For the first time this season, the Ontario Reign will faceoff with the Silver Knights. In their first seven games thus far, LA’s top affiliate has gone 6-0-1 and currently sits atop the Pacific Division standings.
Last season, Henderson defeated Ontario three times over the first eight games of the season. They only played each other one more time — with the Reign winning 4-2 in March — yet, that was before coach John Wroblewski and team had really turned the corner in the second-half of their 2021 campaign. Thus, tonight should be an early season test.
In goal, the Reign will turn back to Matt Villalta, after he split the weekend series vs. Abbotsford with veteran Garret Sparks. Together, they’ve provided a solid tandem, and improved goaltending compared to what the Reign received last year. The offense has also been there, as the Reign have a plus-8 in the goal differential column (scoring 27 goals and only giving up 15).
Kings play tonight at home. Reign also play tonight in Henderson.
Tkachev met up with his AHL teammates when they arrived in Nevada (coming in from a weekend sweep in Abbotsford). And he practiced with the club yesterday. We'll see if he draws in vs HSK.
— The Mayor (@mayorNHL) November 3, 2021
Up front, it appears Wroblewski will slot his newest forward, Vladimir Tkachev, in on the third line with Jaret Anderson-Dolan as his center. Tkachev signed with the Kings as a free agent out of the KHL this summer and played four games in the NHL before being assigned to Ontario to work on a few things. Despite being 26 years old, there is still an adjustment coming over from Europe and adapting to the smaller ice surface used in North America.
ONTARIO REIGN PROJECTED LINEUP vs. HENDERSON on 11/3
Burke – Tynan – Frk
Wagner – Turcotte – Madden
Tkachev – JAD – Fagemo
Johnson – Sutter – Dudas
Other options include: Doty, Pavlychev, and Sodergran
Phillips – Durzi
Moverare – Grans
Gaunce – Spence
Other options include: Kasastul
Villalta (starter)
Sparks
Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm tonight in Henderson and can be viewed via AHL TV.
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Lead photo of Turcotte by MayorsManor photographer Mike Zitek
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