Ontario Reign: Three Stars of the Week 3/31 – 4/6

Another week has passed, and it’s time for our Three Stars of the Week honors for the Ontario Reign – who went 2-1-0-0 in three games. Before we name the three stars, let’s quickly recap last week’s three games for the Reign.

3-2 victory over San Jose

Fast and strong. That’s how the Reign started in this game. Andre Lee and Martin Chromiak scored 12 seconds apart in the opening minute to give the Reign a 2-0 lead on their first two shots. The momentum was dashed by the end of the period as San Jose struck twice on two special-teams goals by Patrick Giles (short-handed) and Luca Cagnoni (power-play).

Aatu Jamsen restored the Reign’s lead in the second period on a rebound goal, which stood as the game-winning goal. Despite being on their heels for most of the game, the Reign escaped with two points thanks to Pheonix Copley’s 36-save performance.

3-1 loss to Calgary

The Reign traveled north of the border for the final time this regular season for a two-game set in Calgary over the weekend. The Wranglers established their forecheck and physicality and got ahead 2-0 less than six minutes into the game. Ontario got back within one as Glenn Gawdin deflected the puck past Devin Cooley on a shot from the blue line from Caleb Jones.

The Reign had their chances to tie the score, but couldn’t get the equalizer by Cooley and Yan Kuznetsov’s goal with 7:11 remaining in the game put Calgary ahead 3-1, which was the final score of the game.

3-2 victory over Calgary

The Reign were looking for the weekend split and had a much better start with that goal in mind. Chromiak got the scoring started on a play he did all by himself. The 22-year-old made a nice defensive play to set himself up for a goal off the rush on a shot from the right circle that went far side on Cooley. The individual effort put the Reign up 1-0.

There wouldn’t be any scoring until the 15:45 mark of the second period when Rory Kerins deflected a Martin Frk shot past Copley. However, Ontario answered back quickly as Shawn Element scored his first goal since February 15th on a rebound to give the Reign their one-goal lead back.

Calgary would tie the game 1:16 into the third as Sam Honzek scored on a breakaway after a rare bad pinch at the offensive blue line by Jack Millar. As they did after Kerins’ goal, the Reign responded well and dictated play. They would finally get the go-ahead goal as Charles Hudon forced a turnover deep into the Calgary zone, leading to Gawdin’s shot that got through Cooley, and Chromiak poking it over the line for his second of the game. The top line had a phenomenal game, and that goal stood as the game-winner.

Third star

Joseph Cecconi

Stat line: Three games played, zero goals, one assist, one point, +1 rating, two shots on goal

Joseph Cecconi didn’t light up the scoresheet, but that isn’t his role. He is a physical stay-at-home defenseman, and he’s been a positive surprise for the Reign since being acquired by the Kings in the Tyler Madden trade. Cecconi’s best game of the week came in the second game against Calgary. The 27-year-old recorded a primary assist on Shawn Element’s goal and had a key block on a high-danger chance from Sam Morton with 1:13 to play as the Reign were holding onto their one-goal lead. His style can be a big factor come playoff time.

Second star

Pheonix Copley

Stat line: Three games played, three starts, 2-1-0-0 record, seven goals against, 77 saves on 84 shots faced, .917 save percentage, no shutouts

Copley has held the fort down in net during Erik Portillo’s absence. The 33-year-old netminder has started 18 of 21 games in that span and has given the Reign a chance to win in almost all of them. He faced 84 shots and turned aside 77 of them for a .917 save percentage in the three games. Copley went 2-1-0-0 in the week. His best performance came in the Reign’s 3-2 victory over San Jose when he stopped 36 of 38 shots.