ONTARIO, CA. -- For the penultimate game of the 2025-26 AHL regular season, the Ontario Reign competed on home ice for the first time since winning the AHL Pacific Division title, claiming yet another victory with a 4-1 win over the San Diego Gulls Friday night.
Following Ontario’s last home victory, they visited Coachella Valley Saturday and won 3-2 in overtime, claiming the Pacific Division title that night.
With the division clinched - for the first time since Ontario’s 2015-16 inaugural season - the Reign (47-19-3-2; 99 points) have a bye week for the first round of playoffs and won’t be competing until the division semifinals.
Tonight, Hampton Slukynsky defended the net for the first time following his debut win against Coachella Valley.
Slukynsky saved 23 of 24 shots, improving his AHL record to 2-0-0.
San Diego (33-26-8-4) opened up the scoring halfway into the first period as Cal Burke scored a power-play goal with assists from Stian Solberg and Roland McKeown.
Nikita Alexandrov scored his first goal of the night 33 seconds before period one finished, heading into the second period tied 1-1.
Ontario had three penalties in the opening period while San Diego had none, but roles reversed in the second period as the Gulls had three penalties and the Reign had zero.
“We don’t want to play shorthanded,” Martin Chromiak said in postgame interviews. “We always want to play five-on-five or a power play so that was a little frustrating. But I think they (San Diego) were playing well and they created the plays where we had to take the penalties.”
As the goal leader of the team with 28 goals, Chromiak continues to do what he’s done all season - score.
Chromiak scored his 14th power-play goal of the season 3:11 into the second period with assists from Alexandrov and Logan Brown.
Alexandrov would score once more and Kenny Connors would finish the game off with a power-play goal in the final period, handing the Reign a 4-1 victory.
Alexandrov ended with two goals and one assist while Chromiak and Connors both finished with one goal and two assists.
Angus Booth, whose jersey had the “A” patch tonight, was selected to be an alternate captain.
“He’s been excellent,” Ontario coach Andrew Lord said. “I think he’s a quiet leader. He goes about his business, does things the right way. His game has certainly improved throughout the year. I think he epitomizes what we’re all about.”
Reign host the Abbotsford Canucks (26-37-4-3) Saturday at 6 p.m. for the last regular season game of the 2025-26 season.