Because of AHL Live (woo!) I get to watch many Reign games, and they are consistently more NHL-like in their approach to systems play than their opponents. The Gulls were fun to watch, with higher end prospects than the Reign, but the Reign looked far better to the eye, despite such close scores throughout the season and playoff series.
I saw the Griffins play in game 1 of the season vs the Gulls in their sweaty, foggy home opener at the Sports Arena, tons of fun. An entire season has passed, but they looked weak that night. The Gulls were a pretty solid AHL team this season with NHL prospects throughout the line-up, and a former NHL head coach with a winning background as an AHL boss, and while those kinds of things don't win you any games, they don't lose them for you either. The Reign, visually, as well as statistically, removing PP % and goals, were dominant over the Gulls. The Reign, just like last year's Monarchs (thank you AHL Live), play playoff hockey, and grind out wins with forechecking and solid defense and goaltending. If Brodzinski and Sutter can come back, and even Raine and/or Ebert, they just get even better.
Without being an idiot about it, I think the Reign's biggest test will be in the Finals vs Toronto (who are battling Albany right now I think). Marlies v Reign would be a great series, and the premier match-up in the AHL.
