Reign 7, Grizzlies 6, shootout.

Possibly the most exciting game since the arena was built, and the second-largest crowd ever for a Reign game (8,532) got to see it.

Not that Karl Taylor enjoyed sweating through his team’s worst defensive effort of the year. The most goals the Reign had previously allowed in a game was 5, against Utah on one occasion and against Victoria twice last week. Tonight, they surrendered three unanswered goals during a five-minute span in the third period to see a healthy 6-3 lead evaporate.

Somehow, some way, they turned things around dramatically in overtime, allowing only one shot to reach Murray and blocking several more, the most critical stops coming with Utah holding a 4-on-3 advantage during the final two minutes.

John Murray struggled at times and stopped just 31 of 37 shots in regulation and overtime, then was perfect in the shootout. The Reign were outshot 37-32.

As for the moment we all were waiting for in the press box…

Itan Chavira went second in the shootout, tried his “Osterkamp” move on Utah’s Michael Mole, who literally skated out of the crease and into Chavira before he could complete the move. Interesting tactic. Not sure what Mole thought Chavira was trying to do, but he shoved the 5-foot-9 Phillips Ranch resident immediately, and had to be restrained by the men in stripes.

Then Andrew Martens went third in the shootout and scored. Game over.

Todd Jackson scored short-handed goals less than a minute apart during the same short-handed shift in the third (the ECHL doesn’t keep records for fastest consecutive short-handed goals, but the record for shorties in a game is 3, accomplished once in 1998).

Jon Francisco also scored twice and blocked a shot late in overtime. Dan Knapp and Geoff Walker also scored goals, Dale Reinhardt had two assists, and Chavira got an assist on Francisco’s first-period goal — his third point in his last four games.

Tomorrow’s editions won’t include details on a ridiculous fight at 6:27 of the third that got everyone involved. Dan Knapp and David Walker both got involved in some serious boxing matches, and Murray somehow drew an unsportsmanlike conduct minor despite a Utah player (I couldn’t see who) taking out his legs at the end of the play. But the lasting image was of Andrew Martens, who drew into a “turtle” position on his knees as Utah’s Will Bodine pummeled him from above. Bodine made a point to drop some trash talking in at the end.

Anyway, there were quite a few of you at this game. Share your thoughts in the space below.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.