Rheault, Walker on their return.

Jon Rheault and Geoff Walker practiced in Manchester, New Hampshire on Thursday morning, boarded a flight bound for Las Vegas at 1 p.m. Eastern time, then jetted to their new/old home in Ontario, California.

After Thursday’s whirlwind came another on Friday in the form of a 7-6 shootout loss to the Wranglers.

“It’s tough because you don’t want to disrupt things that have been going well. They went on a six-game winning streak, then we came in,” Rheault said. “I feel like we played well, but we didn’t win, and it kind of sits pretty hard with you when you see your team doing so well, you want to help them but you come and you lose.”

The loss could hardly be pinned on the two newcomers, who logged plenty of ice time, created scoring chances, and did almost everything asked of them except score in the shootout – both missed on their only chance.

Rheault skated at left wing on a line with Jon Francisco at center and Sean O’Connor on the right. Geoff Walker slipped on his number eight jersey (which he wore last season; O’Connor is now wearing the #36 that Walker donned earlier this season) and skated at right wing with center Michael Pelech and Tony Voce on the left wing.

Rheault and Walker had been in Manchester with the Kings’ AHL affiliate since late November, then were sent back to Ontario because of the trades that brought Jeff Halpern and Fredrik Modin to Los Angeles on Wednesday. After the pair of deadline deals, the Kings sent forwards Oscar Moller and Rich Clune to Manchester, giving the Monarchs 16 healthy forwards and leaving Walker and Rheault the odd men out.

Their first time back on the ice with the Reign was at Friday’s morning skate. Naturally it took a while before each looked at ease in the game, but “once the game got going, I think we got more comfortable,” said Walker, who collected an assist. Rheault had two helpers.

Rheault said he was slotted as a penalty-kill specialist with the Monarchs, and the ice time he got Friday was the most he’s seen in a while.

“Toward the end (in Manchester) I started to feel better, making plays and getting chances,” he said. “At that level the players are so good that you need to bury the chances. It’s a lot tougher to finish. It was a good experience, and I’m ready to help the Reign get into the playoffs.”

Walker, who left the Monarchs while riding a three-game point streak, played mostly on a scoring line with former Reign forward Bud Holloway and center Gabe Gauthier.

“Kind of the same as here – playing power play, first couple lines,” he said. “I’m an offensive player, it’s what I do. It’s kind of the same. I have a little more responsibility here. not being one of the go-to guys up there is a little different.”

One place Rheault didn’t visit in Manchester was the local barbershop. He said he is planning to grow it out and donate the shorn hair to charity.

“I was looking at Locks of Love, and that was 10 inches, then someone told me about Pantene Beautiful Lengths, and that was eight inches,” he said. “I’m getting kinda close.”

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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.