Ontario Reign Defeat Bakersfield Condors 6-3 in Playoff Showdown

Reign score five unanswered goals in comeback victory at Toyota Arena

Apr. 5, 2026 at 5:07am

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The Ontario Reign defeated the Bakersfield Condors 6-3 in a high-scoring AHL playoff matchup on Saturday night. The Reign rallied from an early 2-1 deficit, scoring five unanswered goals to secure the victory in front of 9,015 fans at Toyota Arena.

Why it matters

This victory keeps the Reign's playoff hopes alive as they continue their push for the Calder Cup. The game featured a back-and-forth battle between two of the top teams in the Pacific Division, showcasing the intense competition in the AHL postseason.

The details

Ontario trailed 2-1 after the first period but scored four goals in the second to take a 4-3 lead. Jack Hughes tied the game with a shorthanded goal, while Nikita Alexandrov, Aatu Jämsen, and Andre Lee also found the back of the net for the Reign. Alexandrov added an empty-net goal in the third period to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
  • Ontario will host the Colorado Eagles on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 6 p.m. PST.

The players

Ontario Reign

The AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, the Reign are making a push for the Calder Cup playoffs.

Bakersfield Condors

The AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, the Condors are one of the top teams in the Pacific Division.

Nikita Alexandrov

The Reign forward scored two goals, including the game-winning empty-netter, to lead his team to victory.

Jack Hughes

The Reign center scored a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 3-3 in the second period.

Erik Portillo

The Reign goaltender made 20 saves on 23 shots to earn the win.

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What they’re saying

“We showed a lot of resilience to come back from behind and take control of the game. This was a huge win for us as we continue our push for the playoffs.”

— Andrew Lord, Head Coach, Ontario Reign

“I'm proud of the way our team battled back tonight. We knew it was going to be a tough game against a great opponent, but we stuck to our game plan and got the job done.”

— Kenny Connors, Forward, Ontario Reign

“That shorthanded goal was a huge momentum shift for us. We needed that to get ourselves back in the game, and it really sparked our comeback effort.”

— Angus Booth, Defenseman, Ontario Reign

What’s next

The Reign will look to build on this victory when they host the Colorado Eagles on Tuesday, April 7th at 6 p.m. PST. A win against the Eagles would further solidify Ontario's position in the playoff race.

The takeaway

This game showcased the intense competition and high-scoring nature of the AHL playoffs, as two of the top teams in the Pacific Division battled it out. The Reign's ability to rally from an early deficit and score five unanswered goals demonstrates their resilience and determination to reach the Calder Cup Finals.