Ontario, CA – Forwards T.J. Hensick and Matt Luff each scored twice to send the Ontario Reign (2-0-0-0) past the Tucson Roadrunners (0-1-0-0) 5-3 in preseason action tonight at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Special teams for both squads were on display as the Reign finished the night 3-for-9 on the power play and the Roadrunners went 1-for-6.
Reign defenseman Sean Walker opened the scoring at 13:44 of the first period with a power-play blast from the point, beating Roadrunners netminder Adin Hill (L, 17 saves on 22 shots). Less than three minutes later, Tucson forward Jens Looke slipped a shot past Reign keeper Jeff Zatkoff (11 saves on 12 shots) to make it 1-1.
In the second period, the Roadrunners snatched the lead as Jalen Smereck snuck a shot over the glove of newly-entered Cal Petersen (W, 12 saves on 14 shots). Petersen replaced Zatkoff at the halfway point of the frame. Luff put the Reign up for good at 13:16 with a perfectly-placed drive from the right-wing circle. Hensick picked up his first of two goals late in the second period to make it 3-1 and added his second just 30 seconds into the final stanza. The Roadrunners pushed back at 7:46 on a tally from Ryan MacInnis, but Luff sealed the victory with a power-play goal with 39 seconds left in the game.
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