March 22, 2022

ONTARIO, Calif. - Ontario’s Martin Frk, T.J. Tynan and Taylor Ward combined for 11 points, as the Reign defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins 6-2 on Tuesday at Toyota Arena. This was the first matchup in Ontario between the two clubs since April 3, 2019, and the fifth-ever meeting overall.

Jonatan Berggren recorded two assists and notched his 100th point as a professional. Dominik Shine recorded his third goal in the last five contests, which extended his point streak to four games (3-2—5). Over the last two meetings, Grand Rapids has held the league’s top power play to zero goals on 11 penalties.

Ontario got off to a fast start, scoring a total of three goals on five shots in the opening frame. Fifty-seven seconds into the game, Tynan delivered the puck to Frk and from the bottom right circle, sent a wrister into the left corner. At 4:59, Tynan set up Frk again, as the former Griffin sniped a shot past the stick of Calvin Pickard, giving the Reign a 2-0 lead.

Grand Rapids notched its first tally with 3:57 remaining in the first. On a breakaway, Shine skated toward the net and from the slot sent the rubber past Matthew Villlalta’s stick, cutting the deficit to one.

Just 31 seconds later, Tynan scored his second tally of the contest when he ripped the puck over the right shoulder of the netminder to regain the two-goal lead for Ontario.

With 11 seconds remaining in the first on a power play, Riley Barber from the right circle snapped the disc past the glove of Villalta, making it a 3-2 contest.

The Reign extended their lead to three, tallying two scores in the middle frame. After a Griffins’ turnover, Aiden Dudas gathered the puck and sent it over the shoulder of Pickard at 11:32. A minute and six seconds later, Jaret Anderson-Dolan from the low slot fired the rubber past Pickard’s glove. Ontario notched a total of five goals on 11 shots through 12:38 of the second stanza, forcing Grand Rapids to replace Pickard with Victor Brattstrom in net.

With 9:18 remaining in the contest, the Reign increased their lead to four when Tynan on a breakaway went down to the right wing and ripped a shot that went into the right corner.

The Griffins held Ontario to just 20 shots, which was the lowest shot count of any opponent for Grand Rapids this season. Despite the 26-20 shot advantage, the Griffins fell 6-2 to the Reign.

Notes

• Pickard played in his 400th game as a pro, while Dan Renouf skated in his 350th contest as a pro.

• Seth Barton returned to the lineup for the first time since Jan. 1, due to rehabbing an injury.

• With the win, Ontario became the second team to clinch a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs, joining the Stockton Heat.

Box Score
Grand Rapids 2 0 0 - 2
Ontario 3 2 1 - 6

1st Period-1, Ontario, Frk 32 (Tynan, Ward), 0:57. 2, Ontario, Frk 33 (Tynan, Hickey), 4:59. 3, Grand Rapids, Shine 9 (Elson, Berggren), 18:03. 4, Ontario, Tynan 12 (Ward, Frk), 18:34. 5, Grand Rapids, Barber 11 (Berggren, Criscuolo), 19:49 (PP). Penalties-Pavlychev Ont (tripping), 14:13; Pavlychev Ont (roughing), 19:26.

2nd Period-6, Ontario, Dudas 9 (Kemp), 11:32. 7, Ontario, Anderson-Dolan 22 (Tkachev, Kasastul), 12:38. Penalties-Pearson Gr (tripping), 5:23; McIsaac Gr (hooking), 14:15; Frk Ont (boarding), 17:47.

3rd Period-8, Ontario, Tynan 13 (Ward, Frk), 10:42. Penalties-Yan Gr (cross-checking), 6:13; Drozg Gr (interference), 14:59; Nogier Ont (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:13; Allard Ont (delay of game), 19:38.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 12-8-6-26. Ontario 5-10-5-20.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 1 / 5; Ontario 0 / 4.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Pickard 21-16-5 (11 shots-6 saves); Brattstrom 5-9-2 (9 shots-8 saves). Ontario, Villalta 22-6-5 (26 shots-24 saves).
A-4,953

Three Stars
1. ONT Frk (two goals, two assists); 2. ONT Tynan (two goals, two assists); 3. ONT Ward (three assists)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 26-26-5-2 (59 pts.) / Fri., March 25 at Bakersfield 10 p.m. EDT
Ontario: 34-13-4-3 (75 pts.) / Sat., March 26 at San Diego 7 p.m. PDT

Photo by Ontario Reign