2015-16 AHL Ontario Reign - going back to Cali, Cali, Cali...

[PJ Kings Hockey]

The first-round matchups in the Pacific are kinda bonkers. As things shape up, it looks like they'll be:

Charlotte at Ontario
Texas at San Diego

If the better seed wins both those series, the SECOND round would be:

San Diego at Ontario

Gee, which series has better travel??

Heu, they'll get to see their buddy Zykov and former Coach Mark Morris. Maybe McKeown too. Not looking forward to that potential second round match-up. Maybe Texas will do us a solid.

I don't remember so many outside players being brought in to play on the team in the last few years.

 

[regulate]

The first-round matchups in the Pacific are kinda bonkers. As things shape up, it looks like they'll be:

Charlotte at Ontario
Texas at San Diego

If the better seed wins both those series, the SECOND round would be:

San Diego at Ontario

Gee, which series has better travel??

So then I'm gonna say "Go Texas". Gulls are the only team we have not matched up well with. We owned the Checkers and San Jose and Texas during the regular season (our other potential opponents) First round of 5 games though is frightening to say the least. Monarchs almost lost in the first round last year, and of course, went on to dominate the rest of the way. Best of 5 after a long season is hair raising. Reign will really need Dowd, Gravel and LoVerde back if they are going to make a run at the Championship.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Seems to me John Gibson and the Ducks AHL team knocked the Monarchs out of the first round of the playoffs a couple of years ago.

 

[tigermask48]

Seems to me John Gibson and the Ducks AHL team knocked the Monarchs out of the first round of the playoffs a couple of years ago.

Lol. Yeah it was 2014, Gibson and the Admirals knocked out the Monarchs in the first round and then Gibson got called up to the Ducks during the Kings/Ducks 2nd round. Was the same year that Sutter had those classic pressers of "greatest goalie I've ever seen."

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Lol. Yeah it was 2014, Gibson and the Admirals knocked out the Monarchs in the first round and then Gibson got called up to the Ducks during the Kings/Ducks 2nd round. Was the same year that Sutter had those classic pressers of "greatest goalie I've ever seen."

That's right. John Gibson, the reason the Monarchs didn't advance.

Great to see that the Reign got the 4-1 win the other night.

Budaj got AHL first-team honors.

Had to throw in this gem from Stothers in the Bus Texts with Stothers segment:

ORI: How close is LoVerde? Think we see him back Friday?

Stothers: That is something we are all hoping for. We certainly have missed him both on, and off, the ice. I think he might be going a little stir crazy? Not from the injury so much but with the amount of time he had has to spend with Biss. The healing process is always quicker once injured guys realize they have to spend 24/7 listening to Biss.

Paul Bissonnette getting some love.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Joel Lowry with 2g 1a last night in a 4-1 win!

Glad to see him recovering nicely! Didn't see the game though but that would be a nice guy to have develop.

 

[bob77]

Joel Lowry with 2g 1a last night in a 4-1 win!

Glad to see him recovering nicely! Didn't see the game though but that would be a nice guy to have develop.

I was at the game. Roofed one short side from a bad angle and had a nice centering pass, then got empty netter. Sutter's play makes them not miss Dowd so much. Increased minutes for Forbort and Schultz with Gravel and Loverde out. Step up in play from Leslie and Ebert. All four played well last night.

 

[HansH]

Coyotes to purchase AHL Springfield, move them to Tucson for 2016-17?

http://arizonasports.com/story/629294/coyotes-likely-to-move-ahl-affiliate-to-tucson-next-season/

I don't know how reliable this report is, but the summary I've read elsewhere makes me think this is a "could really happen", but not necessarily a lock -- complicating things is the fact that the AHL headquarters is in Springfield, which would be losing their current AHL team if this plan goes through.

IF it does happen -- another divisional opponent for the California teams, a likely realignment... the question is, would AHL Tucson play 68 or 76 games??

 

[tsanuri]

Coyotes to purchase AHL Springfield, move them to Tucson for 2016-17?

http://arizonasports.com/story/629294/coyotes-likely-to-move-ahl-affiliate-to-tucson-next-season/

I don't know how reliable this report is, but the summary I've read elsewhere makes me think this is a "could really happen", but not necessarily a lock -- complicating things is the fact that the AHL headquarters is in Springfield, which would be losing their current AHL team if this plan goes through.

IF it does happen -- another divisional opponent for the California teams, a likely realignment... the question is, would AHL Tucson play 68 or 76 games??

They seem legit, local sports radio. Was also linked on the BOH board by a poster that is in Arizona and very active in the Yoes discussions.
And if Arizona is going to buy and AHL team and move them to Arizona sounds like they are really committed to staying. Which is what they need.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

 

[regulate]

Coyotes to purchase AHL Springfield, move them to Tucson for 2016-17?

http://arizonasports.com/story/629294/coyotes-likely-to-move-ahl-affiliate-to-tucson-next-season/

I don't know how reliable this report is, but the summary I've read elsewhere makes me think this is a "could really happen", but not necessarily a lock -- complicating things is the fact that the AHL headquarters is in Springfield, which would be losing their current AHL team if this plan goes through.

IF it does happen -- another divisional opponent for the California teams, a likely realignment... the question is, would AHL Tucson play 68 or 76 games??

I sure hope this is true. I loved going to the Reign games all year, but playing the same teams over and over, quite frankly, sucks. I wish they would do at least a 2 game home and home series against every team in the central division so we can see more teams. Adding the Arizona franchise helps to break up the monotony.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

LoVerde gets his trachea cracked, then goes on to score the GWG in overtime.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

I sure hope this is true. I loved going to the Reign games all year, but playing the same teams over and over, quite frankly, sucks. I wish they would do at least a 2 game home and home series against every team in the central division so we can see more teams. Adding the Arizona franchise helps to break up the monotony.

For that reason I hope we meet the Charlotte Checkers in the first round.

In like Flinn.

 

[kingsboy11]

Spencer Watson signs a 3 year ELC and will report to the Ontario Reign

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Oh sweet! Yay Watson!

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

 

[YP44]

only 2 regular season games left right?

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

only 2 regular season games left right?

Back to back against the San Diego Gulls, I believe.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Hope Spencer Watson and Mike Amadio get in the last 2 games.

 

[HansH]

Back to back against the San Diego Gulls, I believe.

Correct, tonight and tomorrow night down here at the Valley View Casino Center -- I'll be watching from my traditional seat

The Gulls are locked into #2 in the Pacific and a first-round matchup against the Texas Stars. The Reign aren't yet sure whether they'll play host to Charlotte (.533 with one game remaining) or San Jose (.538, 2 games remaining), but their on-ice performance won't affect that one way or the other -- the Barracuda really are in the driver's seat, needing only one point of the final four if the Checkers lose, or three of four if they win.

What the Reign _do_ have to play for is the Conference regular-season title, and home ice in a potential third-round matchup against Milwaukee -- the Reign currently lead them .689 to .682, both teams with two games remaining. That and the pride thing of how the Gulls have already clinched the season head-to-head series (14 points to 8 with two games remaining).

Both teams will be likely icing a couple of new college/junior additions -- I won't be that much use on scouting the Reign ones as I'm still not as used to their roster as the Gulls' roster... who should I look out for again?

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Both teams will be likely icing a couple of new college/junior additions -- I won't be that much use on scouting the Reign ones as I'm still not as used to their roster as the Gulls' roster... who should I look out for again?

Got a pen? Okay, write this down..................

As always, I'm

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

The Ontario Reign have the best winning percentage in the Western Conference.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The Ontario Reign have the best winning percentage in the Western Conference.

That really is quite an impressive accomplishment considering the roster shakeup Ontario went through from last season.

Guys like Weal, O'Neill, Miller, Shore, Bartosak, Berube all removed from the roster, all of whom played significant roles in the 2015 Calder Cup run.

I think that's a testament to just how good of a coach Mike Stothers is.

 

[Sheng Peng]

That really is quite an impressive accomplishment considering the roster shakeup Ontario went through from last season.

Guys like Weal, O'Neill, Miller, Shore, Bartosak, Berube all removed from the roster, all of whom played significant roles in the 2015 Calder Cup run.

I think that's a testament to just how good of a coach Mike Stothers is.

Stothers is an excellent coach, but also credit Dowd, Backman, LoVerde, Gravel, Auger, and Budaj for seizing larger roles.

 

[HansH]

The biggest thing that jumped out to several of us watching the game last night was just the overall SIZE of the Reign lineup, especially when compared to the lineup the Gulls iced.