The Reign get their second win against the Aces this year in seven tries, holding steady on defense (8-for-8 on the PK) until the offense caught up … and who should do the honors of tying the game at 1 but defenseman Chad Starling, scoring his first goal in his 46th game.
Jon Rheault deflected in a deep slapshot by P.J. Atherton with 20 seconds to play for the eventual game-winner. Both goals, in fact, came as a result of pucks sent in low from just inside the blueline, giving the Reign little excuse for not firing away more often (on top of the “20 times a day” Karl Taylor has exhorted them to shoot more). Alaska pulled its goalie for the final 20 seconds and Denny Johnston skated almost the length of the ice to notch an empty-netter, his first goal as a member of the Reign.
You could say it was a day of breakthroughs on “Pink at the Rink” night (the Reign players were all wearing pink-tinged jerseys, which were auctioned off after the game). More details in tomorrow’s editions.