**Ontario Triumphs Over San Diego Gulls with Overtime Thriller**
ONTARIO, Calif. — Kyle Burroughs scored the overtime game-winning goal to secure Ontario’s 4-3 victory over rival San Diego Gulls at Toyota Arena on Saturday night.
“It’s a resilient group,” Burroughs said in postgame interviews. “We bend but we don’t break. Obviously, there are things we can clean up, especially giving up the three-goal lead. But when push comes to shove, we’re going to show up, we’re going to be in the trenches for each other. And we had to scratch and claw for that one.”
The Reign (7-4-1-0) had traveled south to face the Gulls (4-4-3-0) just the day before, falling 6-4 in San Diego. Whenever Ontario and San Diego face off, the games always draw large and enthusiastic crowds, with wide smiles and lively energy – especially whenever tempers flare. Saturday night was no exception, as multiple scuffles broke out with helmets flying off, punches thrown, and words exchanged, much to the delight of the roaring crowd.
Glenn Gawdin opened the scoring 8:58 into the opening period, capitalizing on a pass from Andre Lee. Less than three minutes later, Gawdin struck again, this time assisted by Cole Guttman and Jakub Dvořák, putting Ontario up 2-0.
The second period saw action from both teams. Aatu Jämsen put Ontario ahead 3-0 with his fourth goal of the season. San Diego responded quickly, with Jan Myšák and Noah Warren each finding the back of the net to narrow the deficit to one.
Late in the third period, Gawdin nearly completed a hat trick. Gliding down the ice with determination, he was awarded a penalty shot after his shot was interfered with. Although he missed the chance, Ontario still maintained a one-goal lead with virtually no time left.
However, San Diego pulled their goalie, Ville Husso, to add an extra attacker. With the clock ticking down, Tim Washe capitalized on the advantage, scoring the game-tying goal at 18:29.
In overtime, Burroughs emerged as the hero, netting the game-winning goal that lifted Ontario to a hard-fought victory and moved the Reign up to third place in the AHL Pacific Division.
When asked about the recent addition of Burroughs, Ontario coach Andrew Lord praised his impact: “It’s a game-changer. Culturally, in the room, he’s already speaking up a bunch this early on. His poise with the puck, his defending, his intensity — he does so many things well. He’s a great leader.”
Ontario goalie Erik Portillo was solid between the pipes, finishing with 29 saves and extending his winning streak to four games.
Ontario’s resilient performance and overtime heroics underscore their determination to climb the standings as the season progresses. Fans will undoubtedly be eager to see how the team builds on this momentum in upcoming matchups.
https://www.thesportingtribune.com/2025/11/08/burroughs-makes-his-mark-in-reign-overtime-win