Rheault draws notice from Calgary … newspaper.

Jon Rheault still hasn’t gotten a haircut, and people fans of the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford (B.C.) Heat are taking notice.

Writes Kristen Odland in the Calgary Herald:

While he’s been memorable on the Abbotsford Heat scoresheet during
their second-round American Hockey League playoff series against the
Hamilton Bulldogs, Rheault’s flowing locks are the town’s real
conversation-starter.

During Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss in Game 3 of
the North Division best-of-seven final series at the Abbotsford
Entertainment and Sports Centre, the publicity of his hockey hair
reached a new level.

“It’s getting a little bit out of control,”
said the 23-year-old former East Coast Hockey Leaguer, who hasn’t had a
hair cut since July 1 and is growing it long to raise funds to fight
cancer. “(Tuesday) night, I was glancing up at the scoreboard during one
of the timeouts and I saw a sign that said, ‘We love No. 85. We love
your hair.’ I thought that was kind of funny.

Rheault’s six postseason goals lead the Heat, who trail the Hamilton Bulldogs in their best-of-seven AHL semifinal series 2 games to 1 heading into tonight’s Game 4.

AHL playoff update.

Jon Rheault and the Abbotsford Heat will live to see another day.

The former Reign forward contributed a goal to the Heat’s 3-1 win over the Rochester Americans, staving off elimination in the best-of-seven Calder Cup playoff series. Rheault now has two goals and an assist in five games of the series, which the Amerks lead three games to two.

Former Reign center Dusty Collins also avoided elimination Friday, when his Manitoba Moose defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 5-2. The Bulldogs lead the series three games to two. Collins posted his only point of the series by scoring a goal in Game 4 on Wednesday.

AHL, ECHL playoff updates.

From the Calder Cup playoffs (American Hockey League):

Bud Holloway scored the second of three goals for the Manchester Monarchs in a 3-1 win over the Portland Pirates on Saturday night. Holloway scored the game-winner a night earlier, and the Monarchs lead 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. Former Reign forward Dwight King did not factor into the scoring in either game, and former Reign goalie Jeff Zatkoff has served as the backup in both.

Jon Rheault was in the starting lineup, but was kept off the scoresheet in a 4-1 loss by the Abbotsford Heat to the Rochester Americans on Saturday. Their series is tied at 1 game apiece.

Dusty Collins and the Manitoba Moose absorbed an 8-2 thumping at the hands of the Hamilton Bulldogs on Saturday. Collins did not figure into the scoring and the Moose head home to Winnipeg trailing 2-0 in the series.

From the Kelly Cup playoffs (ECHL):

Brian Kilburg and the Utah Grizzlies are down two games to none against the Idaho Steelheads after a 4-3 loss in Boise on Saturday. The former Reign defenseman got the starting nod but didn’t score.

Oren Eizenmann’s second goal of the game at 9:01 of overtime lifted the Stockton Thunder to a 4-3 win over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday. The Thunder are leading 2-0 with the series heading back to Stockton on Tuesday. Bakersfield’s two ex-NHL forwards, MacGregor Sharp and Kyle Calder, have a combined zero goals and zero assists in the two games.

AHL playoffs update.

A brief update from the American Hockey League playoffs, where a pair of former Reign players are competing for two different teams:

Winger Jon Rheault, playing his first Calder Cup playoff game, assisted on the first goal by the Abbotsford Heat in a 3-2 victory over the Rochester Americans on Thursday.

Center Dusty Collins and the Manitoba Moose were shut out by the Hamilton Bulldogs, 2-0, in the first game of their best-of-seven series Thursday.

Several former Reign will make their AHL postseason debuts on Friday when the Manchester Monarchs visit the Portland Pirates. Jeff Zatkoff, Jordan Nolan, Patrick Mullen, Bud Holloway and Dwight King are all on the Monarchs’ playoff roster.

Reign pack their bags, Voce calls it a career.

When the Reign packed up their equipment and left The Bank one last time on Monday, the moment meant a little more to Tony Voce, who announced that Saturday’s game in Las Vegas was the last of his professional career.

The 29-year-old forward is moving back to Philadelphia to be with his wife and family. He said he wasn’t the same after the knee injury that cost him a month of the season in November and December.

“I was hurt most of the year,” he said. “Once it was done, it’s done.”
Continue reading “Reign pack their bags, Voce calls it a career.” »

Reign 7, Las Vegas 1.

Looking more relaxed than they had all season, the Reign exploded for seven goals, and got a 27-save effort from Mike Zacharias. However high of a note they could go out on, one day after missing the playoffs, the Reign found it.

It was a particularly good night for Chad Starling, Colten Teubert, Jordan Nolan and C.J. Stretch, each of whom scored his first goal of the season. Greg Hogeboom scored his team-leading 32nd, Geoff Walker scored his 7th and Mike Egener his 11th.

Tim Kraus picked up three assists and Walker added two helpers. Teubert and Starling both finished plus-4 and the Reign killed all five short-handed situations.

Jon Rheault – who would have been playing his eighth game in 10 days – was held out, as was Peter Lenes, who was ineligible to come off IR. Dan Knapp stepped in for Luis Tremblay on defense.

More details in tomorrow’s editions of the Sun and Daily Bulletin.

Las Vegas 5, Reign 2.

The Reign allowed three power-play goals and had to kill 10 penalties at all, turning a close contest into a futile game of catch-up in the third period.

The standings picture is bleak. Not only will the Reign have to win their final two games, but they’ll need the Utah Grizzlies to win both of their final two games in Victoria and at least one win must be in regulation.

Otherwise, the Reign will be the only team in an eight-team conference to miss the postseason.
Continue reading “Las Vegas 5, Reign 2.” »

Rheault to AHL; Stretch, Nolan to Reign.

Left wing Jon Rheault has been signed by the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Heat.

A pair of 20-year-olds coming off their junior seasons – Irvine native C.J. Stretch and recent Kings draft pick Jordan Nolan – have been added to the Reign’s roster.

Continue reading “Rheault to AHL; Stretch, Nolan to Reign.” »

Reign 7, Idaho 4.

The Reign jumped out to a rare 5-0 lead, enabling them to withstand a four-goal third period by Idaho in a game with plenty of implications in the standings.

Seventh-place Utah won, meaning a loss would have kept the Reign three points back of the National Conference’s final playoff berth.

Now seven teams are separated by one point each for the final six playoff positions: Bakersfield (71), Victoria (70), Las Vegas (69), Alaska (68), Stockton (67), Utah (66) and Ontario (65).
Continue reading “Reign 7, Idaho 4.” »