It wasn’t pretty, but the Ontario Reign got it done, taking down the Abbotsford Canucks 4-3 to win the series 3-0 and advance to the Division Final. The Reign are currently unbeaten in the 2024 postseason.
Three Stars
The hero of the night for the Reign was Andre Lee, who scored his third of the postseason at the end of the second period to put the Reign ahead 4-3. It would end up being the last goal of the series. He has three points in the playoffs so far, all of them goals, but this one was the biggest. The Reign started the period down 2-0, and ended it up 4-3, with Lee’s game and series winner the decider. He’s been a low-key player in the series so far, but his line (Lee, Samuel Helenius, Taylor Ward) has been an important one. Can he keep up the goal scoring?
Joe Hicketts is the Little Engine That Could for the Reign. After a big performance in Game 2, he got even bigger in Game 3, recorded two assists, and led the team in shots on goal. It was his shot attempt that Samuel Fagemo deflected to put the Reign on the board in the second period, and on a reasonably young team, he’s been a good veteran presence. It feels like he’s getting better and better in each game, so look for him to come out strong in the Division Final.
The Canucks finally solved Erik Portillo, too little, too late. Aatu Raty was far and away the best player for Abbotsford in this game, with a goal and an assist, he is the only Canuck to record more than a single point in the series. He will finish the postseason tied for the team lead in scoring with two goals and two assists in six games.
Two Takeaways
Monkey Off The Back
It took him almost 20 shots, but Samuel Fagemo finally got his first goal of the postseason on a deflection of Hicketts’ shot attempt. Fagemo went scoreless in the first four games of the playoffs for the Reign, but goalscorers score in bunches, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him score a couple in his next game. In the regular season, he had over a 20% shooting percentage; for that to even out here, Fagemo will need to score four goals on his next four shots. Unrealistic, but not unachievable for the player who scored 43 goals in 50 games this season. Getting Fagemo going can only be a good thing for the Reign, who have enough depth to carry a player who’s gone cold, but now that he’s finally gotten the monkey off his back, the Division Final should be his playground.
Is Portillo Mortal?
Erik Portillo allowed three goals on 28 shots in this game, and still has a sv% of .956 on the postseason. In five games, this is the first time he’s had a sv% lower than .950 in a game, and the first time he’s allowed more than one goal in a game. In the midst of his incredible run, it’s easy to forget that he’s still a rookie and a very young goalie, and the assignments are only going to get tougher from here on out. It’s still reassuring to see him outperform goalies like Dustin Wolf and Hunter Shepherd, but can he stand tall in the Division Final against either Calgary or Coachella Valley?
One Question
Who’s Next?
The Ontario Reign finished their series early, and will have to wait until at least Friday to know who their next opponent is. They will face one of the Calgary Wranglers or the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The Firebirds are currently up 2-1 in the series after a 7-5 victory last night in Palm Springs. Ontario had a 5-2-0-1 record against Calgary in the regular season, and a 4-3-0-1 record against Coachella Valley. They would probably prefer the Calgary match-up, but either team will be a tough opponent for the Reign.
Either way, with the Division Final likely not to start until Wednesday May 15, the Reign will have plenty of time to rest, reset, and study some game tape to see if they can make it to the Western Conference Final.
