The Ontario Reign (13-7-1-0) defeated the Calgary Wranglers (11-10-2-1) Sunday afternoon by a final score of 2-1 in overtime front of 6,358 fans at Toyota Arena. The Reign will host the Texas Stars Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. (PST) wrapping up a five-game homestand.
Joe Hicketts scored the overtime winner from Cole Guttman and Angus Booth at the three-minute mark of the extra session as Ontario is now 4-1 in overtime contests this season and 7-2-1 in one-score game. Andre Lee tied the game in the second period with his eighth goal of the season 3:48 after the Wranglers took the lead. Lee now has 10 points (5-5-10) in his last 10 games. The Reign held Calgary to just 16 shots on net as Isaiah Saville made 15 saves for the victory.
The Reign failed to convert on two power-play opportunities in the first period as the game was scoreless after the opening 20 minutes with Ontario holding a 9-3 shot advantage. Three shots allowed by Ontario was their fewest surrendered in the first period this season.
Each team found the back of the net in the second period as the score was tied at 1-1 through 40 minutes. Aydar Suniev gave Calgary a 1-0 lead at 5:04 sending a wrist shot from above the high slot into the top right corner. Just 3:48 later Andre Lee (8th) provided the equalizer as he now has goals in back-to-back games and three in his last four contests. The goal was assisted by Kenny Connors who has an assist in two straight and Jared Wright. From behind the left side of the goal line Connors fed Lee at the top of the crease where he snapped a shot low into the net. Shots were 9-5 in favor of the Reign.
Both teams exchanged chances in the third period as Calgary held a slight edge in shots 7-6 but overtime was needed to determine a winner.
The Reign outshot the Wranglers 3-0 in the extra frame as Joe Hicketts (3rd) provided the game winner at 3:00 from Cole Guttman and Angus Booth. From the left corner Guttman fed Hicketts up top. Hicketts then went back to Guttman below the left circle. Guttman directed the puck to the net which was turned away by the paddle of Murphy but Hicketts was there to bang home the rebound.
Postgame thoughts from Andrew Lord and Joe Hicketts.
Lord
On the team’s play tonight
It was good, really good win. Would have liked to have, obviously win it a little sooner than that, but I thought it was a good game. Again, like the play, don’t think we gave up too much, thought we generated enough. You know, give their team credit. They battled. Their goalie was excellent. I thought it was really nice how we possessed the puck in overtime for the most part and generated. We’ll take the winner for sure.
On the line combinations
I think they were all solid. We were trying to use everybody for the most part. Connors, his line was excellent. They were back to it this weekend. Both games very, very good, playing with their identity. Hard to play against. That goal, you know, Kenny drives the back of the net, he cuts back. He finds Andre Lee for that kind of low slot play there in the second. That was a really important goal for us. I thought that was a big play. And they just were very good, you know, checking the other team’s top line for the most part.
On Isaiah Saville’s game between the pipes
He was excellent. There may not have been a ton of quantity, but I think we gave up some quality against and he was there. So really happy for him. Obviously, he hasn’t got in too much, but when he has, he’s been really solid. And tonight was a great night for him.
Hicketts
On his overtime winner
I think I was able to get lost. Booth made a heck of a change, and then Gawdin changed, and I kind of came in late. Guttman hit me. I tried feeding them back and kind of rummaged around in front for a second there, but I was fortunate to have it come and just pop out to me on the backside. And, you know, four by six. I don’t think I should miss those that often from there.
On playing in overtime
Well, I think they’re fun. You look back at the weekend as a whole, that’s the game we wanted. We wanted that extra point at the end of regulation. We were talking about how it’s a big point, you know, in the standings going forward. We were able to get some possession. We had a couple chances. That being said, they had, you know, a couple rushes, but that’s overtime. It’s three on three hockey kind of goes both ways and again, fortunate that we were able to get it done.
On the team’s solid defensive play this weekend
I think that’s how we want to play. We got into our system and our identity of being hard to play against. You know, it seems like every time we’re giving up chances or opportunities, it has something with what we’re doing or what we’re not. So I think seeing that, you know, when we go behind and we finish checks, and we get the puck back, we’re a really tough team to play against. We have a lot of good forwards. We had a lot of good D. And when we play as a five man unit out there, it’s pretty tough to beat.