With their parent LA Kings playing a rare Sunday afternoon tilt in New York, the Ontario Reign will quietly go about their business and host an afternoon affair of their own against the visiting San Diego Gulls.
Unlike the Kings and Rangers, who rarely meet up, the Gulls and Reign are quite familiar with each other. Not only do they typically play a minimum of eight times per season, but they’ve also developed what is arguably the AHL’s best rivalry. Much like a Kings-Ducks game, when these two Southern California clubs hook up, you can usually throw their records and place in the Pacific Division standings right out the window.
In an odd twist of 2022-23 scheduling, Sunday’s game will actually mark the final contest in the Reign-Gulls series this season. Don’t be fooled by Ontario’s six wins in the previous seven games, though. Coaches and players will quickly comment that nothing comes easy in this rivalry. Just one week ago, it was Ontario who skated off with a 4-3 overtime win in San Diego. Kings prospect Martin Chromiak was the star that night, scoring in regulation and netting the game-winning goal.
From what we’re hearing, forward Alex Turcotte will not play tonight. He remains out following an injury suffered on this play.
Exactly how coach Marco Sturm will setup today’s lineup is a bit tricky, as the team did not hold a pregame morning skate today and only a handful of guys were on the ice yesterday. Given that, we’ll assume he’s going with largely the same setup at forward and on the blueline. Indications are, Cal Petersen will get the start in net after Matthew Villalta played on Friday vs. San Jose.
Ontario will wear special black and purple ‘Inland Empire’ themed jerseys for this game.
ONTARIO REIGN PROJECTED LINEUP vs. SAN DIEGO GULLS
Andersson – Tynan – Madden
Ward – Quine – Fagemo
Dudas – Becker – Chromiak
Lee – Helenius – Goulbourne
Bisson – Spence
Moverare – Grans
Nousiainen – Allard
Petersen
Villalta
Likely game scratches: Gaunce, Pavlychev, Thompson, Turcotte, Wagner
Recalled to NHL: Bjornfot, Kupari
Out injured: Thomas, Doty
Puck drop is scheduled for 3pm PST tonight and the game can be viewed on AHL TV.
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