ONTARIO, CA. -- With just three games left in the regular season, the Ontario Reign decided tonight was the night for history to be made.
With the Reign’s 4-1 victory over the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Reign have now won a single-season, franchise record of 45 games.
Ontario last won 44 games in its 2015-16 inaugural AHL season, also winning the AHL Pacific Division title that year.
The division title they are extremely close to winning this season, as they hold a good lead in first place with 95 points and a 45-19-3-2 record.
And not only did the Reign make history tonight, they have the opportunity to win up to 48 games with remaining matchups against Coachella Valley, San Diego and Abbotsford.
Winning 45 games in a season was a first for the Reign, but that wasn’t the only first tonight.
20-year-old Hampton Slukynsky made his AHL debut tonight at goalie, finishing with 21 saves.
“It’s always been the dream to play pro hockey,” Slukynsky said in postgame interviews. “So to be told I was playing tonight was really exciting, I had a lot of adrenaline going and it was fun. The fans brought the energy and the guys played really well in front of me and it made it pretty easy on me. It was unreal and I’m just happy to help the team get the win.”
And Logan Brown scored his first goal of the season, a power-play goal to give Ontario the 1-0 lead in the opening period.
Almost two minutes into the second period, Francesco Pinelli found the back of the net for the 13th time this season, and his first of the evening.
Less than three minutes later Kenta Isogai scored his third goal of the season.
Jakov Novak would be the Firebirds' only goal and Pinelli would score an empty-net goal to wrap a bow around this history-making game.
Ontario had 35 shots on goal, went 1-for-3 on the power play and went 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
Slukynsky said the biggest difference between the AHL and the college level was the size of the players.
“Coachella Valley did a good job of getting in front of me,” Slukynsky said. “My (defense) did a good job boxing out but they’re (players) bigger and hard to see around at times. It was a little bit of an adjustment but it was good.”
The Reign have now won four games in a row and look complete as ever.
“I thought from the morning skate, all day you could just tell the guys were ready to go,” Ontario coach Andrew Lord said. “And our leaders really led and were phenomenal. It was a good win and we’re not done yet.”
Both teams have a quick turnaround as the Reign face the Firebirds (39-24-5-0; 83 points) tomorrow at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert at 6 p.m.
The Reign can win the AHL Pacific Division title in less than 24 hours if the Colorado Eagles lose against the Tucson Roadrunners and Ontario defeats Coachella Valley tomorrow.