Reign Storm Past Eagles to Take Over First in the Pacific
ONTARIO, CA - After two weeks on the road, the Ontario Reign returned home and gave their fans exactly what they’d been waiting for - a statement win, and sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.
With a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Eagles, the Reign didn’t just pick up two points - they made a loud declaration: this team is for real.
Goaltender Pheonix Copley was rock solid between the pipes, turning away 28 shots to help secure Ontario’s 14th home win of the season. The Reign and Eagles came into the night deadlocked at 54 points apiece, but with this win, Ontario (27-12-1-1, 56 points) now sits alone atop the division standings, pushing Colorado (25-10-1-3, 54 points) into second.
“They’re a really good hockey team,” defenseman Joe Hicketts said postgame. “It brings out the best in us. They push us, and we’ve been fortunate to come out on top more often than not.”
That competitive edge showed from the opening faceoff. Cole Guttman wasted no time extending his goal streak to four games, lighting the lamp just 18 seconds into the first period.
It was a tone-setter - and he wasn’t done. Less than seven minutes later, Guttman struck again, giving Ontario a 2-0 lead before Colorado could even settle into the game.
The Reign have leaned on timely scoring all season, and Guttman’s early outburst gave them the breathing room they’ve often lacked in tight games.
In the second period, Andre Lee added to the cushion with his 16th goal of the season, assisted by Samuel Bolduc. But Colorado punched back quickly - Danil Gushchin found the net just a minute later to cut the lead to 3-1.
Still, the Reign didn’t flinch. When Colorado took back-to-back penalties late in the second, Ontario seized the opportunity. With a 5-on-3 advantage, Aatu Jämsen capitalized, burying a power-play goal that effectively put the game out of reach.
That goal not only capped the scoring but also underscored Ontario’s dominance in special teams - a growing strength for a team that’s now 5-1 against Colorado this season.
After a stretch of gritty, down-to-the-wire games, head coach Andrew Lord welcomed the chance to play with a lead - and keep it.
“It was definitely nice,” Lord said. “We’ve had a ton of close games, a lot of comebacks.
Against a dynamic team like Colorado, it was important to get a cushion. They’ve got talent throughout their lineup.
They can make you pay if you give them space.”
The Reign didn’t give them much. From Copley’s steady presence in net to the team’s commitment to detail in the defensive zone, Ontario played the kind of complete game that wins you playoff series - not just regular season bragging rights.
And now, with the top spot in the Pacific officially theirs, the Reign have set the tone for the second half of the season. They’ve shown they can beat the best - and do it convincingly.
For a team that’s been finding ways to win all year, this one felt like more than just another check in the W column. It felt like a warning shot to the rest of the division: Ontario isn’t just chasing first place anymore - they’re defending it.