The Reign had a light practice today, an hour-long, 3-on-3 scrimmage that Karl Taylor hoped would “allow the guys to have some fun and enjoy what they’re doing.” Starting the season 0-4-1 at home sort of creates that need.

Jon Francisco was back on the ice after his bout with the flu. Chaz Johnson (shoulder) and Kyle Kraemer (knee) were not.

Here are few notes that won’t make tomorrow’s notebook:


• Taylor doesn’t consider communication to be part of the problem right now. “It’s not the issue at all. We just need to play better and play harder,” he said.

• The power play – 1 for 9 bewteen games Friday and Saturday – is a concern.

“We’re working really hard to make changes, make it better,” Taylor said. “The two goals we gave up (Saturday), the (first) one is a shot we’ll give up on the power play. It just beat our goaltender on that play. It’s outside the dots. The last one, they score on an empty-net power play goal. … I’m using certain guys right now. Everyone’s had opportunities at some point. We’re trying to find the right mix. We believe the power play is going in the right direction, creating looks. Jordan Morrison missed a pretty open net. We’ve got to find a way to keep battling through it, get pucks to the net, that shot mentality; create attacks and second opportunities.”

• Kellen Briggs, who has started 12 straight games since Martin Jones was recalled to the AHL, isn’t bothered by his workload. He started 46 straight games last season for the Dresden Ice Lions in the German Bundesliga and said “it was fine.”

“I enjoyed it. It helped you stay in the groove. Every week was the same. It was only Friday and Sunday (games). It’s easier than having a three-in-three obviously.”