Pacific Division Semifinals Preview, Game 4 - 5/7
Published on May 7, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Ontario Reign News Release
WHO: Ontario Reign at Coachella Valley Firebirds (ONT Leads Series 2-1)
WHAT: 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs - Pacific Division Semifinals, Game 4
WHEN: Thursday, May 7 @ 7:00 Pacific
WHERE: Acrisure Arena - Palm Desert, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FloHockey - AUDIO: Reign Radio - TWITTER: @ReignInsider & @OntarioReign
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign look to close out the best-of-five series in a decisive game four from Acrisure Arena this evening against Coachella Valley.
ABOUT THE SERIES THUS FAR:
Game 1: ONT (0) vs. CV (3) Apr. 29: Nikke Kokko earned the shutout making 23 saves while J.R. Avon scored a pair of goals including a power-play strike and Oscar Fisker Mølgaard found the back of the net.
Game 2: ONT (5) vs. CV (1) May. 1: Lleyton Roed opened the scoring for the Firebirds in the first period while Logan Brown tied the game with 75 seconds left in the frame kick starting five unanswered for Ontario. Glenn Gawdin provided the eventual game winner with 4:43 remaining in the second period. Cole Guttman struck 15 seconds into the third period then Francesco Pinelli scored 2:19 later short-handed making it a 4-1 advantage. Martin Chromiak tacked on an empty netter late in regulation as Pheonix Copley earned the win making 34 saves.
Game 3: ONT (2) at CV (1) May. 5: Coachella Valley led 1-0 through 40 minutes of play on a late first period goal from Jani Nyman. Aatu Jämsen tied the scored 5:56 into the third and then Logan Brown notched the game winner 80 seconds later. Erik Portillo picked up the win making 27 saves.
- Coachella Valley has scored first in all three games of the series.
- The Reign are 0-for-3 on the power-play in the series having not received a man advantage opportunity in two straight games. Coachella Valley went 1-for-4 on the power-play in game one but the Reign have gone 7-for-7 on the penalty kill in the last two games.
- The Firebirds have outshot the Reign in all three games, 96-71 across the series combined.
3 TO WATCH FOR ONTARIO:
- A win tonight for the Reign would punch their ticket to the Pacific Division Finals for just the third time in franchise history. Ontario fell three games to none in the 2024 division finals to Coachella Valley and beat San Diego four games to one in 2016.
- Logan Brown has goals in back-to-back games including the tying goal in game two and the game winner in game three. He scored just one goal in 31 regular season games scoring his first in a Reign uniform on Apr. 10 in a 4-1 win against the Firebirds while adding 15 assists during the year. The 28-year-old played just two of the first 38 games due to injury but appeared in 29 of the final 34 contests. He recorded nine points (1G, 8A) in his last 10 regular season games.
- Jack Hughes and Glenn Gawdin have an assist in back-to-back games while Glenn Gawdin has points in two straight with a goal and an assist.
3 TO WATCH FOR COACHELLA VALLEY:
- The Firebirds came from behind in round one with their backs up against the walls. After falling 6-1 in game one in Bakersfield, Coachella Valley knocked off the Condors 5-4 in game two and 6-2 in game three, both at Acrisure Arena.
- Nikke Kokko has started all six games for Coachella Valley in between the crease holding a 3-3-0 record with a 3.18 goals against average and .872 save percentage.
- Coachella Valley has been outscored 12-6 this postseason in the third period.
American Hockey League Stories from May 7, 2026
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- Penguins Reveal Atlantic Division Final Schedule - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Pacific Division Semifinals Preview, Game 4 - 5/7 - Ontario Reign
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