Victoria Salmon Kings Edge Ontario Reign 2-1 - ECHL

Victoria, BC – In a Friday night matchup the Victoria Salmon Kings and Ontario Reign met in the first of a two-game set at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Victoria’s David Shantz started in net, while the Reign countered with Curtis Darling.

 

The Reign would open the scoring at 9:07 when Jon Rheault, on a shorthanded breakaway, made a nice forehand-to-backhand move and slid the puck along the ice past the outstretched glove of Shantz. Rheault’s goal was his team-leading 10^th of the season, and would be the lone marker of the frame. Ontario took their 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

 

Salmon Kings goaltender Shantz kept Victoria within one as he took over in the first half of the second period making 10 saves. Among his best stops were a smothering right pad save on a quick shot from a streaking Jon Landry in the right faceoff circle and another tough right pad save on a wrap-around one-timer from the combination of Dwight King and Rheault. The Salmon Kings evened the score at 1-1 at the 11:14 mark when Mike Hamilton exited the penalty box and took a stretch breakaway pass from defenseman Jimmy Sharrow. Hamilton moved in on Darling and made a backhand move to put the puck just over the goaltender’s left pad and into the net. Hamilton’s tally was his second of the campaign. The teams skated into the second intermission in a 1-1 deadlock.

 

Scott Howes gave the Salmon Kings a 2-1 advantage just 35 seconds into the third period when a bouncing pass from Gary Gladue found him at the left side of the net. Howes’ initial shot was denied on the doorstep by Darling’s right pad, but he deposited the rubber up and over the goaltender’s pad and into the net. Howes’ go-ahead goal was his fifth marker of the season. Shantz led the Salmon Kings the rest of the way, making seven third period saves to secure the victory. Salmon Kings 2 Ontario 1.

 

Victoria went 0/3=0.0% on the power play, while Ontario was 0/4=0.0%. The Salmon Kings outshot the Reign 27-26.

 

The Salmon Kings and Reign finish their mini two-game series tomorrow night at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre with puck drop at 7:05 p.m. For tickets, call 250-220-7777 or visit www.selectyourtickets.com

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