Reign Pick Up Second-Straight Shutout Win; Takes Down Moose 4-0

Goaltender Peter Budaj (19 saves) registered his second consecutive shutout win and forwards Michael Mersch (two goals, one assist) and Sean Backman (one goal, two assists) each picked up three-point games as the Ontario Reign (26-10-3-1) dismantled the Manitoba Moose (11-24-3-4) 4-0 at Citizens Business Bank Arena Saturday evening. The shutout is Budaj’s AHL-leading seventh of the season and the Reign enter the AHL All-Star break on a seven-game unbeaten streak (6-0-1-0). Box Score After recently missing 12 games due to injury, Reign forward Kris Newbury opened the scoring in his second game back in the lineup midway through the first period, catching a pass from Backman and slipped a shot between the legs of Moose goaltender Eric Comrie (L, 24 saves on 27 shots) at 10:33. In the second period, Mersch made it 2-0 with his team-leading 15th goal of the season with help from defenseman Derek Forbort and Backman at 6:33. Less than three minutes later, Backman made it a three-goal advantage from Mersch and defenseman Zach Leslie at 9:31. Mersch sealed the victory and the shutout in the third period with an empty-net goal at 19:14 from forward Nic Dowd. The Reign finished the contest 0-for-4 on the power play while the Moose went 0-for-3.