ONTARIO, Calif. – The Ontario Reign (41-18-4-6), four-time ECHL Pacific Division Champions and proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s 2014 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets, were led by Matt White’s five-point night en route to a 7-4 victory over the Stockton Thunder (19-48-1-1) in front of a sell-out crowd of 9,395 – their ninth of the season – on Saturday night at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
The Reign struck first when Rocco Carzo flew down the right side and fluttered a pass into the slot for Matt White, who buried the shot past Lucas Gore at 2:19.
The Thunder responded with a goal by Klarc Wilson, who knocked home James Henry’s rebound with a backhand shot past the blocker of Jussi Olkinuora at 2:59.
Later on in the frame, Ontario was forced to kill a penalty when Josh Brittain was called for elbowing, but Matt White stole the puck from Stockton’s Brad Stebner, and snuck the puck through the pads of Gore at 17:19.
In the second period, the Reign went on the power-play following an interference call to Stockton’s J.P. Chabot. David Rutherford sped down the right side and cut in front of Gore as Judd Blackwater sent a pass ahead from the high slot, and Rutherford buried a backhand shot through the pads of Gore at 9:50.
Ontario continued its surge when Carzo sent a pass to the left circle for Maxim Kitsyn, and he hammered a shot that beat Gore at 17:03, with White earning the secondary assist.
Shortly after the Reign scored, Kyle Bigos hauled Stockton’s Mike Pereira down on a breakaway at 17:35, and the Thunder forward was awarded a penalty shot. On the ensuing chance, Pereira tried to snap a shot low past Olkinuora, but the goaltender quickly closed the door on Pereira with the leg pads.
Ontario closed out the frame when Matt Register joined the rush and sent a pass to the right circle for White, who fired a one-timer past Gore at 19:18 for his first professional hat trick.
Stockton showed signs of life in the third stanza as Tyler Shattock snapped the puck past Olkinuora at 3:22.
Brittain then tipped in Alex Roach’s point shot at 10:52 to restore the four-goal lead, but Garrett Ladd redirected Shattock’s pass from the right side of the net at 17:41 to pull Stockton back to within three.
Ontario completed its scoring when Register fed White for a breakaway, and the forward put away his fourth goal of the night at 18:12 by sliding the puck underneath Gore’s pads.
The Thunder closed out the game with a late tally by Brad Stebner who cashed in on a drive to the net at 19:43, but time ultimately ran out on Stockton, allowing the Reign to close out their regular season home finale with an all-time record of 143-83-10-18 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in ECHL play. Head coach Jason Christie earned his 481st ECHL victory, allowing him to pass John Brophy for the second-most wins in league history.
Olkinuora earned the win with 27 saves; Gore took the loss with 21 stops.
Three Stars:
1. ONT – Matt White
2. ONT – Rocco Carzo
3. ONT – Matt Register
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