For the first time since mid-April, the Ontario Reign are walking into San Diego with someone other than Coachella Valley on the other bench.
That stretch has been relentless. Between a best-of-five playoff series last spring, two preseason games, and the first three games of the 2026-27 season, Andrew Lord’s team has seen nothing but Firebirds. Tonight finally brings a different look, as Ontario renews its rivalry with the Gulls.
The Reign arrive with two wins in three meetings against Coachella Valley, and both of those victories came in overtime. Jared Wright was a key part of the early damage, piling up two goals and an assist through the first two games before a brief recall to LA for an NHL game last weekend in Vegas pulled him out of the lineup.
He’s back now, and that gives Ontario another weapon in a forward group that already includes Kenny Connors, Koehn Ziemmer and Martin Chromiak. Chromiak scored in Sunday afternoon’s game for his second goal of the season.
Another piece worth watching is the power play. Ontario has been working with a revamped unit that reflects the new system under Kings head coach Peter Laviolette, but the results haven’t come together yet. Through three games, the Reign have gone 2-for-15 with the man advantage.
Up front, Jacob Doty appears set to return to the fourth line, where he’s usually in the mix against the Gulls. Vojtech Cihar may be the odd forward out tonight.
The 19-year-old is one of the youngest players in the league and is still getting his footing in the North American pro game. He’s appeared in all three of Ontario’s games so far and has one assist and four shots on goal.
On the back end, rookie Jared Woolley looks likely to slide back in over former OHL teammate Henry Brzustewicz, who has been rotating into the lineup lately. Ontario has one extra defenseman available, and that gives Lord another decision to make before puck drop.
The goaltending picture is still the biggest unknown. The Reign are carrying three netminders, and right now Erik Portillo appears to be next in line.
If he gets the start, he’ll be looking to bounce back from a rough season opener in which he allowed five goals on 30 shots. That outing came after he didn’t see any action during NHL or AHL preseason, so rust may have been part of the equation.
Behind Portillo are two more of LA’s top prospects, Hampton Slukynsky and Carter George. All three are trying to balance their need for reps and development with a situation that requires some careful juggling from the organization.
One more note from the recent past: Slukynsky was in goal the last time these two teams met, on April 17. Ontario won that game 4-1, with Chromiak and Connors each finishing with a goal and two assists.
Projected lineup:
Ward - Pederson - Ziemmer
Jamsen - Guttman - Chromiak
Pinelli - Connors - Wright
Hughes - G.
Slukynsky - Doty
Kirsanov - Booth
Woolley - Perunovich
Hicketts - Millar
Portillo
H.
Slukynsky
Likely scratches: (F) Cihar, Isogai, Lawrence (D) Brzustewicz and (G) George
Injured: (F) Jenik (D) Dvorak, Salin
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and all regular season games will be streamed via FloSports. A Reign radio feed is also available.
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