The Ontario Reign (8-5-1-0) fell to the Calgary Wranglers (7-5-2-0) Wednesday night by a final score of 3-2 in front of 2,026 fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Reign and Wranglers will wrap up their back-to-back Wednesday, Nov. 12th at 6 p.m.
Akil Thomas and Jakub Dvořák scored both goals for the Reign while Kenny Connors, Martin Chromiak, and Francesco Pinelli picked up assists. Erik Portillo left the contest 2:51 in what looked to be an injury related matter. Pheonix Copley made 27 saves on 30 shots in relief. The Reign gave up their third short-handed goal of the season and went 0-for-4 on the power-play.
Ontario trailed 1-0 after the first period where Taylor Ward and Clark Bishop dropped the gloves 83 seconds in. Former Reign skater Martin Frik got the Wranglers on the board from Dryden Hunt and Matvei Gridin at 17:19. The goal came six-on-five as it was a delayed penalty against the Reign. Hunt from the far side of the crease slid the puck over a few feet for Frk who blasted it into the cage. Erik Portillo left the game 2:51 in which looked to be an injury related matter. Shots were 10-8 Wranglers as the Reign went 0-for-1 on the power-play.
The Reign trailed 2-1 through 40 minutes of play as each team found the back of the net in the middle frame. Clark Bishop increased the lead to 2-0 for the Wranglers scoring short-handed on a breakaway at 8:13 from David Silye. Akil Thomas (4th) cut the deficit back down to one for Ontario at 16:50 from Martin Chromiak. From the center point Chromiak spun the puck over for Thomas at the right point. Thomas shook off a Calgary skater and from just above the right face-off dot he sent a shot over the glove of Ivan Prosvetov. Shots were 12-4 Calgary.
Just 7:10 into the third period Jakub Dvořák tied the game at 2-2 from Francesco Pinelli and Kenny Connors. Pinelli had the initial opportunity from below the right face-off dot where Prosvetov made a stick save. The puck found the stick of Dvořák inside the left circle who moved in from the blue line and directed it upstairs. Just 26 second after the goal the Wranglers went on the power-play at that’s where Aydar Suniev provided the eventual game winner at 9:03 from William Strömgren and Hunter Brzustewicz. From the top of the left circle Strömgren slid the puck to the right face-off dot where Suniev caught it and released a shot past a sliding Copley. The Reign pulled Copley with about 90 seconds left in the contest and had some chances but were unable to find the back of the next falling 3-2 outshooting the Wranglers 11-10 in the final 20 minutes.
Erik Portillo made two saves on two shots in 2:51 before leaving the game with what looked like an injury related matter. Pheonix Copley suffered the loss making 27 saves on 30 shots while Ivan Prosvetov picked up the win making 21 saves on 23 shots.
Postgame thoughts from Andrew Lord and Jakub Dvořák.
Lord
On tonight’s loss
Just not nearly as good as last night. Obviously, we started really slow, give them credit. They were a much different team, a lot more physical, relentless on pucks. We weren’t nearly as good with our puck management. I thought the claw back late in the second was really good, that last five minute stretch and then the third boatload of chances. Great job tying it up. Unfortunately, we give up the PK goal, which was too bad. Thought we were still going to tie it up late. We had a couple good looks.
On Copley stepping up
He was great. I thought he was really good. Obviously going in that situation is difficult. He was excellent from his puck playing to making a lot of big saves.
On what he wants to see in San Jose
Consistency, obviously, you know, to go from where we were yesterday to then that first period isn’t quite good enough. So we just got to get back to our ways and play a full 60.
Dvořák
On the team’s compete
It was one of the games where you’re pushing, you’re not able to score a goal. There were a lot of lot of good things, lot of bad things, but I think we fought pretty hard till the end.
On his confidence this season
I’m feeling my confidence going up and my ice time is going up. I feel the coaches trust me and I’m feeling better out there. It’s many things. I know my teammates, know the environment, so everything’s much easier for me. And last year was kind of learning courses for me. So this year it is completely different to step up in the beginning of the year.