A historic season for coach Andrew Lord and the Ontario Reign came to a heartbreaking end in double overtime on Saturday night, as they fell to the visiting Coachella Valley Firebirds in a winner-take-all Game 5.
For the fourth time in the series, Ontario gave up the first goal of the game — which certainly didn’t make things any easier on themselves. Coachella Valley winger Jani Nyman netted his third goal of the postseason to put the Firebirds ahead 1-0.
Early in period two, Jack Hughes tied things up with his second tally of the series. Perhaps there’s just a different level Hughes is capable of shifting into come postseason action. Last year, after a somewhat disappointing regular season, he managed to elevate into one of Boston University’s better players during their run to the Frozen Four. Fast forward to this year, an argument could be made that he was among the most consistent players for Ontario at both ends of the ice in this series. And he finished off the run by scoring key goals in consecutive games.
When Oscar Fisker Molgaard gave the Firebirds a 2-1 lead midway through the second frame, it set up a nerve-racking final period for Lord & Co. With the Reign pouring on pressure late, Andre Lee came through with the tying goal — his first of the playoffs.
He had a flair for the dramatic all season long, delivering timely, clutch goals for Ontario. Game 5 was no different, as he scored perhaps the biggest goal of his career. After being asked about a possible reunion of the Lee-Connors-Wright line throughout the series, Lord finally put the trio back together in Game 5 and it paid dividends.
Still tied after 60 minutes, these Pacific Division foes needed not one, but two overtime periods to decide things. Unfortunately for Ontario, J.R. Avon slipped behind the defense and beat Reign goalie Erik Portillo, sending the Firebirds onto the next round.
Three Takeaways from the Loss:
The Little Things
After a contest like Game 5, it’s difficult to narrow things down to just three takeaways. With that said, a few key points can be grouped into one overarching takeaway.
First and foremost, the Reign lost far too many faceoffs. It was a recurring theme throughout the series, with Coachella Valley consistently controlling the dot. When you’re unable to establish possession off draws, sustaining pressure becomes incredibly difficult, and that issue was on full display on Saturday evening.
Additionally, as coach Lord mentioned throughout the series, Ontario’s inability to manage the puck proved costly. Missed passes, pucks rolling off sticks, and struggles handling the puck along the boards consistently plagued the Reign all series long.
Then there’s the power play, which ultimately let Ontario down when it mattered most. Going 0-for-9 with the extra skater is unacceptable in a series this tight, especially when chances to capitalize were so limited.
Firebirds = Oilers?
There are always demons in sports — opponents that repeatedly stand in the way no matter how good a team may be. Just look at the Kings and Oilers, where Edmonton sent Los Angeles home in the first round four straight times from 2022-25.
Perhaps Coachella Valley is that kryptonite for Ontario. The Reign broke all kinds of franchise records this season but ultimately ran into the Firebirds and fell.
From a bizarre Game 1, where Ontario seemed completely out of sync, to a Game 5 they probably take in most scenarios based on their first overtime chances, the series was filled with nightmarish happenings for the Reign.
While it did take the full five games (and some overtime) to eventually get to a winner, the result was the same as the last time these teams met up in the postseason — another Coachella Valley win.
Open the Port
The LA Kings enter a crucial offseason with plenty of uncertainty, especially between the pipes. As top prospects Hampton Slukynsky and Carter George arrive at the pro level to begin their journeys, it’s also time for Portillo to finally receive his shot at an NHL job.
He was outstanding most of the regular season, putting together what may have been the best campaign of his career. At one point, he rattled off 10 straight wins and claimed victory in 15 of 17 decisions.
Late in the season, it seemed like Portillo just couldn’t catch a break in the win column, but the struggles were more team-related than anything on his end.
To cap off his 2025-26 efforts, Portillo was exceptional in the playoffs. Starting Games 1, 3, and 5, he posted a 2.14 GAA and .926 save percentage while delivering several massive saves in crucial moments.
Following the loss, Lord spoke highly of Portillo, saying, “[He] has got a bright future ahead of him. He gave us solid minutes, solid games all year.”
For more with Lord, including his extended thoughts on several Kings prospects, be sure to check out his recent appearance on KOTP linked below.
Lead photo by Thomas Salvatierra
MORE LA KINGS NEWS:
Kings Of The Podcast, Ep. 263 – Ending in LA, Starting in Ontario, and Guest Andrew Lord
AHL Round 2: Reign vs. Firebirds, Full Schedule and Series Preview + Notes on Andre Lee and More
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Yes, those were three glaring areas that cost the Reign dearly, not to mention the egg they laid in game one. After reading this, it’s amazing that the Reign were not swept. The goaltenders gave them a chance.
Coming off a bye is not necessarily a good thing. Have to somehow keep up the pace. The Reign have been around longer, but no playoff experience
with 0-8 record in last 4yrs. The CV FBs are playoff royalty having made it to the Caulder, representibg tbe West 2yrs in a row. That cannot be understated.
The two best reg season teams are NOT in the playoff. Reign is one of them. FB are in a different realm in tbe playoff. Learn from it or keep going home.