Playoff Game Preview - Ontario Reign at Idaho Steelheads
April 24, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Ontario Reign News Release
Round 2 Game 3
Arena: CenturyLink Arena, Boise, ID
Date: Wednesday, Apr. 24
Time: 6:10 p.m. (PT)
Video Webcast: America ONE Networks
Audio Webcast: Jesse Liebman - Pre-game show at 5:50 p.m.
TONIGHT:
The Ontario Reign (5-0-1) will face off against their Western Conference rival, Idaho Steelheads (5-2-1) for Game 3 of the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Reign went 4-5-0-0 against the Steelheads this season and were outscored 32 to 29 with both a shutout win and a shutout loss.
The Reign earned their first ever playoff shutout when JF Berube stopped all 19 shots and his teammates beat both Steelheads goalies, Tyler Beskorowany and Josh Robinson, five times to tie their largest margin of victory of this playoff season.
JOURNEY TO THE KELLY CUP:
The Reign has had a strong start in the playoffs with just one overtime loss in six games. Ontario is the only team to have earned a point in every game and to have a perfect penalty killing unit (20/20). The Reign ranks first in the league in shots-for; second in goals-for with 3.83 per game and shots-against with 24.67 per game.
REIGN'S RINGER ROOKIE:
Nick Ebert arrived in Ontario as the youngest player on the roster at 18 years old from the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Ebert played in four regular season games for the Reign earning points, all assists, in the final three games. Since the beginning of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, the rookie defenseman has been a standout ranking second on the team with seven points (2g, 5a) tied with the Reign's regular-season point leader, Kyle Kraemer. Ebert, an LA Kings 2012 draft pick, is second with a +8 and holds the longest playoff point-streak of six games since Bud Holloway's seven-game streak in the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs. If Ebert can register a point tonight, he will tie the Reign's record.
CAPTAIN COUTURE:
The Reign's captain, Derek Couture, has owned his role on the team as a leader on the ice. The winger leads the team in points, (2g,6a=8), plus-minus (+10), assists (6a), and shots on goal (24). Couture was the first-ever Reign player to earn a Gordie Howe Hat Trick on 4/3 vs Utah when he had a goal, two assists, and a fight.
SEASON SERIES:
10/24: ONT @ IDH....L, 2-7
10/26: ONT @ IDH....L, 2-6
12/8: ONT vs IDH....L, 2-3
12/9: ONT vs IDH....W, 5-4 OT
12/15: ONT vs IDH....W, 6-2
2/16: ONT vs IDH....L, 2-4
3/20: ONT @ IDH....W, 5-3
3/22: ONT @ IDH....L, 0-3
3/23: ONT @ IDH....W, 5-0
2013 PLAYOFFS:
4/2: ONT vs UTA....W, 5-2
4/3: ONT vs UTA....W, 7-2
4/5: ONT at UTA....W, 2-1 OT
4/6: ONT at UTA....W, 2-1 OT
4/19: ONT vs IDH....L, 2-3 OT
4/20: ONT vs IDH....W, 5-0
4/24: ONT @ IDH
4/26: ONT @ IDH
4/27: ONT @ IDH
4/30: ONT vs IDH if necessary
5/1: ONT vs IDH if necessary
STREAKS:
Ebert: 6-game point (2g,5a)
Couture: 2-game point (1g,1a)
Sheahan, Brock: 2-game assist (2a)
Lamoureux: 2-game point (2g,1a)
Calla: 1-game point (1g,1a)
Sheen: 1-game point (1g,1a)
Burt: 1-game goal (1g)
Hauswirth: 1-game assist (1a)
Register: 1-game assist (1a)
Berube: 6-game unbeaten (5-0-1)
REIGN TRACKER (ECHL active roster rankings):
Couture: Leads league with +10
Berube: 3rd in league with a 1.43 GAA
Ebert: 1 pt tonight will tie all-time Reign playoff pt streak record (Holloway 7 games)
Berube: 1st ever Reign playoff shutout 4/20 (5-0)
LEADERS:
Points: Couture 8
Goals: Stretch 5, several active players are tied at 2
Assists: Couture 6
+/-: Couture +10
PIM: Calla 20
SOG: Couture 24
NEXT GAME:
Game 4 will be played Friday, Apr. 26 at 6:10 p.m. (PT) 7:10 p.m. (MT) at CenturyLink Arena in Idaho. Fans can catch this game and Saturday's game at the Reign watch parties being held at Boston's Restaurant at Fourth and Milliken in Rancho Cucamonga. All Idaho games begin at 6:10 p.m. (PT) and fans in their Reign gear will get 15 percent off their food purchase.
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