Ontario Reign commands 5-1 defeat over Tucson Roadrunners

ONTARIO, CA. -- In their last two games, the Ontario Reign experienced back-to-back losses.

A dilemma they hadn’t been faced with since late December. 

Ontario has yet to lose three games in a row this season and tonight wasn’t going to be the start of something new.

“I think everyone knew that we’re not a team that’s going to lose three games in a row,” Martin Chromiak said in postgame interviews. “So I think basically everyone was on the same page that we were winning tonight and I think we did a pretty good job overall.”

Pheonix Copley saved 18 shots in Ontario’s 5-1 victory over the Tucson Roadrunners Wednesday night. 

Chromiak said the mindset the team had going into the game helped fuel their opening period.

Jacob Doty was the first to get his puck past Tucson goalie Jaxson Stauber, handing Ontario a quick 1-0 lead just 2:53 into the matchup.

Chromiak earned two points tonight with a goal and an assist on Glenn Gawdin’s goal, who scored less than 10 seconds after Chromiak.

Ontario scored three goals on seven shots in the first, emphasizing their moxie early on.

Tucson went 1-for-2 on the power play with Kevin Rooney scoring the Roadrunner’s lonesome goal.

Francesco Pinelli scored an empty-net goal and Ontario went 1-for-2 on the power play due to Aatu Jämsen’s power-play goal in the final period.

Joe Hicketts - a second-year captain for the Reign - was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday.

Ontario coach Andrew Lord said although Hicketts is gone, the team leadership hasn’t been affected.

“There’s a second layer to our leadership group,” Lord said. “I think it’s a real by committee team anyway. Obviously we miss (Hicketts), irreplaceable guy but I thought everyone was just bringing a little extra juice, a little bit more vocal and it showed. I thought we played a consistent 60 (minutes).”

Up next:

Reign (29-14-1-1; 60 points) visit the Bakersfield Condors (25-12-7-0; 57 points) Friday at 7 p.m.