Ontario and Bakersfield were right back at it Saturday night as the Reign played host for the second half of the weekend series. Cal Petersen would relieve Jack Campbell of his duties for the night as he attempted to backstop the Reign to their first points of the season. The Reign powerplay came up empty handed last night after getting the only three chances of the contest.
Ontario generated a few chances on consecutive shifts to open the game. It would be Ty Rattie that put Bakersfield right back where they were last night, beating Cal Petersen under the arm early for the first lead. Ontario seemed patterned to repeat their 17 shot first period performance from Friday night, and they would. Despite the shot parade they had very little to show for it through a period of play and Bakersfield held a 1-0 lead. Ontario has yet to score a goal in five first periods this season.
The home team would look to get anything going in the second period after four scoreless periods of hockey at home this year. The teams traded powerplay chances to kick off the frame and Ontario generated their best chances of the game to that point during their attempt. Jonny Brodzinski rang a one-timer off not one, but two posts as Ontario still could not find pay dirt. Bakersfield would grow their lead to two when Ethan Bear found an errant puck and pushed it passed Petersen.The neighbors from up north were a step ahead of the Reign all night, continually blocking shots and intercepting passes.
The third period began with an Ontario team desperate to get off the schneid and half the two goal lead held by their longtime division rival. Giving up man advantages would not help them in their effort as Bakersfield was able to sustain pressure. The Reign moved the puck to open ice but were unable to materialize anything significant offensively throughout the contest. Late in the period with Petersen out of the net, Paul LaDue took a Mike Amadio pass from below the goal line and one-timed it passed Nick Ellis. The goal was the first for the reign in nearly six full periods at home, but wouldn’t be enough to climb back into the contest. An empty netter would give Bakersfield the win, 3-1.
Ontario is now 0-5-0 to open the season, easily their slowest start in American Hockey League action. They will get a chance to grab their first points of the season next weekend in Cleveland as they visit the Monsters, the Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate.
LINE COMBINATIONS:
Brett Sutter – Mike Amadio – Jonny Brodzinski
Michael Mersch – Phillipe Maillet – Matt Luff
Boko Imama – Andrew Crescenzi – Spencer Watson
Jamie Devane – TJ Hensick – Sam Herr
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS:
Gravel – LaDue
Matt Roy – Alex Lintuniemi
Sean Walker – Stepan Falkovsky
GOALTENDER:
Cal Petersen
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