OJR secure playoffs with sweep over the Henderson Force

With only two weeks remaining in the season the Ontario Jr. Reign marched on in search of clinching a playoff spot with a two game series against the Henderson Force. While outsourcing their opponents 10-2, the Jr. Reign swept the series and officially punched their ticket to the playoffs. 

Goaltender Josh Henson made his 13th appearance of the season while in pursuit of his seventh win of the season. 

The opening period was fairly even until Denver Craig scored the opener in under six minutes. Craig received a great pass in the neural zone from Luke Cannon and deked the keeper, to give the Jr. Reign an early 1-0 lead.  

It was more back-and-forth action for the remaining 14 minutes as the first period ended 1-0. 

Henson was then excused from the game after the first intermission, due to taking a hit from a Henderson attacker. The assistant captain was perfect in the opening period saving all 12 shots he faced. Ryan Hicks stepped right up, for his 10th appearance of the campaign.     

“I came into relief there, it sucks that he had to be taken out of the game there, because he was playing really good, playing lights out,” Hicks said. 

Ontario kept up the pressure in the second period, especially in the final five minutes of play. 

Gavin Evan scored his second of the season, while on a three-on-one rush. Evans decided to take it himself, and fire a wrist shot from the right circle to beat the goaltender’s  stick side. 

The right circle saw some more action, just two minutes later as Carter Demelo capitalized on a four-on-three power play opportunity. This time Jesiah Bennett sauced a cross seam pass to a patient Demelo who rifled in his patented one-timer.  

Jack Forrester took us to the second intermission with a goal in the last minute of play, as he redirected the puck into the top shelf from a centered pass by Alec Boucher. 

The Jr. Reign entered the final period with a 4-0 lead. 

Ontario continued the offensive pressure in the final period but wasn't able to break through until only five minutes were remaining in regulation

Christopher Lai netted his 21st of the season with a slap shot from the slot by another centering pass from Boucher. 

As time expired the final score read 5-0 for the Ontario Jr. Reign. 

Hicks was also unbeatable as he saved all of the 13 shots that he faced across his two periods of play. Hicks and Henson combined for the Jr. Reign’s fifth shutout of the season.  

“It's not very often you see two goalies combined for a shutout, so that's pretty cool to be a part of,” Hicks said. “Defenders were blocking bodies, blocking shots, even the forwards sacrificing their body at the point, and it was just an all around good effort.” 

Hicks got the nod to start in between the posts for game two in search of his eighth win of the year.  

Lai opened the scoring late into the first period, with his third power-play goal of the year. As the puck cycled around the attacking zone Lai’s shot snuck into the bottom corner of the net, from just inside the blue line. 

The action picked right back up into the second period as Cannon found the back of the net in under two minutes. Craig beat the Henderson goaltender to the puck that was dumped behind the net, and found Cannon right in front of the crease for the 2-0 lead.  

Henderson fought their way back into the game with a penalty shot goal right at the midway point in the period, as well netting the equalizer ending the second period with a 2-2 scoreline.  

Craig broke the deadlock in under a minute within the final period by beating the goalie’s glove side from inside the left circle with a wrist shot. 

Ethan Fraser added another goal to the Jr. Reign’s tally just five minutes later, as he cleaned up a rebound in front of the goal from a Charles Johnston wrist shot. 

Craig went on to score the final goal of the weekend with under three minutes left in regulation, as he picked up the puck in the right circle and finessed his way around the net to slide the puck across the goal line. 

Hicks earned his eighth win, saving 18 of the 20 shots he faced on the night. 

The four point weekend solidified that the Ontario Jr. Reign have secured a playoff spot. 

“We need to stay humble here and just keep grinding away and the results will show,” Hicks said.

With only a handful of games remaining, you don’t want to miss our next home match up on Saturday, Feb. 22 against the Long Beach Bombers. Be at the Center Ice Arena as puck drop is scheduled for 8:30pm. Tickets are on sale now at Tickets - Ontario Jr Reign.