Reign Waiting for Playoff Opponent With Two Games Remaining

With two games remaining in the regular season, the Ontario Reign’s playoff future is still not clear.

What is settled, however, is the Reign’s seeding. The Pacific Division champions will be the No. 2 seed after Alaska clinched the top spot last weekend. Also likely settled is the first round schedule. Ontario will open with games Tuesday and Wednesday at Citizens Business Bank Arena.

But still to be decided this weekend is who will the Reign will face in the first round.

If the playoffs started today, the Reign would draw the Utah Grizzles, who they beat three out of five times during the regular season (with one loss and one overtime/shootout loss).

Utah, however, has other plans. The Grizzlies beat Colorado 5-2 Wednesday night, pulling within three points of sixth seed, currently held by Colorado. And the Eagles and Grizzlies play twice more in Utah this weekend. Two wins, and Utah takes on Idaho in the first round, and Colorado comes to Ontario. The Reign were 4-1 against the Eagles this season.

So while the Reign finish out their schedule this weekend, they got a little help back in their lineup, as a pair of call-ups were returned to the team earlier in the week.

Los Angeles Kings’ prospect J.F. Berube was returned to Ontario from a stint with the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate in Manchester, N.H. While with the Monarchs, Berube, a goalie, played in two games, both losses, and gave up seven goals. He will likely get the most work for the Reign, as Chris Carrozzi has not returned from his injuries suffered in Bakersfield earlier in the month.

Also returning to Ontario was center C.J. Stretch, who was playing for the Oklahoma City Barons. With the Barons, Stretch played 10 games, scoring four goals (on only 12 shots on goal) and had two assists.

Games 6 and 7, if necessary, are scheduled to be played in Ontario on April 11 and 12.

TOP ROOKIES: The ECHL announced its all-rookie team Wednesday, and a pair of Ontario players were on the squad.

Mario Lamoreaux is the league’s leading rookie scorer this season, with 25 goals and 38 assists in 69 games. He is second on the Reign in scoring, behind Kyle Kraemer, who has 30 goals and 41 assists.

Cameron Burt, a converted forward, was named to the team as a defenseman. He has played mostly defense for Ontario this season, posting one goal and 36 assists in 59 appearances for the Reign. His total puts him fifth overall in scoring among defenseman.

UPDATE: Rancho Cucamonga’s Ryan Parkhouse, who made his professional debut with the Reign in early March before being released, played three games with the Louisiana IceGators of the Southern Professional Hockey League.

Parkhouse was sisgned to a three-game tryout agreement with the team. He was a minus-3 with no points for the IceGators.

The IceGators also got back some help from the Reign, as goaltender Dustin Carlson and defenseman Weston Cydell were returned to the team just in time for that league’s playoffs.

THIS WEEKEND: Friday’s game against Alaska, a 7 p.m. start, is sold out. It’s Star Wars and Totally 80s Night, so fans are welcome to come in costume (adults are not allowed to wear masks). There are a limited amount of tickets available for Saturday night’s Fan Appreciation Night. That game starts at 6 p.m.