WHO: Ontario Reign (7-4-1-0) at Calgary Wranglers (6-4-2-0)
WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME #13/72
WHEN: Tuesday, November 11 @ 5:00 Pacific
WHERE: Scotiabank Saddledome – Calgary, AB  

HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey – AUDIO: Reign Radio – TWITTER: @ReignInsider & @OntarioReign

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign and Calgary Wranglers square off for the first off in the first of four total meetings this season, the first of two in Calgary.

LAST TIME OUT FOR BOTH TEAMS: Ontario picked up their second overtime win in their last three contests this past Saturday night when Kyle Burroughs scored 1:59 into the extra session giving the Reign a 4-3 win vs. San Diego with his first career game winning goal in the AHL. Ontario led 3-0 in the contest receiving a pair of first period goals from Glenn Gawdin and Aätu Jamsen but relinquished the lead as the Gulls provided three unanswered scores of their own including a six-on-five extra attacked goal to force overtime with 91 seconds left in the game. Lucas Ciona scored the lone goal for the Wranglers on Saturday night who were defeated at home by San Jose by a final score of 4-1.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: With Ontario’s victory on Saturday night, they we’re able to keep a streak alive of not losing back-to-back games this season yet as they’re now 5-0 when following a loss. It was the second straight game the Reign scored four goals after they had been held to just four total in their previous two games. The Reign are fifth in the AHL averaging 3.42 goals for per game having scored three or more goals in eight of 12 games while they’re 17th allowing 3.00 goals against per game having held their opposition to three or fewer eight times. Ontario produced a season high 45 shots last Friday in a 6-4 loss at San Diego. They’re just 30thin the league averaging 25.50 shots per game but have recorded 29 or more in four straight contests. Ontario has received 50 power-play opportunities, third most in the league, as they’re 18%, 17th in the AHL. Glenn Gawdin scored a pair of goals on Saturday night snapping a six-game goal-less drought while Martin Chromiak tied a career high with four points (2-2-4) on Friday evening.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Ontario held an impressive 6-1-1-0 record vs. Calgary last season including a 3-1-0-0 mark at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Four of the eight meetings went beyond regulation with six contests being determined by one-goal. Ontario outscored Calgary 28-25 as Martin Chromiak tallied six points (2-2-4) and Glenn Gawdin notched five points (3-2-5). Andre Lee, Francesco Pinelli, and Taylor Ward each scored two goals and added two assists. Martin Frk led the way for the Wranglers with eight points (3-5-8). Ontario went (6-for-30, 20%) on the man advantage while Calgary was (5-for-27, 18.5%). Pheonix Copley was the best goaltender in the series posting a (3-1-0) record with a 1.74 goals against average and .925 save percentage while Erik Portillo was (3-0-1) with a 2.64 GAA and .863 SV%.

BETWEEN TWO PIPES: For the Reign, Erik Portillo has won four straight games making 104 saves on 111 shots (1.73 GAA and .937 SV%) after making 29 saves on Saturday night while Pheonix Copley has lost his last three games with a 5.56 GAA and .814 save percentage, most recently allowing six goals on 32 shots Friday in a 6-4 loss at San Diego. For the Wranglers, Ivan Prosvetov has carried the workload having started six of the last seven games. The former Arizona Coyotes prospect has lost his last two starts after winning his previous four. He allowed four goals on 15 shots last Thursday vs. San Jose and was relieved by Owen Say who made eight saves on eight shots. Say, an undrafted rookie out of the University of Notre Dame and Mercyhurst University, made 21 saves in a 6-1 win at Bakersfield on Nov. 2 in his last start.

CALGARY CONNECTIONS: Reign forward, Glenn Gawdin made his NHL debut with the Calgary Flames on Feb. 20, 2021 at Edmonton. He played seven games with the Flames that season tallying his first NHL point with an assist on May 9, 2021 at the Scotiabank Saddledome vs. Ottawa. He played two NHL games with Calgary the following season while spending a majority of the year with their AHL affiliate at the time, the Stockton Heat, where he notched 50 points (15-35-50) in 62 games. Originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 2015 NHL Draft, the Blues never signed him to a contract. Ultimately, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flames on Nov. 16, 2017. He was named to the 2019-20 AHL All Star Game while playing with Stockton. Former Reign captain and the franchise’s all-time games played leader, Brett Sutter, is in his first season as head coach of the Wranglers after serving as an assistant last season. Sutter played parts of seven seasons with Ontario from 2016-22 serving as team captain for five years from 2017-22 before ending his career as captain with the Wranglers from 2022-24. Sutter is the franchise leader in games played (379), second in goals (81) and assists (99), and third in points (180).

SCOUTING THE WRANGLERS: The Wranglers have lost back-to-back games falling 4-1 on Saturday and 4-3 Thursday at home vs. San Jose. Calgary had won their previous five games and had collected a point in eight games (6-0-2) after starting the season (0-2-0). They’ve played eight games having been decided by one-goal, the most in the AHL, having four games decided in overtime and one in a shootout. Tonight, marks game five of a six game homestand for the Wranglers before they will play 10 straight away from the Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary is eighth in the AHL averaging 3.25 goals for per game but 23rd in goals against allowing an average of 3.08. Calgary is 31st in the AHL on the penalty kill having allowed 12 goals on 40 short-handed deficits (70%). Rory Kerins leads the club in scoring with 13 points (5-8-13) after finishing third last season in the AHL with 33 goals and tied for seventh with 61 points in 63 games. Flames first round pick in 2024, 28th overall, Matvei Gridin, is tied for second on the Wranglers with 11 points (4-7-11) in 10 games as a 19-year-old rookie and has played four games in the NHL with Calgary this year scoring one goal.