With the Pacific Division title locked up, as well as the home-ice advantage that comes with it for the first two playoff rounds, only a first-round opponent remains in question for the Reign. The Phoenix Roadrunners (who occupy last place in the West division) have just a miniscule chance of unseating Bakersfield, Las Vegas or Stockton. So among those three teams, who would you want the Reign to play?
Is it Bakersfield, where the Reign opened their season with a victory, and where they’ll finish the regular season Friday and Saturday? The Reign are 6-3 against the fastbreak-happy Condors, the Ducks’ ECHL affiliate.
Is it Las Vegas, which injected some tension into the rivalry by attacking Reign captain Jon Francisco during a last-second brawl March 22? The Reign are 7-3 against the Wranglers, who will play without the Ferraro twins, Chris (broken leg) and Peter (suspended).
Or is it Stockton, which started slow, got hot after adding some former Fresno Falcons, struggled toward the end of the season, but still managed to shut out the Reign in the teams’ last game? The Reign finished 6-4 against the Thunder.