Reign 3, Thunder 2.

The Reign are back in first place.

Playing their third game as many days, you’d think they would play their best hockey early rather than late. Instead, the Reign worked back from a 2-0 deficit, getting the game-winning goal on a penalty kill, from P.J. Atherton at 7:48 of the third period.

Thanks to Utah’s 4-1 victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers earlier in the day, the Reign moved a point ahead of Las Vegas (58-57) in the ECHL’s Pacific Division standings. Stockton (53 points) remains in third place.

With the Reign on a power play, Jon Francisco made it 2-2 at 0:51 of the third with his team-leading 19th goal of the season. Dale Reinhardt began the comeback with a goal at 10:25 of the second period.

Danny Roy, who has served as the emergency backup for home and away teams in Stockton in the past, was the backup to Kellen Briggs, who stopped 32 of 34 shots.

This entry was posted in Ontario Reign/ECHL by J.P. Hoornstra. Bookmark the permalink.

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.