Up 3-0, Don't Expect Reign to Look Past Grizzlies

Winning back-to-back games by a combined score of 12-4 surely made for a much easier bus ride to Utah for the Ontario Reign.

But the players knew that the two wins weren’t going mean anything once they took the ice at the Maverik Center outside Salt Lake City for Game 3 of the ECHL Western Conference playoffs.

And they were right, as the Reign were held scoreless for 59 minutes, 30 seconds Friday night. And then 18-year-old rookie Nick Ebert blasted a shot from the blueline, sending the game to overtime, where Ontario wrested a commanding three games to none lead in the best-of-7 series with a 2-1 win.

Jake Hauswirth knocked home the winner 5:01 into sudden death overtime, putting the Reign a win from the second round for the first time in the team’s five-year history.

But even with a 3-0 lead, don’t count on the players looking past Utah yet.

“It’s game by game (in the playoffs),” C.J. Stretch said after Wednesday’s 7-2 win in which he scored four goals. “We’re just looking to the next game now, and focusing on the next game all the time. They’re going to come out again and weather that storm again.”

And Utah did throw everything at the Reign on Friday, taking seven of the first eight shots in the game. But only puck Utah was able to get past goalie Jean-Francois Berube was on a penalty shot late in the first period.

Game 4 is at 6 p.m. tonight. A Game 5, if necessary, will be Tuesday in Utah.

NOTABLE MARKS: Wednesday's victory marked the first time in the Reign's history that they notched back-to-back playoff wins.

And Stretch's four goals was the most by a Reign player in the playoffs, moving past Bud Holloway's hat trick from the team's inaugural season. It was also the first time since 1999 that a player had four goals in an ECHL playoff game.

The ECHL Most Valuable Players was announced Friday, with South Carolina goaltender Ryan Zapolski earning the honor. Zapolski also won Rookie of the Year and Goaltender of the Year. The Reign's Colton Yellow Horn finished fifth in the balloting.

PLAYOFF TRADITIONS: It started out of superstition. The growing of the playoff beard. Because why change something that works?

Berube is already in mid-playoff form. Stretch has a good amount of stubble starting to grow around his signature mustache. Even the baby-faced Ebert is getting in on the action — no matter how patchy it may come in.

Well, the Reign are hoping fans will get into the beard growing spirit to support the team and local charity, Steven’s Hope for Children.

Fans are encouraged to take pledges from friends, family, co-workers for every day that the person grows a beard in support of the Reign’s playoff run, keeping it as long as Ontario is still in the playoffs.

And every fan who participates will receive a free beard trim from team sponsor SportClips when it’s all over.

Steven’s Hope for Children helps families with temporary housing when a child needs treatment at local hospitals. They have apartments near Loma Linda University Medical Center.

For more information, see the form attached to this article.

YEAR-END PRIZES: During the regular season ending loss to Alaska, the Reign celebrated their fans by giving away prizes.

The big winner of the night was Robert Barrett of Rancho Cucamonga, who won a Toyota Tacoma as part of the year-long promotion during the team’s Chuck-a-Puck charity fundraiser. Barrett won a puck-shooting contest during the second intermission to take home the vehicle.

Another 25 fans were chosen as part of a drawing to win a jersey off the players backs. The winners were: Kim Clifton, San Bernardino; Hans Faber, San Dimas; Tammie Millard, Fontana; Alex Rodriguez, Fontana; Warren Bowers, Upland; Steven Chavez, Covina; Bill Hawkins, Norco; Rebecca Mitchell, Rancho Cucamonga; Greg Beach, Rancho Cucamonga; McKenna Land, Norco; Rodney Broderick, Moreno Valley; Terry Berberi, Ontario; Brent Troutman, Corona; Cassie Kristensen, Norco; Lisa Gastinger, Riverside; Robert Blowney, Fontana; Troy Cox, Riverside; Philip Olson, Riverside; Bryan Elliott, Claremont; Jennifer Grooteqoed, Garden Grove; Neil Aldridge, Pomona; Rob Brown, Rancho Cucamonga; Bob Faust, Corona; Ted Padilla, Riverside; Joellen Hornsby, Rancho Cucamonga.

DOUBLE DUTY: During the playoffs, I am doing Reign coverage for other media outlets as well. Here’s links to the stories I did earlier this week for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/San Bernardino Sun:

ECHL: Reign's Berube ready for opportunity

ECHL Hockey: Young defenseman Nick Ebert making an impression for Reign

You can also follow live updates during all home games (and some road contests) on Twitter at @ontreigninsider.