Colorado advanced to the Pacific Division Finals with a 5-2 win in Ontario on Sunday night.
The Eagles swept the best-of-five series in three straight, setting up a meeting with the Stockton Heat in the next round.
Mikhail Maltsev, Jayson Megna and Stefan Matteau gave Colorado a 3-0 lead before the Reign finally got on the board on Martin Frk’s goal late in the second period.
After Jacob MacDonald put Colorado up 4-1 with 4:29 gone in the third period, the Reign got back within two when Samuel Fagemo scored on a power play with 6:31 remaining, but they could get no closer despite pulling goaltender Garret Sparks for an extra attacker with just under four minutes left. Megna tucked in his second goal of the night and fourth of the series with 19 seconds to go to cap the scoring.
Justus Annunen finished with 31 saves for the Eagles, improving to 5-0 this postseason.
Ontario’s league-leading offense, which averaged 3.81 goals per game in the regular season, was held to seven goals in the series, while Colorado ― which ranked second to the Reign in the regular season ― scored 20 goals, two shy of the AHL record for a three-game series.
Pacific Division Semifinals – Series “O” (best-of-5)
P2-Ontario Reign vs. P3-Colorado Eagles
Game 1 – Wed., May 11 – COLORADO 10, Ontario 1
Game 2 – Fri., May 13 – COLORADO 5, Ontario 4 (OT)
Game 3 – Sun., May 15 – Colorado 5, ONTARIO 2
