Ontario Reign Extend Winning Streak to Six Games

San Diego Gulls fall 4-1 to Ontario Reign in Friday night matchup

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:09am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game in motion, with overlapping shapes and planes representing the players, puck, and arena in an abstract, deconstructed style.The Ontario Reign's recent hot streak has them surging up the AHL standings, while the San Diego Gulls look to rebound from a tough loss.San Diego Today

The Ontario Reign defeated the San Diego Gulls 4-1 on Friday, April 17, 2026, extending their winning streak to six games. The Gulls took an early 1-0 lead, but the Reign rallied with four unanswered goals to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This win continues Ontario's hot streak and solidifies their position in the standings, while the loss is a setback for the Gulls as they look to climb the ranks in the AHL's Pacific Division.

The details

The Gulls struck first with a goal from Callahan Burke midway through the first period, but the Reign quickly responded with a goal from Nikita Aleksandrov to tie the game at 1-1 before the end of the opening frame. In the second period, Martin Chromiak and Aleksandrov each scored to give the Reign a 3-1 lead. Kenny Connors added an insurance goal in the third period to seal the 4-1 victory for Ontario.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 17, 2026.
  • The Gulls took a 1-0 lead at the 9:26 mark of the first period.
  • The Reign tied the game at 1-1 with 1 minute left in the first period.
  • The Reign took a 2-1 lead early in the second period at the 23:11 mark.
  • The Reign extended their lead to 3-1 with Aleksandrov's second goal of the game at the 33:43 mark of the second period.
  • Connors scored the Reign's fourth goal of the game at the 51:57 mark of the third period.

The players

Callahan Burke

A forward for the San Diego Gulls who scored the team's lone goal in the game.

Nikita Aleksandrov

A forward for the Ontario Reign who scored two goals in the game, tying the score in the first period and giving the Reign a 3-1 lead in the second period.

Martin Chromiak

A forward for the Ontario Reign who scored the go-ahead goal in the second period to give the Reign a 2-1 lead.

Kenny Connors

A forward for the Ontario Reign who scored the team's fourth goal in the third period to extend their lead to 4-1.

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What they’re saying

“We knew the Gulls would come out strong, but our guys responded well and were able to take control of the game.”

— Mike Stothers, Head Coach, Ontario Reign

What’s next

The Reign will look to continue their winning streak when they face the Abbotsford Canucks on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 8 p.m. CST. The Gulls will try to bounce back against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, also on Saturday at 8 p.m. CST.

The takeaway

Ontario's six-game winning streak has them firmly in the playoff picture, while the Gulls' loss is a setback in their quest to climb the standings in the competitive Pacific Division. Both teams will look to gain momentum with key matchups on the horizon.