Ontario Reign: Three takeaways from 4-3 loss to Calgary

Goal Breakdown

First period:

ONT: PP Martin Chromiak (14), ASST: Alan Quine (18)

ONT: Tobias Bjornfot (3), ASST None

Second period:

CGY: Yan Kuznetsov (4), ASST: Kevin Rooney (9), Colton Poolman (11)

Third period:

CGY: Nick DeSimone (6), ASST: Connor Zary (34), Emilio Pettersen (21)

CGY: Ilya Solovyov (2), ASST: Jeremie Poirier (32)

CGY: PP Cole Schwindt (14), ASST: Nick DeSimone (26), Connor Zary (35)

ONT: PP Tyler Madden (16), ASST: Samuel Fagemo (7), Alan Quine (19)

Stats

Goals:

CGY: 4

ONT: 3

Shots: 

CGY: 28

ONT: 30

Power-plays:

CGY: 1/5

ONT: 2/5

Here are the three takeaways from Sunday’s 

(Not so) lucky number seven

Seven isn’t a lucky number for the Ontario Reign right now. After a weekend sweep by the Calgary Wranglers, the Ontario Reign’s losing streak has now hit seven games. Both games were tight, but Calgary’s depth came up big Sunday as they got three goals from defensemen in their 4-3 comeback victory.

While the results won’t show it, the Reign played two good games this weekend. However, good wasn’t good enough. A couple of defensive lapses played a factor again yesterday afternoon that Calgary took advantage of. Matthew Villalta had an okay game and looked like he had some rebound control trouble at times. Also, the lack of finishing their chances at 5-on-5 has been a theme lately. Dustin Wolf proved once again why he’s the best goalie in the AHL.

Martin Chromiak returns to the lineup and scores

Martin Chromiak returned to the lineup Sunday afternoon after being a healthy scratch on Friday. After being red hot for January and most of February, Chromiak has gone ice cold as he went scoreless in his last six games (he did have three assists in that span). After Chromiak drew a penalty, Marco Sturm sent the second power-play unit on the ice (Chromiak is on the second unit), and it only took two seconds for the Reign to strike as Chromiak collected the puck after off the faceoff and beat Dustin Wolf blocker side to give the Reign a 1-0 lead.

The goal by Chromiak was his 14th of the year and 5th on the power play. For the season, Chromiak now has 27 points in 41 games. Not bad after missing the first month because of surgery after he had appendicitis and a slow start after returning.

Finish and put them away

The Calgary Wranglers are an elite team. They have a top-ten power play and penalty kill, along with excellent goaltending, great defense, and scoring goals up and down the lineup. You have to be locked in for sixty minutes when playing them. After going up two goals after one period, it was important to have a strong start in the second period. Unfortunately for the Ontario Reign, the Calgary Wranglers proved why they are one of, if not, the best team in the AHL in the final 40 minutes.

While the Reign didn’t play a bad game, a couple of defensive lapses and a goal from the blue line given up by Vilallta ended up hurting them. It is important to finish your scoring chances at 5-on-5 and put an elite team away. That has been an issue at times for the Reign lately. Any mistake made and the Wranglers will make you pay.

UP NEXT: The Ontario Reign return to action Friday for a two-game weekend series in Abbotsford against the Canucks. The game starts at 7 pm PT and can be seen on AHLTV. Let’s see if the Reign can snap their seven-game skid.