ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Ontario Reign (42-18-4-6), four-time ECHL Pacific Division Champions and proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s 2014 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets, locked up home ice advantage in the first round of the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 4-1 win over the Alaska Aces (34-29-3-4) in front of a crowd of 5,004 on Wednesday night at Sullivan Arena. 
Jussi Olkinuora made some solid saves on several Aces chances in the first period to keep the game scoreless, including a sliding pad stop on Chris Francis following a rebound from Tim Coffman more than halfway through the frame.
The Reign capitalized quickly with the man advantage following two simultaneous penalties to Alaska early in the second period, as Matt Register’s shot from the high slot rebounded off the pads of Troy Redmann to the right side of the net, where Judd Blackwater roofed a shot into an open net at 3:05.
The Aces responded with a power-play goal of their own, as Ryan Walters redirected Chris Francis’ point shot past Olkinuora at 9:28.
Blackwater found the back of the net once again at 12:51 to give Ontario another lead when he scooped Kyle Bigos’ rebound and cut across the crease, sliding the puck underneath the blocker of Redmann.
The Reign continued its dominance on the man advantage in the third, as Register teed up a shot from the left point that found its way through traffic into the net at 3:38, with Garry Nunn and Blackwater assisting.
Gasper Kopitar put the game away for Ontario when he received a pass from Everett Sheen and deked out Redmann before depositing a backhand shot into the net at 12:57.
Olkinuora earned the win with 42 saves; Redmann took the loss with 24 stops.
Three Stars:
1. ONT – Judd Blackwater
2. ONT – Jussi Olkinuora
3. ONT – Matt Register
You must be logged in to post a comment.