Freeway Series Game 5: Ontario Reign 2, San Diego Gulls 1

The Reign took the series from the Gulls four games to one and advanced to the American Hockey League’s Western Conference final. Here’s the recap from our man on the scene, Jim Alexander: http://www.pe.com/articles/pushed-802964-reign-test.html

Here’s the more Gulls-centric story from the San Diego Union-Tribune: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/may/14/gulls-reign-playoffs-hockey/

Game 1 against either Grand Rapids or Lake Erie is Saturday in Ontario.

Freeway Series Game 4: Ontario Reign 4, San Diego Gulls 3 (OT)

Here’s the story on the Reign’s unlikely hero in their Game 4 overtime victory Friday over the Gulls, via Jim Alexander of the Press-Enterprise: http://www.pe.com/articles/kid-802913-plays-reign.html

Here’s the view from the San Diego Union-Tribune: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/may/13/gulls-reign-chris-mueller-kings-ducks/

Game 5 is Saturday night in Ontario.

Freeway Series Game 3: San Diego Gulls 3, Ontario Reign 0

Here’s the recap from our man in Ontario, Jim Alexander: http://www.pe.com/articles/ontario-802356-series-alexander.html

Here’s the story from the San Diego Union-Tribune: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/may/08/gulls-overcome-adversity-to-beat-reign-3-0/

Game 4 is Friday in San Diego.

Freeway Series Game 2: Ontario Reign 2, San Diego Gulls 1 (OT)

Here’s the recap from Jim Alexander, our man on the scene Saturday in San Diego: http://www.pe.com/articles/pay-802307-persistence-reign.html

Here’s the San Diego Union-Tribune story: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/may/07/despite-hacketts-heroics-gulls-fall-2-1-to-reign/

Game 3 is Sunday in Ontario.

 

Freeway Series Game 1: Ontario Reign 5, San Diego Gulls 3

Here’s a look at the Freeway Series opener from our man Jim Alexander of the Press-Enterprise: http://www.pe.com/articles/first-802102-ontario-reign.html

Here’s the report from the San Diego Union-Tribune, which also is covering the series: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/may/05/gulls-start-too-cautious-fall-5-3-to-reign/

Game 2 is Saturday in San Diego.

Freeway Series Game 1 preview: San Diego Gulls at Ontario Reign

Southern California News Group colleague Jim Alexander is covering the series between the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate and the Ducks’ minor-league team. Read his preview of the second-round series here: http://www.pe.com/articles/reign-801979-save-socal.html

Freeway Series: Ontario Reign take on San Diego Gulls in the American Hockey League playoffs

The Ontario Reign eliminated the San Jose Barracuda on Friday in the first round of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup playoffs. The San Diego Gulls knocked out the Texas Stars in their first-round series Friday. So, the Kings’ AHL affiliate will face the Ducks’ team in a Freeway Series matching beginning next Thursday.

Here’s the schedule, which is a little different from what we’re used to in the NHL:

Game 1: Gulls at Reign, 7 p.m, May 5, Citizens Business Bank Arena.

Game 2: Reign at Gulls, 7:05 p.m., May 7, Valley View Casino Center.

Game 3: Gulls at Reign, 7 p.m., May 8, Citizens Business Bank Arena.

Game 4: Reign at Gulls, 7:05 p.m., May 13, Valley View Casino Center.

Game 5 (if necessary): Gulls at Reign, 7 p.m., May 14, Citizens Business Bank Arena.

Game 6 (if necessary): Reign at Gulls, 7:05 p.m., May 16, Valley View Casino Center.

Game 7 (if necessary): Gulls at Reign, 7 p.m., May 18, Citizens Business Bank Arena.

Ducks coaching search: Who is GM Bob Murray likely to hire to replace Bruce Boudreau?

Ducks general manager Bob Murray figures to take a good look at several candidates to replace Bruce Boudreau as the club’s next coach. Among them:

Paul MacLean and Trent Yawney, the Ducks’ assistant coaches who orchestrated the team’s NHL-leading power-play and penalty-killing units during the regular season.

Dallas Eakins, coach of the Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate in San Diego whose stint with the Edmonton Oilers did not go well at all.

Travis Green, a former Ducks player who has been coaching the Utica Comets of the AHL and his said to be ready to take the next step.

Guy Boucher, a former Tampa Bay Lightning coach who was coaching in Switzerland until he was fired last fall.

Marc Crawford, a former Kings, Avalanche and Canucks coach who also was coaching in Switzerland until he was let go last month.

Ontario Reign, San Diego Gulls on track for second-round collision in the AHL playoffs

The Kings and Ducks were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but there can still be a Freeway Series showdown this spring between their American Hockey League teams. The Kings’ affiliate, the Ontario Reign, and the Ducks club, the San Diego Gulls, are each one victory away from advancing to the Pacific Division final in the Calder Cup playoffs.

The Reign took a 2-1 lead in their best-of-5 series with a 3-1 victory Thursday over the San Jose Barracuda in Game 3. Adrian Kempe scored two goals for the Reign, who can eliminate the Barracuda with a victory in Game 4 on Friday in Ontario.

The Gulls defeated the Texas Stars 6-1 in Game 3 on Thursday to take a 2-1 lead in their series. Chris Wagner scored a goal and had two assists and Shea Theodore had three assists for the Gulls, who face Texas in Game 4 on Friday in San Diego.