Sabers Face Tough Weekend with Doubleheader Loss to Jr Reign

by James Karr

The San Diego Sabers endured a challenging weekend as they faced off against the Ontario Jr Reign in a two-game series. Unfortunately for the Sabers, they were unable to secure a victory in either match, falling 10-2 on Saturday at Ontario Center Ice Arena and 6-4 on Sunday at Icetown Carlsbad.

Game 1: San Diego Sabers 2 at Ontario Jr Reign 10

The Sabers faced a formidable opponent in the Ontario Jr Reign during Saturday's match at Ontario Center Ice Arena. The game got off to a quick start with an early goal from San Diego's Frizado, but the Jr Reign responded with a barrage of goals, including two from Larocque-Wolfe. By the end of the first period, Ontario had built a commanding 5-1 lead.

The second period saw the Jr Reign extend their lead with four additional goals, showcasing their offensive prowess. Pukhalsky, Larocque-Wolfe, and Lam contributed to the scoring, leaving the Sabers trailing 9-1 after two periods.

In the third period, the Sabers managed to add one more goal to their tally with Paganini finding the back of the net on the power play. However, it wasn't enough to mount a comeback, and Ontario sealed the victory with a final score of 10-2.

Despite facing penalties and a relentless Ontario offense, Sabers' goaltender Vedernikov made 32 saves on 41 shots, but the team couldn't overcome the early deficit.



Game 2: Ontario Jr Reign 6 at San Diego Sabers 4

The Sabers aimed for redemption in Sunday's matchup at Icetown Carlsbad, but once again, the Ontario Jr Reign proved to be a formidable adversary. Larocque-Wolfe opened the scoring for Ontario in the first period, putting the Sabers in an early 1-0 deficit.

The second period saw a more competitive performance from the Sabers as they netted three goals, courtesy of Ouellet, Litzinger, and Jaakkola. However, Ontario maintained their lead with another goal, making it 2-1 in favor of the Jr Reign after two periods.

In the third period, the Jr Reign continued their offensive onslaught with goals from Friedman, Lam, and an empty-netter from Lai. Despite a late push from the Sabers, including a goal from Hawley, Ontario secured the win with a final score of 6-4.

Sabers' goaltender May faced a barrage of shots, making an impressive 59 saves on 64 shots. However, the Ontario Jr Reign's offensive firepower proved to be too much for the Sabers to handle.

The Sabers are set to make a comeback to Ontario on Saturday, January 21st, ready to face the Jr Reign and seek redemption. Following this matchup, the Sabers will head back to Carlsbad to host the Lake Tahoe Lakers, with the series spanning from Friday, February 1, to Sunday, February 3. Secure your tickets now by clicking on the link below and be part of the action!

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