like the Reign were well on their way to getting goalie’d early, but were able to get four goals past the veteran netminder as the game progressed. Husso made 41 saves on the night, but wasn’t one of the three stars because all three skaters from San Diego’s third line had multi-point games. If there were an honorable fourth star for this game, he would get my vote.

Chromiak and Connors light the lamp

Two prospects for the Reign caught my attention last night. Those two players were Martin Chromiak and Kenny Connors. Chromiak notched four points (2 G, 2 A) and had a game-high seven shots on goal. With his shot being the main tool in his toolbox, Chormiak is dangerous when he is engaged in the game like he was last night.

Connors has quietly had a good season, although the points won’t show it. He’s been steady at the third-line center role at 5-on-5 for at least two weeks now, solid in the faceoff circle from the eye test, and keeps learning the structure on the penalty kill. Last night, he was rewarded offensively. He had multiple chances in the third period and eventually buried one by Husso in the high slot off a nice feed from Chromiak for his second tally of the season. His four shots on goal tied his season high.

NOTES:

*Chromiak’s four-point night was the second four-point game of his career (the other was 1/26/24 against the Tucson Roadrunners).

*Cole Guttman had a season-high five shots on goal.

*San Diego’s third line of Judd Caulfield, Tim Washe, and Nico Myatovic combined for nine points (4 G, 5 A).

*Joe Hicketts tallied his second goal of the season.

*Akil Thomas and Cole Guttman played in their 200th professional game.

UP NEXT: These two teams will meet again tonight, but this time at the friendly confines of Toyota Arena. It’s Hockey Fights Cancer Night. The puck drops at 6 PM PST and can be seen on FloHockey and KCAL+ (channel 9.6). You can also listen to the game on the Ontario Reign radio network and the ESPN LA app.

Featured image credit: San Diego Gulls

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