
Reign Celebrate Fan Appreciation Night Friday; Prepare for Postseason Push
Published on April 4, 2016 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Ontario Reign News Release
The Week That Was...
The Ontario Reign opened a four-game road trip last week with stops against the San Jose Barracuda, Stockton Heat and Bakersfield Condors for a week record of 1-2-0-0 and improved their Pacific Division-leading record to 40-18-4-1.
The road trip kicked off in San Jose on Wednesday with the final regular-season meeting against the Barracuda. Forward Kris Newbury a goal in the second period, but the Barracuda prevailed 3-1. The Reign completed the head-to-head series with a 9-3-0-0 record.
On Friday, forward Michael Mersch scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season and forward Justin Auger added a shorthanded tally in the third period in a 3-2 setback to the Heat. The following night, the Reign bounced back and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory over the Condors. Goaltender Peter Budaj earned his AHL-leading ninth shutout, making 35 saves.
The Numbers
Record: 40-18-4-1, .675 winning percentage (1st Place, Pacific Division)
Home: 21-8-3-1
Away: 19-10-1-0
Last 10 Games: 6-4-0-0
Streak: 1-0-0-0
Goals: Michael Mersch (22)
Assists: Nic Dowd* (34)
Points: Sean Backman (54)
Penalty Minutes: Kurtis MacDermid (111)
Power-Play Goals: Sean Backman (8)
Power-Play Assists: Nic Dowd* (11)
Power-Play Points: Sean Backman (18)
Shorthanded Goals: Andrew Crescenzi, Justin Auger (2)
Shorthanded Assists: Five players with one assist
Shorthanded Points: Andrew Crescenzi (3)
Game-Winning Goals: Sean Backman (8)
Wins: Peter Budaj (38)
GAA: Peter Budaj (1.76)
SPCT: Peter Budaj (.929)
*Dowd is currently with the Los Angeles Kings (NHL)
League Leaders:
Forward Sean Backman tied for 13th in the AHL with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) and is first in the league with 232 shots and eight game-winning goals. Forward Michael Mersch is third in the AHL with 198 shots.
Goaltender Peter Budaj leads the league with a 1.76 goals-against average (GAA), nine shutouts, 38 wins and 3336 minutes played and is third with a .929 save percentage and 1292 saves.
Defenseman Kurtis MacDermid is fifth among rookies with 111 penalty minutes and tied for second with 28 minor penalties.
This Week:
Ontario Reign at Stockton Heat
Wednesday, Apr. 6
7:00 p.m. PT
Stockton Arena in Stockton, California
Listen Live: OntarioReign.com, AHL Live
Preview: 12th of 12 meetings, 6-4-1-0 head-to-head record
Ontario Reign vs. Bakersfield Condors
Friday, Apr. 8
7:00 p.m. PT
Citizens Business Bank Arena
Fan Appreciation Night
$2 20oz. Bud Lights and Montejo
Sprouts Grocery Bag Giveaway
Listen Live: OntarioReign.com, AHL Live
Preview: 11th of 12 meetings, 6-4-0-0 head-to-head record
Ontario Reign at Bakersfield Condors
Saturday, Apr. 9
7:00 p.m. PT
Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California
Listen Live: OntarioReign.com, AHL Live
Preview: 12th of 12 meetings
National Hockey League Affiliate Update
Los Angeles Kings
Record: 46-27-5, 97 points
Standing: 2nd Pacific Division, 5th Western Conference
Upcoming Games: Tonight at Vancouver, Tuesday at Calgary, Thursday vs. Anaheim, Saturday vs. Winnipeg
Leading Scorer: Anze Kopitar
ECHL Affiliate Update
Manchester Monarchs
Record: 38-23-4-5, 85 points
Standing: 1st East Division, 3rd Eastern Conference
Upcoming Games: Friday vs. Adirondack, Saturday at Adirondack
Leading Scorer: Maxim Kitsyn
Images from this story
![]() Ontario Reign Battle the Stockton Heat |
American Hockey League Stories from April 4, 2016
- Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Forward Mitchell Stephens to Entry-Level Contract - Syracuse Crunch
- Dahlstrom Signs ATO - Rockford IceHogs
- Dalpe and Folin to Minnesota - Iowa Wild
- Week 26 Recap: IceHogs Pick up Three Points, Inch Clsoer to Playoff Berth - Rockford IceHogs
- Goaltender Mackenzie Skapski Rejoins Wolf Pack - Hartford Wolf Pack
- 'Canes Recall Brown, Tolchinsky from Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- Chicago Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- San Antonio Rampage Weekly Update - San Antonio Rampage
- Defenseman Sanheim, Forwards Aube-Kubel & Fazleev Assigned to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Rampage Ink Five-Year-Old James Evans to One-Day Honorary Contract - San Antonio Rampage
- Ricoh Rock Report - St. John's IceCaps
- Reign Celebrate Fan Appreciation Night Friday; Prepare for Postseason Push - Ontario Reign
- Amerks Add Giorgio Estephan and Brendan Guhle - Rochester Americans
- Pirates Sign Rihard Bukarts to ATO - Portland Pirates
- Falcons Release Currier, Montgomery - Springfield Falcons
- IceCaps Sign Bourque to ATO - St. John's IceCaps
- Wolf Pack Weekly - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Anaheim Ducks Sign Andy Welinski to Two-Year Entry-Level Contract - San Diego Gulls
- Alan Quine Named CCM/AHL Player of the Week - Bridgeport Islanders
- Bridgeport's Alan Quine Named CCM/AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- Upstate Services Group Charitable Night at the Crunch April 8 - Syracuse Crunch
- Texas Stars Weekly Update - Texas Stars
- IceCaps Release Yogan from PTO - St. John's IceCaps
- Falcons Weekly - Springfield Falcons
- Bass Recalled by Predators - Milwaukee Admirals
- Comets Release Greger Hanson from PTO - Utica Comets
- B-Sens & B-Mets Announce Downtown Doubleheader Deal - Binghamton Senators
- Amerks Reassign Goulakos and Hohmann to Elmira - Rochester Americans
- Jets Recall Kichton, Assign Lemieux - Manitoba Moose
- Desrosiers Reassigned to Idaho - Texas Stars
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Ontario Reign Stories
- Ontario Reign Weekly - Week 8
- Reign Top Condors in Overtime
- Reign Downed by Condors, 3-2
- Ontario Reign Weekly - Week 7
- Reign Edged by Barracuda, 4-3



