Heading back home after a split in Grand Rapids the Gulls welcomed their long-time rivals into Pechanga Arena.
Coach Sommer again dealt with his embarrassment of riches in depth by scratching both Chase De Leo and Justin Kirkland for a second straight game while Josh Lopina was finally placed at his natural position of Center (see first game of the season’s post game notes). Brent Gates Jr was also sat. Luke Profaca drew in on defense for his season debut while Axel Andersson sat to make room.
Lukas Dostal got his third straight start, looking to bounce back from his rough opening in the second Griffins game.
First Period:
Ontario jumped out and got the first shot on goal before San Diego took back control and enjoyed some possession and chances in the Reign zone via some good fore-checking and heavy hitting.
Rocco Grimaldi was an obvious difference maker – as any touch he had created offense. On his first shift he and Tracey combined for two quality scoring chances in the Ontario zone.
Teams exchanged penalties for the remainder of the period and Grimaldi came close to opening the scoring on a breakaway as he exited the box but hit the cross bar.
Ontario generated and carried momentum for the final minutes of the period but Lukas Dostal stood tall, turning aside a one on one chance from TJ Tynan in the final minute to keep the score even at zeroes as both teams headed to the first intermission. Shots were 15-9 for the Reign.
Second Period:
The first few minutes of the second was all Gulls as they immediately re-established the heavy fore-check that saw results over a brief section of the first period.
High danger chance after high danger chance was stopped by the Reign net-minder Phoenix Copley and it felt like that the San Diego players were beginning to wonder what they had to do to get the games opening goal after so many opportunities.
Blake McLaughlin was sprung on the Gulls third straight breakaway before being taken down and awarded a penalty shot but was once again denied as he attempted to go high glove side.
The San Diego momentum and relentless attack was halted by an interference penalty to Grimaldi and as the Gulls killed the minor, play began to balance out again past the halfway mark of the period.
Jacob Perreault appeared to have drawn a call for boarding in the final minutes but was also given an embellishment minor because apparently its physically possible to throw your own face up against the glass and the Reign enjoyed the majority of the chances at four on four. BO Groulx was called for holding in the dying seconds of the middle frame as he tried to get in on the fore-check to cause a turnover and the Reign killed time to take the opportunity for a full two minute Power Play on a fresh sheet of ice to start the third period.
Teams once again went to the intermission without an opening score. Shots were 31-24 for the Gulls after one of their better periods of the early season but again were unable to solve the Reign net-minder.
Third Period:
San Diego killed both of their remaining minors to start the period but a broken play in their own zone ended in the Reign opening the scoring as Olli Juolevi inadvertently changed up Dostals positioning by batting a loose puck against the run of play. 1-0 Reign.
The Gulls went right back to the fore-check and once again came close as Gawdin fed a pass through the crease to Grimaldi at the backdoor but again Copley got a piece of it to send it high and wide.
As San Diego continued to generate more chances in the Ontario zone they were also just one more Reign shot away from being two down and as fate would have it, that’s what happened as the fourth line couldn’t track down a loose puck and Alan Quine fired a laser high glove side by Dostal. 2-0 Reign.
With four minutes left Jacob Perreault made a nice move to pull up at the Reign half-wall and was pulled down in the process but this time was not given an embellishment call.
On the resulting Power Play the Gulls wasted no time – winning the face-off and setting up a two man screen in front of Copley. The puck then found – who else – Rocco Grimaldi and he blasted a shot that finally beat Copley. 2-1 Reign with 3:53 left.
San Diego pulled Dostal with just under two minutes left and kept possession for almost the entire time but fell by a score of 2-1 as the boys in blue ultimately ran into a goaltender that stole the two points for his team.
Post Game Notes:
Roccos Modern Life
As mentioned in the recap above, Grimaldi was immediately obvious whenever he was on the ice but as the game wore on you could tell his desperation grew and it eventually became the all about Rocco show. As he tried to do too much himself. I’m not sure if that is a trait of his or if its something that will settle as he gets to know his teammates better. His goal was very much needed and given how stellar Copley had been all game, that much more impressive – I just want to see more play-making from him.
Depth Decisions
I mentioned on twitter that it felt like Sommer opted for a “heavier” lineup in anticipation of the kind of game that the rivalry with the Reign has brought about in the past but it doesn’t feel like Ontario is that kind of team anymore. LA has more than embraced the skill-speed model and are years ahead of the Ducks in terms of drafting players of that ilk. As much as Nijhoff and Osipov brought the energy and did manage to keep the forecheck going on their shifts – one does wonder what De Leo, Gates Jr or Kirkland might have done in their stead. I get that this is the early season and Sommer is still feeling out his line-up while also having the additional tough task of assigning minutes to “must have” prospects vs veterans and try-outs so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. But if De Leo is sat in back to back games in December and it isn’t due to injury – something ain’t right.
Here comes Helleson
Drink it in Gulls fans, this is the last season we will see Drew Helleson with the Gulls. He has progressed so much and so fast since joining the team at the end of last season – I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t a get call up at some point this year. As it stands – among the blue-liners he would be my first choice (not counting Brouillard because he isn’t under contract).
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