The Ontario Reign are facing an uphill battle in Game 1 of the postseason in the playoffs this spring late this month in late April after getting shutout by the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the Pacific Division on Wednesday night (April 29). Head coach Andrew Lord and the Los Angeles Kings AHL affiliate, Ontario, were defeated in the middle frame in the second period on the scoreboard and on the ice yesterday in the Calder Cup Playoffs in the Pacific Division at Toyota Arena in front of over 3,000 fans.
Coachella Valley goalie Nikke Kokko pitched a shutout, stopping all 23 shots he faced for the Firebirds yesterday vs. the Reign on the ice. The Reign and Coachella Valley were pretty evenly matched on the ice and on the scoreboard in the opening frame in the first period yesterday.
Erik Portillo pitched a shutout for the Reign in Ontario on home ice in the opening frame in the first period yesterday on the ice. Ontario and Coachella Valley both registered at least a dozen shots on goal and over five scoring chances in the zone offensively in the opening frame in the first period yesterday.
Coachella Valley jumped out to an early lead in the game in the middle frame in the second period yesterday on the scoreboard, scoring a goal on special teams on the power play on the 5-on-4 man advantage in the zone vs. Ontario. J.R. Avon scored the goal on special teams on the power play in the middle frame in the second period yesterday for Coachella Valley vs. Ontario.
In the final frame in the third period yesterday, the Reign fell behind on the scoreboard and on the ice. Coachella Valley took a 3-0 lead on the scoreboard in the final frame in the third period, including a goal on a shot by Oskar Fisker Mølgaard that doubled the Firebirds' lead in scoring margin.
Portillo had to stop double-digit shots on goal and double-digit scoring chances in the zone defensively for the Reign yesterday. Lord and the Reign will be back in action in the Calder Cup Playoffs in the Pacific Division semifinals on Friday night (May 1) at Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA, in the Inland Empire in Southern California.
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