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Ontario Reign vs Lake Erie Monsters - Game 2 Preview: Blackout the Bank Part Deux

The Reign dropped Game One of the series, allowing the Monsters to grab a 1-0 series lead.

Ontario Reign vs Lake Erie Monsters

Series: Reign trail 0-1 (best of 7)

Day: May 22, 2016 (Citizens Business Bank Arena)

Time: 7:00 PM PST

Listen: Mixlr

Watch: AHL Live

Recaps: Game One

Ontario Reign Lines

(Projected, based on last game)

Mersch - Dowd - Amadio

Lowry - Kempe - Backman

JST - Cresc - Auger

Horvat - Newbury - Bissonnette

Ontario scratches: F Brett Sutter, F Jonny Brodzinski, F Sam Herr, F Matt Leitner, G Jack Flinn, D Nick Ebert, D Kevin Raine, D Alex Lintuniemi, D Paul LaDue

Hockey ops announced today that Jonny Brodzinski had wrist surgery. Brodzinski has been out since the last game of the San Jose Barracuda series.
This is a pretty big blow to the Reign, who have managed to get along fine without their budding sniper. However, with such a slim margin of error and a much more anemic offense than years prior, losing him for the summer is tough for the Reign.
Some uncharacteristic breakdowns defensively gave the Monsters a quick 3-1 lead in the second period. The final dagger came in the third period with an assist from burgeoning superstar Zach Werenski.
Per the Ontario Reign Insider, it was only the fourth time all season long that the Reign had allowed three goals in a period. As good as the Monsters are, it's not likely that they'll score three goals in one period on Ontario again.
Update: Sutter appears to be in, flanking Kempe and Backman. LaDue took warm-ups, but it looks like Ebert will skate with Schultz tonight. Horvat and Leslie are the odd men out tonight.
Per John Hoven, LaDue is in instead of Ebert./

(Projected, based on last night)

Broadhurst - Chaput - Zaar

Rychel - Tynan - Anderson

Hannikainen - Sedlak - Bjorkstrand

MIlan - Vogel Huber (A) - Craig(C)

Falk - Sifers (A)

Heatherington-Werenski

Kukan - Eminger

Scratched: McCarthy, Cundari, Paliotta, Moutrey, Bittner, Yevenko

Forsberg was great in Game 6 of the Central Division finals and got the nod last night.
He held off the Reign and made 30 saves, quelling any late comeback hopes for the home team.
As predicted, Werenski was great in the first game of the series.
The most underrated team in the AHL showed up last night. The heavy favorites... Not so much.
Will Ontario be able to rein in Lake Erie or will the upset kids manage to use their speed to scare their way into the Calder Cup Finals?
Update: Paliotta taking warm-ups, and he's in for Sifers. Sifers was a regular this season, so perhaps he's banged up./