Ontario Reign forward Nikita Pavlychev looks to set a screen in the crease while San Jose Barracuda goalie Georgi Romanov looks on at Toyota Arena on Tuesday FEB 27, 2024. (Ontario Reign)

by Marko Ukalovic

Samuel Fagemo is an official ‘Cuda killer.

The Ontario Reign forward recorded a hat trick as his team routed the San Jose Barracuda 8-2 on Tuesday evening at Toyota Arena.

San Jose has lost four games in a row as they anchor the bottom of the Pacific Division. Ontario has won three games in a row as it gained sole possession of sixth place in the division with 58 points.

Ontario (26-19-3-3) drew first blood in the first two minutes of the opening period with an even strength goal. A giveaway by San Jose inside its own zone led to Samuel Helenius finding Nikita Pavlychev who buried a quick wrist shot past ‘Cuda goalie Georgi Romanov for his first goal in 21 games at the 2:13 mark.

The Reign doubled its lead on the power play just over five minutes later. Martin Chromiak centered a back door pass off the skate of Francesco Pinelli, who was all alone to the right of the crease, for his sixth goal of the season at the 7:48 mark.

Sam Fagemo scored Ontario’s third unanswered goal in the opening frame with 49 seconds left. A missed odd-man rush for San Jose (17-26-8-1) led to a breakaway opportunity the other way for Fagemo who beat Romanov with a wrist shot for his team leading 26th goal of the season.

The Barracuda out shot Ontario 8-7 but could not a get a puck past Reign rookie goalie Erik Portillo. ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy pulled Romanov at the end of the period and inserted Magnus Chrona to start the second period. Romanov (6-7-5) gave up three goals on just seven shots.

San Jose got on the board with an even strength goal early the middle frame. Oscar Lindblom found Jack Studnicka with a cross ice pass. Studnicka made a fore-hand to backhand move to beat Portillo through the five-hole for his sixth goal of the season at the 2:43 mark.

The Lindblom-Studnicka connection hooked up once again this time on the power play. Lindblom found Studnicka in front of the net and Studnicka batted in his own rebound past Portillo for his second goal of the game and seventh of the season at the 5:15 mark.

Joe Hicketts found himself at the right place at the right time to give Ontario another two-goal lead. Hicketts picked up a rebound from behind the net and wrapped around the puck into an empty net for his first goal in a Reign uniform. It was his first goal in 16 games.

The Reign regained their three-goal late in the period on the power play. T.J. Tynan sent a cross ice pass over to Fagemo who beat Chrona with a one-timer for his AHL leading 13th power play goal and 27th of the season at the 18:26 mark.

Charles Hudon scored the Reign’s third power play goal of the game with six seconds left in the second period. Hicketts set up Hudon who beat Chrona with a one-timer for his 18th goal of the season.

Kevin Connauton scored an empty netter from his own blue line for his second goal of the season at the 9:17 mark when the ‘Cuda pulled Chrona for an extra attacker.

Fagemo completed his trick when Tynan set him up for a one-timer at the 14:27 mark. Fagemo has two hat tricks against San Jose this season and has 11 goals in six games against the ‘Cuda.

Portillo (15-8-3-2) finished the game stopping 38 of the 40 shots he faced to earn his 15th victory of the season. Chrona made 19 saves on 23 shots in mop up duty.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-5 on the power play. Ontario went 2-for-6.

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

UP NEXT: San Jose concludes its two-game road trip down in the desert when they take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday 2/28 at Acrisure Arena at 7:00pm.