Reign Recap: Sometimes you just need a little luck from the Hockey Gods. Reign have had very few breaks go their way this young season, last night they had some bounces go their way. Two struggling teams on losing streaks, something had to give.
The Good: Kaliyev gets his first multi goal game of his young pro career, Reign battle back for the umpteenth time this season at home, but this time have a positive result with the final score. Reign settle down after a poor first period defensively, not allowing a goal the rest of the game. Berube picks up his first W. Nice shot pass conversion from Clague to Fagemo for the Reign's only solid goal of the game.
The Bad: Durzi continues to make mistakes during critical parts of games (yesterday two bad penalties in 3rd period), his second pro season does not look much improved from his first, concerns about his development path if improvements are not noted this season.
The Ugly: The Tucson defense scored three of the Reign's five goals (both Kaliyev's+Byron), so good for us, not so good for them. Reign continue to have a lot of difficulty stopping veteran AHL 1st lines who have a lot of pro experience, Reign inexperience shows defensively.
GOALS:
(1) Kaliyev comes up with the loose puck in the corner, skates to the front of the net to back hand a pass to an open Turcotte on the far side of the goal mouth, the pass is deflected by a defender into their own net. 1-0 Reign.
(2) Two mistakes here by the Reign. Clague decides to pinch too late and is unable to hinder the break out pass from the Tucson zone starting the transition the other way. Dudas is the second man up high but turns momentarily to skate backwards and the Roadrunner forward blows by him. Roy then feeds a nice pass to the trailer as Byron is a step behind and the game is tied 1-1.
(3) Kaliyev twice has his pass/dump out in his own zone intercepted, a nice reverse pass from behind the Reign net, both Alt and Berube bite and Pederson banks it off Berube into the net, 2-1 Tucson.
(4) Byron skates down the left side with the puck on a 3 on 2 rush, shoots it off the netminder's pads and it bounces off a Tucson defenders skate and into the net. Game is tied at 2, but the Roadrunners have scored all 4 goals.
(5) Tucson offensive zone wins the draw, nice around the horn passing and slap shot from the blue line, Hults leaves Roy unguarded in front of the net who converts the rebound. 3-2 Roadrunners.
(6) Very nice shot pass from Clague to Fagemo in front who tips the pass into the net and we're tied at 3 goals a piece.
(7) Great all out hustle by Kupari who on his belly in the corner passes the puck to Kaliyev behind the net. Kaliyev attempts to pass to Turcotte in front, the pass caroms into the air off the side of the net into the slot, the Tucson defender tries to swat the puck down and knocks it into his own net. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. 4-3 Reign
(8) With the Roadrunner goaltender pulled late, Sutter dishes to Dudas who shoots into an empty net. 5-3 Reign, final.
Young play by play man Josh Schaefer with the game call last night, one of three guest announcers the Reign are using for the remainder of the season. He's called hockey for Arizona State U and minor league baseball. He was clearly prepared as he rattled off players names from both teams, actually called the game during the play, overall I was impressed. He has a high tempo to his call, and color man beside him would help slow the pace. Only complaint was his use of the term "dispossess" or "dispossed" a lot, something that Faust also says. Just say steals, turnover, comes up with etc. I can't ever imagine Bob Miller using the term "dispossess" in a hockey game. Overall, I think he'd be a good hire for next season for AHL hockey. I think he has a future as a broadcaster.
