Bulls can’t stop the Reign

COW PALACE — There was certainly hope after a solid win Friday night that the San Francisco Bulls would carry their sturdy third-period offense into Saturday night’s fete with division-leading Ontario Reign.

Sadly, those hopes were dashed as the Bulls fell in fist-laden defeat to the Reign, 7-0.

The Reign onslaught against Bulls goalie Thomas Heemskerk started early, as Heemskerk blocked 14 of Ontario’s 16 first period shots. The Reign’s first goal was scored by forward Jason Beeman and assisted by Mario Lamoureux. The second came courtesy of NHL-er and former San Jose Sharks right wing Devon Setoguchi, his first of two on the night.

Ontario didn’t let up in the second period. The Reign offense continued to put the pressure on Heemskerk with another 16 shots. They eventually brought the score to 3-0 after a goal by Beeman with assistance from forwards Lamoureux and Kyle Kraemer with 7:57 left on the clock.

At the end of two periods, Ontario had 32 shots on goal. San Francisco had four.

But it was the blood bath in the third period that turned the game ugly, as subsequent penalties on the Bulls led to two goals by the Reign, raising the deficit to 5-0.

Shortly after, SF’s Jordan Clendenning and Ontario’s Matt Clune would drop their gloves for full-on fisticuffs at center ice.

Not 40 seconds later, two more Bulls found themselves in the penalty box, and the Reign would take advantage by putting the puck in the net two more times.

Ontario would end with 47 shots to the Bulls’ nine.

But no time to wallow in a loss! The Bulls need to take that aggression and turn it into points Wednesday as they face Ontario again, on the road.

Bulls hockey returns to the Cow Palace next Friday as they face the Stockton Thunder. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m.