Ontario Reign’s Kevin Connauton and San Jose Barracuda’s Nathan Todd battle in front of the net at Tech CU Arena on Saturday NOV 25, 2023. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The Ontario Reign erased a two-goal deficit with four unanswered goals to defeat the San Jose Barracuda 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose finished their seven-game homestand with back-to-back losses. Ontario have won four in a row and have points in eight consecutive games as they swept the two-game series.

San Jose (4-8-4-0) drew first blood early in the first period on its first shot in the game. Leon Gawanke fed Jacob Peterson in the Reign zone. Peterson skated into the middle where his shot deflected off of Wyatte Wylie’s leg past Reign goalie Erik Portillo for his third goal of the season at the 2:37 mark.

Peterson’s second goal in three games snapped a 188:54 shutout streak by Ontario.

The Barracuda doubled its lead with an even strength goal just under six minutes later. A shot from the point by Bradely Marek was initially saved by Portillo he never secured the puck as it laid loose near the crease. Danil Gushchin who cleaned up the rebound for his fifth goal of the season, his first since being reassigned to the ‘Cuda, at the 8:09 mark.

Ontario (11-4-1-1) were shellshocked by the ‘Cuda’s quick start and did not play with a disciplined manor as they took two penalties late in the opening frame.

The Reign cut the deficit in half early in the second period fresh off a penalty kill. A shot from the point by T.J. Tynan was picked up at the crease by Samuel Fagemo who deposited a wraparound past ‘Cuda goalie Magnus Chrona for his seventh goal of the season at the 1:48 mark.

Fagemo scored the equalizer, his second goal of the game, late in the middle frame while the teams were playing 4-on-4. Fagemo cruised by the net after taking a pass from Tynan. His initial shot was stopped by Chrona but Fagemo’s rebound attempt caromed off of Chrona into the back of the net for Fagemo’s team leading eighth goal of the season at the 18:08 mark.

Fagemo has caught fire for Ontario with three multiple goals games in his last four contests.

Ontario went ahead seconds after killing off a penalty to start the third period. A giveaway inside the Reign zone by the ‘Cuda led to an odd man rush counterattack. Andre Lee found Akil Thomas with a rink wide pass and he buried a one-timer past Chrona for his third goal of the season at the 1:37 mark.

Brandt Clarke concluded the scoring with an empty net goal, his fifth of the season with 28 seconds remaining in the game to ice the game for Ontario.

Portillo (5-1-0) finished the game stopping 40 of the 42 shots the ‘Cuda peppered him with to earn the win. Chrona (1-4-2) made 27 saves on 30 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-5 on the power play. Ontario was 0-for-3.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Fagemo 2) Gawanke 3) Tynan.

UP NEXT: San Jose finished the month of November when they take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday 11/29 at 7:00pm at Acrisure Arena.