ONTARIO, Calif. – The Ontario Reign (35-17-4-5), four-time ECHL Pacific Division Champions and proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s 2014 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets, defeated the Alaska Aces (29-23-3-4) by a 3-1 score in front of a crowd of 6,186 on Wednesday night at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Garry Nunn got the Reign on the board in the first period after Nolan Julseth-White’s shot created a scramble in the crease of Aces goaltender Niklas Lundstrom, allowing Nunn to poke the puck over the goal line at 3:48. Judd Blackwater received the secondary assist on the goal. 
Alaska tied the score when Dean Chelios sent a pass ahead to Brendan Connolly who sped behind a Reign defender and drove to the net, snapping the puck past the blocker of Joe Cannata at 13:54.
The second period began with a scary moment when Josh Brittain was checked into the corner by the Aces’ Evan Renwick at 0:31. Renwick would subsequently drop the gloves with Maxim Kitsyn and was thereafter ejected from the game; Brittain would fortunately return later on in the contest for Ontario.
The Reign regained their lead in the second period when Maxim Kitsyn sent the puck ahead to Matt White, who then sped around Corey Syvret into the slot and slid the puck through the legs of Lundstrom at 8:20.
The Reign put the game away in the third period after Lundstrom vacated the net for an extra attacker, as Maxim Kitsyn took a pass from White and fired the puck into the open net at 18:41, completing the Gordie Howe hat trick. Julseth-White earned the secondary assist.
Cannata earned the win with 18 saves; Lundstrom took the loss with 22 stops.
Three Stars:
1. ONT – Matt White
2. ONT – Maxim Kitsyn
3. ONT – Garry Nunn
You must be logged in to post a comment.