The Klamath Falls Ice Hawks scored four goals in the first two periods but came up empty in the third as the Rogue Valley Reign pulled away for a 7-4 win in the opening game of the 2024 Collier Cup at Bill Collier Ice Arena Friday night.
It was the Reign’s fifth win over the Ice Hawks this season and third in the past week; the teams played a doubleheader in Medford on Jan. 6, with Rogue Valley taking the first game 5-2 and the second game 9-1.
Dalton Ruettgers, who scored seven goals in the Reign’s first four games against the Ice Hawks, put his team ahead just 21 seconds into Friday’s game. Klamath Falls drew back even when Owen Welch fired in a rebound at the 8:52 mark and took the lead on a Gage McDaniel power-play goal at 16:00.
The lead was short-lived; Colton Altes scored at 16:39 to tie the game at 2 heading into the second period.
The teams traded scoring chances several times before McDaniel gave the Ice Hawks a 3-2 lead at the 8:25 mark. This one also wouldn’t last very long, as Aaron Rejcek converted on Rogue Valley’s first power-play opportunity at 11:57 to make it 3-3. At 14:34, Klamath Falls took another penalty, and Ruettgers only needed 19 seconds to give the Reign the lead again.
The Ice Hawks answered after falling behind almost as quickly as Rogue Valley did; McDaniel evened the game at 4 and became the first Klamath Falls player to score a hat trick this season at 18:54.
It wasn’t until about halfway through the third period that the game began to slip away from the Ice Hawks. They took overlapping penalties at 9:48 and 11:28, and Rejcek scored his second goal at 12:08 to give the Reign a 5-4 lead. 42 seconds later, Altes scored his second to make it 6-4.
Another Klamath Falls penalty at 14:04 all but ended any hope of a late comeback, and Altes completed his own hat trick at 16:53 to put the game away. He also finished with three assists (matched by Klamath Falls’ Gavin Knutson), giving him a game-high six points.
The Ice Hawks were outshot 14-5 in the third period and 39-21 in total. Klamath Falls goalie Tatiana Graham made 32 saves, and Rogue Valley goalie Logan Rud made 17 saves.
The Ice Hawks are scheduled to face the Vancouver Jr. Rangers in their second game of the Collier Cup at 2:15 p.m. Saturday.
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Scoring Summary
1st Period
:21 RV Dalton Ruettgers (Ryan Fowler, Aaron Rejcek)
8:52 KF Owen Welch (Gavin Knutson, Gage McDaniel)
16:00 KF (PP) Gage McDaniel (Gavin Knutson)
16:39 RV Colton Altes (Jacob Summerhays)
2nd Period
8:25 KF Gage McDaniel (unassisted)
11:57 RV (PP) Aaron Rejcek (Colton Altes, Jamison Shaffar)
14:53 RV (PP) Dalton Ruettgers (Colton Altes)
18:54 KF Gage McDaniel (Owen Welch, Gavin Knutson)
3rd Period
12:08 RV (PP) Aaron Rejcek (Colton Altes, Jamison Shaffar)
12:50 RV Colton Altes (Wyatt Altes)
16:53 RV Colton Altes (Ryan Fowler, Dalton Ruettgers)
