Ontario Reign: Three Takeaways From 6-4 Loss to Colorado

The Ontario Reign battled back to tie the game at four after trailing 4-1, but couldnt complete the comeback and settle for a weekend split.

Thats a wrap in Loveland #ReignTrain I #ONTvsCOL pic.twitter.com/qYvtmXApSZ Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) November 17, 2024 Goal Breakdown First period: COL: Tye Felhaber (4), ASST: Calle Rosen (8) Second period: ONT: Reilly Walsh (4), ASST: Charles Hudon (5), Glenn Gawdin (8) COL: Jake Wise (3), ASST: Matthew Phillips (9), Devante Stephens (2) COL: PP Jacob MacDonald (6), ASST: TJ Tynan (5), Jayson Megna (7) Things you can expect from JMac: 1.

Good Goals 2.

Good Cellys pic.twitter.com/o2jXyn54V0 Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) November 17, 2024 COL: Jack Ahcan (2), ASST: Nikita Prishchepov (4), TJ Tynan (6) ONT: Angus Booth (1), ASST: Jeff Malott (10), Luke Rowe (2) Third period: ONT: Glenn Gawdin (6), ASST: Jeff Malott (11), Reilly Walsh (4) ONT: Shawn Element (4), ASST: Joe Hicketts (10) COL: Devante Stephens (1), ASST: Chase Bradley (2) COL: EN Jake Wise (4), ASST: TJ Tynan (7) Stats Goals: ONT: 4 COL: 6 Shots: ONT: 26 COL: 31 Power plays: ONT: 0/1 COL: 1/2 Here are the three takeaways from yesterdays 6-4 defeat: Angus Booth gets his first There wasnt much to like about this game for the Reign other than their ability to fight back in the third.

However, there was one milestone for a rookie defenseman in the second period.

That milestone was Angus Booth recording his first professional goal.

As Jeff Malott was driving to the net with the puck in transition, Booth jumped up in the play at the right place at the right time as the former passed the puck up the middle where the latter happened to be.

Booth went glove side on Kevin Mandolese for the goal.

The rookie defenseman has had a nice start to the season, recording five points in 13 games while making the right play with the puck and gap control on the defensive side.

Hes not known more for his quiet defensive game instead of his offense.

As the season progresses there will be growing pains, but he is playing good hockey so far.

Us watching Angus score his first AHL goal #ReignTrain I #ONTvsCOL pic.twitter.com/OTaUxFWzBU Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) November 17, 2024 Friday night saw Kaleb Lawrence score his first professional goal and it was Booths turn yesterday.

Comeback falls short The Reign didnt quit in this game.

After trailing 4-1 with 4:17 remaining in the second period on the second night of a back-to-back, the team easily couldve mailed it in for the rest of the night.

They didnt and pushed back late in the period as Booths goal brought the Reign within two by the second intermission.

The goal seemed to give the Reign momentum heading into the final frame as they scored on their first two shots 28 seconds apart courtesy of Glenn Gawdin and Shawn Element, silencing the crowd at Blue Arena.

Unfortunately, for the Reign, the Eagles got the lead back 88 seconds as Devante Stephens scored on a back door tap-in off a backhand pass from Chase Bradley.

Jake Wise would ice the game with an empty-net goal with 35 seconds to play, giving the Eagles a 6-4 victory.

While the game will end up in the loss column for Ontario, on a night they didnt play their best, not giving up and playing until the final whistle is a good sign for future games in the season.

Flying Eagles The Eagles came out flying and the Reign didnt start on time.

Devante Stephens set the tone for the Eagles by dropping the gloves with Reign defenseman Luke Rowe 16 seconds in.

Tye Fellhaber scored 20 seconds later on a rebound chance in front of the net with no Reign player near him.

The fight and goal set the tone and the home team was off and running.

The Eagles aggressive forecheck, speed, and movement caused issues for the Reign all night.

Colorado capitalized on multiple Reign defensive zone breakdowns in the Reigns one-on-one defense, caused by the forecheck, cycle, and movement they created in the offensive zone or transition on Stephens goal.

11 Eagles players recorded a point with five different goal scorers.

Goal so good he broke the stream pic.twitter.com/kXbPPW7fqg Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) November 17, 2024 When a Reign forward or defender lost their man in coverage the Eagles made them pay.

The Reign have a young defensive core, with four players on the backend either in their first or second professional season, so mistakes like that will happen.

Thats how theyll learn in a league meant for young players to develop.

While the Reign didnt get scoring from their second and third lines tonight (the Pinelli and Studnicka lines), they did leave Colorado with a weekend split.

Its tough to sweep a two-game series, let alone win one of the games.

Its a tough building to play in because it looks like the fans are on top of the ice and are extremely loud in addition to playing in the altitude.

Winning Fridays game and leaving with a weekend split was the best outcome Ontario could get.

NOTES: *Stephens completed the Gordie Howe hat trick with his third-period goal.

It would be the game-winner.

Did someone say Gordie Howe Hatty???? pic.twitter.com/ahvOCvLmtO Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) November 17, 2024 *Former Reign captain TJ Tynan recorded three assists.

He recorded his third assist on Wises empty-net goal for his 600th career AHL point.

Congrats, Tynan! MR.

600! With three assists tonight, T.J.

Tynan reaches 600 career AHL points across 12 seasons.

pic.twitter.com/tq4jHxlbkU American Hockey League (@TheAHL) November 17, 2024 * Kevin Mandolese started for the second straight night for the Eagles and made 22 saves.

*Gawdin extended his point streak to three games with his multi-point night.

He leads the Reign in scoring with 14 points.

Glenn the goal scoring Gawdin #ReignTrain I #ONTvsCOL pic.twitter.com/1MFBkClDAe Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) November 17, 2024 *Malott recorded his 11th assist on Booths goal in the middle frame.

He leads the Reign in assists on the season.

*Reilly Walsh scored a goal for the third straight game for the Reign.

*Element recorded his fourth goal on the season to tie the game at four early in the third period.

* Jacob Ingham got the start in goal, his first against the Eagles in his career.

He stopped 25 of 30 shots faced.

UP NEXT: The Ontario Reign dont play again until Wednesday.

They will travel to Henderson to take on the Silver Knights for the fourth time this season.

The game will start at 7 PM PT and you can watch it on FloSports or listen on the ESPN LA app.

This article first appeared on Hockey Royalty and was syndicated with permission..

This article has been shared from the original article on yardbarker, here is the link to the original article.