Ontario Reign Defeat Coachella Valley Firebirds in Overtime Thriller

Glenn Gawdin's overtime goal secures Pacific Division title for Reign

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:52am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game in motion, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the players and action on the ice.The Reign's overtime victory showcases the team's resilience and ability to win close, high-stakes games as they clinch the Pacific Division title.Ontario Today

The Ontario Reign defeated the Coachella Valley Firebirds 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night at Acrisure Arena. Koehn Ziemmer and Martin Chromiak scored in the first period to give the Reign a 2-0 lead, but the Firebirds tied it late in regulation to force overtime. In the extra session, Glenn Gawdin netted the game-winner just 17 seconds in to clinch the Pacific Division title for Ontario.

Why it matters

The Reign's victory secures their second Pacific Division championship in franchise history, the first since the 2015-16 season. This is a significant accomplishment for the team as they look to make a deep playoff run. The game also featured a back-and-forth battle between two of the top teams in the AHL's Pacific Division.

The details

The Reign jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Koehn Ziemmer and Martin Chromiak. However, the Firebirds battled back, scoring a short-handed goal in the second period and tying the game late in the third to force overtime. In the extra session, Glenn Gawdin scored the game-winning goal just 17 seconds in to give the Reign the victory.

  • The Reign scored the opening goal at 6:23 of the first period.
  • The Reign scored their second goal at 9:27 of the first period on the power play.
  • The Firebirds scored a short-handed goal with 6:02 remaining in the second period.
  • The Firebirds scored the game-tying goal with 3:15 left in regulation.
  • Glenn Gawdin scored the overtime winner 17 seconds into the extra session.

The players

Koehn Ziemmer

A forward for the Ontario Reign who scored the opening goal in the first period.

Martin Chromiak

A forward for the Ontario Reign who scored the Reign's second goal on the power play in the first period.

Glenn Gawdin

A forward for the Ontario Reign who scored the game-winning goal in overtime to clinch the Pacific Division title for the Reign.

Mitchell Stephens

A forward for the Coachella Valley Firebirds who scored a short-handed goal in the second period to make it a one-goal game.

Tyson Jugnauth

A defenseman for the Coachella Valley Firebirds who scored the game-tying goal with 3:15 left in regulation to force overtime.

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against a great team like Coachella Valley. I'm proud of the way our guys battled and found a way to get the win in overtime.”

— Andrew Lord, Head Coach, Ontario Reign

“It was a huge goal for us to win the division title. The guys worked hard all season and deserve this accomplishment. Now we need to keep pushing forward and make a deep playoff run.”

— Glenn Gawdin, Forward, Ontario Reign

What’s next

The Ontario Reign will host the Abbotsford Canucks on Friday, April 17 at 7 p.m. PST as they look to build momentum heading into the playoffs.

The takeaway

The Ontario Reign's thrilling overtime victory against the Coachella Valley Firebirds not only clinched the Pacific Division title, but also showcased the team's resilience and ability to win close, high-stakes games. This performance bodes well for the Reign's playoff aspirations as they aim to make a deep postseason run.