Ontario Reign Keep Rolling, Eye Another Four-Game Streak Against Rival Gulls
The Ontario Reign are starting to make winning streaks look like part of their weekly routine. With 42 games in the books this season, they’ve already pieced together six separate streaks of three wins or more - including their current one.
That means nearly half of their season so far has been played inside a win streak. That’s not just consistency; that’s momentum with purpose.
Now, they’re looking to extend this latest run to four straight as they head down the I-15 to face their longtime rivals, the San Diego Gulls - a matchup that always seems to bring a little extra edge.
San Diego, meanwhile, is coming in on the back foot. The Gulls have dropped three of their last four and are on the second night of a back-to-back. That’s the kind of setup teams like Ontario live for - a chance to capitalize on a tired opponent and keep the pressure on at the top of the Pacific Division.
And pressure is exactly what the Reign have been applying lately. They’ve won 10 of their last 12 games, the best stretch in the entire AHL over that span. That run has them locked in a tight race with the Colorado Eagles for first place in the division - a race that looks like it could go down to the wire.
In goal, Pheonix Copley is expected to get the start - and it’s a milestone night for him. This will be his 300th career AHL game, and he’s coming off a lights-out performance where he stopped 28 of 29 shots in a win over the Eagles. If he’s anything close to that sharp again tonight, the Gulls are going to have their hands full.
Up front, keep an eye on Nikita Alexandrov. He picked up an assist in his last outing, putting him at 99 for his AHL career.
One more and he hits the century mark - a nice milestone for a player who’s been red-hot since joining the Reign last month. With 24 points in 23 games, he’s been producing at better than a point-per-game pace and showing exactly why Ontario brought him in.
Projected Lineup vs. San Diego
Forwards
Lee - Gawdin - Chromiak
Alexandrov - Brown - Guttman
Jamsen - Pinelli - Wright
Ziemmer - Hughes - Doty
Defense
Hicketts - Salin
Dvorak - Bolduc
Kirsanov - Booth
Goaltenders
Copley (starter)
Portillo
Scratches (expected): Forward Lawrence, Defenseman Rego
Injured: Burroughs, Millar
Recalled to LA: Connors, Ward
There’s still time before puck drop, so any last-minute changes during warmups could shuffle things slightly. But as it stands, this is a group playing with confidence, chemistry, and a clear understanding of what’s at stake.
The Reign aren’t just stacking wins - they’re building something. And with a chance to notch their third four-game winning streak of the season, they’ll be looking to send another message to the rest of the division: this team isn’t slowing down anytime soon.