10/29/2009 12:10 AM
Ontario’s Home Opening Weekend Kicks Off On Friday
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Ontario Reign, proud affiliate of the NHL Los Angeles Kings, was defeated by the Bakersfield Condors, 8-3, Wednesday evening before a crowd of 3,115 at Rabobank Arena.
Ontario put the first goal of the game on the board only 25 seconds after the puck dropped at center ice. Forward Greg Hogeboom picked up his seventh point of the season with an assist from Tim Kraus, who picked up his sixth assist of the season on the play.
Left wing Shawn Weller scored the first of three unanswered Condor goals at 5:27 on a power play. Right wing Stephane Goulet gave the Condors their second power play goal of the night with a shot from the top of the point that buried the puck behind Ontario netminder Mike Zacharias. Captain Andrew Ianiero increased the Condor’s lead, 3-1, with his goal at 10:30, but less than three minutes later Ontario cut it down by one. Left wing Peter Lenes sent the puck into the top right corner of the net with a slap shot on the power play. Defenseman David Walker and forward Michael Pelech registered the assists, and the clubs headed into the second period with Bakersfield leading, 3-2.
At 1:29, right wing Jon Rheault tied the game up at three goals when he dropped the puck just inside the blue line for right wing Tony Voce. Rheault received the puck back from Voce just in front of the net and sent it past Condors goaltender Timo Pielmeier.
The Condors regained the lead at 5:43 when John de Gray took advantage of a loose puck and sent it flying into the net over Zacharias, who was still down on the ice after making the initial save on defenseman Eric Regan’s shot. The Reign pulled Mike Zacharias and put Curtis Darling between the pipes immediately following de Gray’s goal. The Condors took their 4-3 lead into the final period of play.
The third period saw four additional goals in Bakersfield’s column, with the first coming off a MacGregor Sharp wrister from the blue line. During a 5-on-3 man advantage at 8:47, Sasha Pokulok received a feed from MacGregor Sharp in front of the net and flipped the puck up and over Darling, extending the Condor’s lead, 6-3.
The final two Bakersfield goals both came during the man advantage and marked the fourth and fifth power play goals of the night for the Condors. Shawn Weller’s redirect of defenseman Pierre-Luc Lessard’s slap shot made it 7-3 Bakersfield. Less than twenty seconds later, Eric Regan tipped in a shot from Mathieu Aubin. Bakersfield held their lead and went on to win the match with a final score of Condors 8, Reign 3.
To view the box score, click here.
Three stars:
1. BAK – Shawn Weller
2. BAK – Stephane Goulet
3. BAK – Andrew Ianiero
REIGN DROPS
The Ontario Reign open at home on Friday, October 30 at 7:30 pm against the Las Vegas Wranglers for the Toyota Opening Night. We will be giving away Glow Thunderstix to all fans as they enter the arena, compliments of RanchoHomefinder.com. We will also be giving away Magnet Schedules (while supplies last) compliments of Holiday Inn Ontario Airport. Tonight is FREE Oil Change Friday, brought to you by Certified Transmission and Car Care, and Farmer John 2-for-1 Hot Dog Friday. We will also be unveiling our new mascot “The Jester" and announcing the winning name. Friday night is also Ontario Community Night ($1 per ticket benefits the AYSO).
Our second game will be on Saturday, October 31 at 7:00 p.m. against the Bakersfield Condors for Go Green On Halloween Night. We will have an Eco-Village throughout the Citizens Business Bank Arena concourse providing tips on how to go green at home and your place of business. Eco-friendly reusable shopping bags will be given away, as well as tree saplings (both while supplies last). Kids: be sure to dress up in your Halloween costumes as we will have trick-or-treating throughout concourse and a costume contest for kids 15 and under. Reign players will be wearing special green jerseys during the game and we will have a post-game jersey auction benefitting the Frontier Project.
Tickets for the Reign's home opening weekend and the entire 2009-10 regular season are still available, and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or by calling the Reign front office at (909)941-PUCK (7825)! Remember parking is FREE for all Ontario Reign hockey games!
-www.ontarioreign.com-
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