WHO: Ontario Reign (14-7-1-0) at Colorado Eagles (16-5-0-1)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #23/72
WHEN: Friday, December 12 @ 6:05 Pacific
WHERE: Blue Arena – Loveland, CO
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey – AUDIO: Reign Radio – TWITTER: @ReignInsider & @OntarioReign

 TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Reign play the first of three straight on the road tonight starting with the first of a back-to-back vs. Colorado after wrapping up a five-game homestand.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Tonight marks the second of eight total meetings between the Reign and the Eagles, the first of four in Colorado. Ontario defeated Colorado in come from behind fashion back at Toyota Arena by a final score of 3-2 on Oct. 19. Martin Chormiak scored a power-play goal in the first period tying the score before Colorado took a 2-1 lead into the third period. Samuel Bolduc scored 38 seconds into the final stanza and then provided the game winner on the man advantage at 5:40. The win is Ontario’s only win this season when trailing after two period, 1-6-0. Erik Portillo made 23 saves as the Eagles outshot the Reign 28-15.

ABOUT THE HOMESTAND: Ontario collected a 4-1-0 record in their five-game homestand after collecting a 6-3 win over Texas on Tuesday night for their third straight victory, which is tied for a season long. The Reign outscore their opponents 19-12 across the five games averaging 23.2 shots for per game while holding their opponents to an average of 24. They were 12-for-14 on the penalty kill but just 3-for-15 on the power-play.

Forward Cole Guttman led all skaters with six points (2-4-6) and 14 shots while forwards Andre Lee and Nikita Alexandrov each scored three goals. Defenseman Samuel Bolduc led all skaters with five assists. Goaltender Pheonix Copley won three of four games making 93 saves on 103 shots while Isaiah Saville won his lone start against Calgary on Dec. 7 making 15 saves on 16 shots in a 2-1 victory.

REIGN TURNING INTO LIGHTING: The Reign have won six of their last seven games and head into tonight’s game second place in the pacific division with a record of 14-7-1-0 as their 29 points are tied for third most in the western conference. Ontario holds one of the best home records in the AHL with a 9-2-1-0 mark. Their 3.45 goals for average sits 6th in the AHL while their 2.73 goals against average is 8th. They’ve potted four or more goals in three of their last five games and in 11 contests this year while keeping their opposition to three goals or less in six of their last seven games. In their last four games they’ve only allowed an average of 20.5 shots against per game and are 5th in the league on the season giving up an average of 25.73 against per game.

 HOT HANDS: Cole Guttman rides a six-game point streak (3-4-7) into tonight’s matchup and has 11 points (4-7-11) in his last 11 games after recording just three points (1-2-3) in the first 11 contests of the season.

Andre Lee leads the club with 18 points, his eight goals are tied for second while his five on the power-play lead the team and are tied for fourth in the AHL. He has a three-game point streak (2-2-4) and 11 points (5-6-11) in his last 11 games. Martin Chromiak is tied for second on the squad with 17 points and eight goals. He has two goals and an assist in his last three games and nine points (3-6-9) over his last nine contests.

Nikita Alexandrov has three goals in three games with the Reign since the Kings acquired him in a trade with St. Louis on Dec. for Akil Thomas.

Rookie forward Kenny Connors has a three-game point streak (2-2-4) and leads all AHL rookies with a +16 rating, tied for second among all skaters. His 15 points (6-9-15) on the season are tied for 10th among AHL first year skaters. Fellow rookie forward Jared Wright is tied for second among AHL rookies at +14, tied for fourth among all skaters, and has still yet to finish a game this season with a minus rating. He has three assists in his last two games.

Goaltender Pheonix Copley has won back-to-back games and four of his last five contests making 108 saves on 120 shots after starting the season 2-5-0 with a 3.84 goals against average and .870 save percentage.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES: The Eagles kick-off a four-game homestand this evening after collecting a pair of road victories last weekend in Rockford. Colorado has been one of the most consistent teams in the AHL to begin the season only have lost back-to-back games on one occasion. They currently lead the pacific division with a 16-5-0-1 record and 33 points. Their 16 victories are tied for third in the entire league and second in the western conference.

 Former Reign captain T.J. Tynan is second in the AHL with 21 assists in 22 games but is still searching for his first goal of the season while Tristan Nielsen who helped Abbotsford to the Calder Cup last year leads the Eagles with 10 goals. Goal scoring wise the Eagles are toward the middle of the pack averaging 3.23 goals for per game while they average the sixth most shots per game at 30.32

Defensively speaking, Colorado has allowed the fewest shots on net per game at 24.36 and are second with a goals against average of 2.18. Rookie goaltender Isak Posch is tied for second  with 10 wins while his 2.08 goals against average is fourth. Veteran defenseman Keaton Middleton is in his fourth season an alternate captain and shared the plus-minus lead at +10 defensively with fifth year Eagle, Wyatt Aamodt.