Sabers travel to Ontario this weekend for Highway Series rematch

by Jordan Driscoll

What you need to know ahead of the Sabers’ game against the Ontario Jr Reign:

When: Saturday, January 27 at 8:25 PM PST

Where: Ontario Center Ice Arena

The Sabers are set to take on the Ontario Jr Reign this Saturday at Ontario Center Ice Arena, with puck drop at 8:25 PM. The Sabers are looking for vengeance, as the Reign dominated both games of their previous series.

San Diego’s leading scorer, Tristan Frizado, had a 12-point game against the Long Beach Shredders last Friday, while Justin Quellet, the Sabers’ highest goal scorer, looks to add to his tally after scoring against the Reign this past Sunday.

The Sabers are yet to win against the Reign this season, with four losses in the 2023-2024 season. Tensions are bound to be high, as the teams ramped up gameplay in their previous matchups, with the Reign taking five penalties throughout the game. However, the Sabers remained disciplined, with one bench minor and a cross-checking penalty in the third.

As for their opponents, the Jr Reign are currently on top of the Pacific division, with 57 points. Their leading scorer, Kaedin Larocque-Wolfe, has seven goals and nine points in his last five games. The Sabers are trailing behind the Lake Tahoe Lakers in second to last place in the Pacific, nine points ahead of the last-place Long Beach Shredders.

For the Sabers to triumph against the Reign, their leading scorers and defensemen must rise to the occasion, clamping down on defense. The last time these two teams met, the Sabers tallied four goals to the Reign’s six. The key to their success this Saturday is to limit scoring chances and generate offense from their key players, with the spotlight on Frizado and Quellet.