Heading home for their opener at Pechanga Arena the Gulls looked to make it 3-0 to start the season in their third straight against their most bitter rivals.
Alex Stalock was given the start in net for the home opener, while all lines and pairings remained exactly the same from the previous match-up. Blake McLaughlin was a healthy scratch once again, along with Jaxsen Weiebe and Nick Wolff while Luca Profaca remained out with an undisclosed injury.
First Period:
The Gulls started out strong with a terrific shift from the Nesterenko line that almost got them on the board just 25 seconds in but a desperate goal mouth scramble from the Reign kept things even.
Ontario hit right back and kept the Pastujov line hemmed in their own zone, with the later guilty of not taking the hit to make the play and getting the clear when he might have.
Travis Howe and Ben King attempted to swing momentum with a double team hit on Alex Turcotte in the Ontario zone and Howe was immediately challenged by veteran Jacob Doty. The scrap lasted a staggering amount of time with Howe visibly tired but still standing by its end.
Brayden Tracey was caught setting a pick in the Ontario zone and the Reign were given their first Power Play of the night. The Gulls penalty kill largely did a good job to get the kill but did have some luck with a bounce that squeaked to the side that both Stalocks left pad and a dividing Tyson Hinds were able to stop going into the San Diego net.
Play was frenetic with shots remaining remarkably even despite Ontario enjoying a very clear majority in possession with the Gulls doing all that they could to just ease the pressure of their constant and persistent attacks.
The Gulls were able to shift momentum in the final five minutes but only so much so as to make it a more even back and forth battle as time expired on the period and a scoreless tie after the first twenty minutes of play.
Shots were 12-10 for the Reign on the frame with the shot map showing the Reign having the better quality and more consistent possession in the Gulls zone.
Second Period: San Diego Gulls 0 – Ontario Reign 0
With Nikita Nesterenko called for high sticking right on the opening draw of the period – the Reign were given another opportunity on the Power Play and despite the Gulls getting close to killing the penalty, Trevor Carrick was stripped of the puck down low and the Reign were able to convert. Taylor Ward opening the scoring for the visitors with the man advantage. 1-0 Reign.
Some matching minors to both Perreault and Hodgson in front of the Reign net lead to a brief burst of four on four hockey which the Gulls used to their advantage while drawing another call using a repeated high-zone cycle in the Ontario zone.
It took all of 18 seconds for Olen Zellweger to take a pass and line up a shot from the left side board, unleashing an absolute laser that beat Rittich with Regenda providing a great screen in front. 1-1 tie game and the Ducks prized prospects first AHL goal.
Ontario attempted to respond but the Gulls had firmly shifted momentum and Olen Zellweger drew a holding call minutes later as he fended off Steven Santini while earning the call in the San Diego zone.
Olen giveth and Olen taketh away as he stayed on a little too long on his shift and got his team in strife as he was too tired to recover a puck near the Gulls bench. Leading to an Alex Turcotte breakaway that Alex Stalock was equal to but the follow up chaos resulted in Ben King having to take a penalty to deny the Reign another opportunity.
After the Gulls erased the minor the physicality and intensity picked up, with Drew Helleson on the receiving end of a hard and heavy hit from Hayden Hodgson while Pavol Regenda was set up for his third breakaway in as many games but was denied to go 1-2 on his one-on-one chances in the early season.
Ontario were given another Power Play as Glen Gawdin was called for holding in the San Diego zone and the Reign cashed in once again with their man advantage as Charles Hudon fed Martin Chromiak with a cross-ice feed that the Kings prospect connected on the one timer. 2-1 Reign.
San Diego responded via the Perreault line but could not convert and the Reign took possession right back, finishing out the period in the Gulls zone and taking a 2-1 lead into the second intermission. Shots were 13-12 for the visitors on the period and 25-22 overall.
Third Period: Ontario Reign 2 – San Diego Gulls 1
Ontario started the third with an increased physical presence and goaded the Gulls into yet more penalties as both Glenn Gawdin and Nikita Nesterenko were penalized for roughing and slashing respectively while Hayden Hodgson took just the lone roughing call on the other side.
On the resulting Reign Power Play the visitors stuck again as captain TJ Tynan beat Stalock to take a 3-1 lead for Ontario.
It looked as though the San Diego penalty woes would continue to dog them as Robert Hagg was called for tripping less than a minute after the goal but Pavol Regenda through a massive individual effort found himself on yet another short handed break and this time made good – scoring a huge goal to bring the Gulls back to within one and bring Pechanga arena to their feet. Reign 3-2.
The Gulls pulled Stalock with just over two minutes remaining and received a last gasp of hope when Hayden Hodgson was called for tripping as he pulled down Pavol Regenda while the two battled for a loose puck near the empty net.
Unfortunately it wasn’t enough as the Reign were able to kill the remaining time on the period and hold on for the 3-2 win to spoil the Gulls home opener.
Post Game Notes:
S.T.I.L.L Too Many Penalties
It’s an early season recurring theme. The Gulls were penalized far too often and they were penalized because they gave up possession much too easily. It’s something to keep an eye on to see if it is systematic or if its just that the Reign are that much better at winning puck battles as well as maintaining a hold of the puck. It did feel like as a whole, the entire team played a little too jittery. Rushing a pass and not taking the smart option to regroup and maintain possession once they did get the puck for any short moment. One Gull in particular has stood out to me in not impressing with his defensive game…
Sasha Please Hold Onto The Puck
I noted it in my recap above – that on one occasion Pastujov was guilty of not getting a clear in his own zone and I am sure that is all part of the learning curve for the first-year pro, but it reminds me a lot of how (also a noted Sniper) Jacob Perreault used to and sometimes does still play. It’s an element of both their games that holds them back from taking that next step to the NHL.
Nikita Nikita
Nikita Nesterenko stood out as the best Gulls forward in this game. His speed was at an NHL level but he also blew by even NHL level opponents with ease. Pavol Regenda was also his usual beast-on-skates self, but he cannot do it all on his own, it’s about time some of the veterans stood up. That said both Nesterenko and Regenda will continue to be ones to watch as the Gulls progress through this season.
Standings Update
An early look at the Pacific shows Henderson, San Diego, Tucson and Abbotsford all atop the division with two regulation wins each. San Diego next face the undefeated Roadrunners next in Tucson on Tuesday.
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