OJR come up short despite mounting comeback

Fresh off of the winter break, the Ontario Jr. Reign returned to USPHL Pacific Division play on Saturday, Jan. 11, against the Fresno Monsters.  After being down early on, the Jr. Reign mounted a comeback, but it wasn’t enough as they fell short with a final score of 8-6.  

The last time these two teams faced off, it was the Monsters that had the Jr. Reign’s number, sweeping a three game series.  

Looking to defend their home ice, assistant captain Josh Henson got his seventh start of the season in the blue paint. 

The first period saw the Monsters scoring two goals within the opening three minutes to jump out to an early lead. 

While on the power play, Luke Cannon pulled one back slightly after the midway point. Having the man-advantage allowed Jesiah Bennett to slither the puck to Cannon for the one-timer in front of the net.  

Despite putting one on the board, the remainder of the period was all about the Monsters. They went on to score three unanswered goals to end the first period 5-1. 

Ontario fought their way back early with two goals in five minutes the second period from Bryn Studney-Amos and Charles Johnston. 

Studney-Amos found the back of the net by picking the pocket of a Monsters defender in front of the net and beat the keeper stick side. While Johnston scored his first goal of the season after a flurry of shots from Christopher Lai and Carter Demelo forced a rebound that allowed Johnston to fire the puck from the slot. 

Fresno added to their tally due to a scramble in front of the net making the scoreboard read 6-3 with just over 10 minutes left in the second period. 

Nevertheless with momentum on their side, the Jr. Reign didn’t concede quite yet, as Lai and Demelo both added their name to the scoresheet.   

Lai picked up the puck in the neutral zone and created a two-on-one opportunity in which Lai fired the puck into the bottom corner of the net. 

With constant pressure in Ontario’s attacking zone Bennett found Demelo from behind the net, as Demelo slotted his ninth goal of the season from inside the left circle. 

Ontario were headed into the third period only down by one. 

Demelo tied the game with his second of the night in just under six minutes of play. Directly off a face off, a shot from Bennett created a rebound that fell to Demelo’s stick for the put back. 

Fresno retook the lead right at the halfway point in the period, and closed the games with a power-play goal in the last 30 seconds. 

As time expired the final score was 8-6 in favor of the Fresno Monsters. 

Henson stood tall, making 34 saves on 42 shots on target. Bennett added four points to his season total, while Lai and Demelo added three points each. 

The Ontario Jr. Reign have a busy weekend ahead of them as they first hit the road on Friday, Jan. 17 to take on the Bakersfield Roughnecks. You can catch all the action on Flohockey.tv 

After, the Jr. Reign are back at home against the Roughnecks on Saturday at 8:30pm. Followed by another game on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 1pm against the Ventura Vikings. Be at the Center Ice Arena as the race in the Pacific Division is heating up.   

Tickets are available at Tickets - Ontario Jr Reign.