The Ontario Reign needed every last second Sunday night, and they found a way to leave Acrisure Arena with a 2-1 shootout win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds in front of 6,480 fans.
Kenny Connors rescued Ontario in regulation with 1.3 seconds left, and Taylor Ward provided the only shootout goal. Erik Portillo did the rest, turning aside 18 shots in regulation and overtime before stopping all three Firebirds attempts in the shootout.
Coachella Valley struck first in the second period, when Tyson Jugnauth finished at 9:36 to put the Firebirds up 1-0. The goal came after Lleyton Roed worked the puck from the right corner and found Jugnauth cutting in from the blueline, where he got the pass at the far side of the crease and knocked it in. Ontario pushed back with three power-play chances in the period but couldn’t cash in, even while outshooting Coachella Valley 9-5.
The Reign kept pressing in the third, and once they pulled Portillo for an extra attacker with 90 seconds left, the payoff finally came. Joe Hicketts sent a slapshot from the left circle off the backwall, and Connors was right there at the right post to bury the rebound and tie it 1-1. Ontario finished the final 20 minutes with a 10-5 edge in shots.
Neither side scored in overtime, though Ontario survived a penalty for the final 83 seconds of the extra frame. In the shootout, Ward was the only skater to score, and Portillo shut the door on every Coachella Valley try.
Portillo got the win after making 18 saves on 19 shots. Victor Ostman took the loss despite stopping 35 of 36. Ontario went 0-for-4 on the power play, while Coachella Valley finished 0-for-1.
The Reign will open the regular season Friday, Oct. 2 at Acrisure Arena against the Firebirds at 7 p.m. PST.
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