ONTARIO, CA. -- Martin Chromiak’s game-winning shootout goal brings the Ontario Reign to their sixth straight victory as they defeated the Henderson Silver Knights 4-3 in overtime Friday night at Toyota Arena.
“It was a hard fought game,” Andre Lee said in postgame interviews. “We stuck to a structure though and never gave up. And I’m happy we got the win.”
Ontario goalie Pheonix Copley finished with 33 saves on 30 shots, not allowing a single goal in overtime.
“We got a great group,” Lee said. “We know what to expect from each other every night and today I felt like you could see it out there. We were physical, we were shooting, we were skating with speed. And then (Copley) back there, he saved us a lot of times there so a lot of credit to him, that kept us in the game.”
Jakub Brabenec scored the first and only goal in the opening period to put the Silver Knights on the board with help from Mitch McLain and Joe Fleming.
Jared Wright was once again recalled to the Los Angeles Kings Thursday afternoon.
Ontario called up two forwards, Kenta Isogai and Keaton Mastrodonato from ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits earlier today, and Isogai made sure to make his name known.
Isogai scored the game-tying goal with assists from Angus Booth and Kirill Kirsanov with 14:40 remaining in the second period.
This was Isogai’s second goal with the Reign this season.
Chromiak found the back of the net for the 19th time this season, a solo shot straight past Henderson goalie Carl Lindbom to give Ontario its first lead of the night.
Matyas Sapovaliv scored a power-play goal 30 seconds into the final period, tying the game once again.
Lee scored his 23rd goal of the season with assists from Angus Booth and Cole Guttman, giving the Reign the lead before Henderson would add an extra attacker in the last remaining minutes of the game.
And it worked exactly the way the Silver Knights wanted as Raphael Lavoie tied the game 18:12 into the third period, sending the matchup to overtime.
Copley’s stellar night at the goal extended into overtime, and Chromiak’s shootout goal sent everyone home smiling.
Ontario went 0-for-1 on the power play and Henderson went 1-for-4.
Up next:
Ontario Reign (37-16-1-1; 76 points; 1st place) at Henderson Silver Knights (24-18-6-4; 58; 7th place) Sunday at 3 p.m at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, NV.
