Reign players leave mark in AHL exhibition.

The Reign will play only two exhibition games before the regular season begins, which looks like a luxury compared to the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate. The Manchester Monarchs play only one game — a 5-1 loss yesterday in Berlin, New Hampshire — before their regular season begins.

Several Reign alumni made their case to stay in the AHL.

The Monarchs’ lone goal, by Justin Azevedo, came off assists from Geoff Walker and Bud Holloway, and was described here as follows:

Center Justin Azevedo put the Monarchs on the board at 16:44 of the opening period. Right wing Geoff Walker skated down the right wing into the Pirates zone with Azevedo to his left. One-timing the puck on a pass from Walker, Azevedo chipped the rubber up and over netminder Jhonas Enroth for the first goal of the exhibition game. Left wing Bud Holloway picked up the assist on the goal.

The news wasn’t as good for goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, a Kings draft pick who was assigned to the Reign last season. He played half the game and allowed four goals, all during a nine-minute span of the second period. Mike Zacharias, who signed an ECHL contract with the Reign over the summer, played the game’s final 30 minutes and allowed one goal.

The Kings still have two goaltenders (Jonathan Bernier and Erik Ersberg) fighting for the backup position with the NHL club. Once one of the two is cut, expect either Zacharias or Zatkoff to make his way to Ontario.

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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.