The Ontario Reign captured their second regular season Pacific Division title on Saturday night, their first since the club’s inaugural year in 2015-16, when veteran forward Glenn Gawdin scored 17 seconds into overtime giving the Reign a 3-2 win at Coachella Valley.

It was the fifth straight victory for Ontario, specifically the third straight with major implications. Kings’ prospects Henry Brzustewicz and Hampton Slukynsky are no strangers to winning cultures and big-time games.

Tuesday night the Reign squared off against the Colorado Eagles from Toyota Arena with Ontario holding a one-point lead atop of the Pacific Division with five games remaining. Ontario skated a way to a 2-1 overtime win when Kenny Connors scored 17 seconds into the extra session.

The 19-year-old Brzustewicz made his professional debut that night in perhaps the biggest game of the regular season for Ontario and realized what was on the line. “It was good, it’s a tough game,” defenseman Brzustewicz said. “Both teams were fighting for first place so obviously it was going to be fast paced. I felt like I got more comfortable as the game went on.”

Selected by LA in the first round, 31^st overall, in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Brzustewicz signed his three-year entry-level contract on Apr. 4, three days prior to his debut, and joins Ontario on an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) for the remainder of the season after wrapping up a three-year career with the OHL’s London Knights.

“Just a few days ago I was playing in an OHL game so it’s obviously a big step,” he added. “The speed of the game with some older guys made it a step up in pace. Joe Hicketts took me under his wing a little bit in that first game and took care of me well. He just told me I got your back and supported me all night.”

The Washington, MI native is well experienced being a part of winning teams and winning cultures. Last season he helped the London Knights to their third CHL Memorial Cup Championship when they defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1 on Jun. 1. The 6-2, 205lb right handed shooting defender totaled 191 points (81G, 110A) in 174 career games with the Knights after leading the club with 54 points (19G, 35A) in 59 games this season.

“I’m just trying to soak in as much as I can,” Brzustewicz said. “Obviously it’s pretty cool going on a playoff push with these guys, they’re in first place for a reason, and doing everything right.

He played in all three games for Ontario last week recording four shots and four penalty minutes and the Reign are excited to have him with the intentions of making a run at the Calder Cup.

“We want him to do his thing,” head coach Andrew Lord said. “It was fun getting to know him during rookie camp, he had a heck of a tournament there, and the sky is the limit for him.”

Fast forward just three nights later after the Reign had cushioned their lead pacing the Pacific Division, well an opportunity on the line to pick up their 45^th win of the season, a franchise record.

Goaltender Hampton Slukysnky would make his professional debut and shined in between the pipes making 21 saves on 22 shots in a 4-1 win vs. Coachella Valley. “It was unreal,” Slukynsky said. “It’s always been the dream to play pro hockey so to be told I was playing tonight was exciting. I had a lot of adrenaline going, and it was fun. The fans brought the energy, and the guys played really well in front of me making it pretty easy on me.”

The 20-year-old Slukynsky saw played his final collegiate game with the Western Michigan Broncos on Mar. 29 losing in the NCAA Loveland Regional Championship, 6-2 to the eventual National Champions, the Denver Pioneers. Then four days later Slukynsky signed his three-year entry level-contract with LA and has joined the Reign on a professional tryout agreement (PTO) for the rest of the season. He was able to be at the Reign’s game on Tuesday and watch from the stands which he viewed as a very beneficial experience. “It’s been huge,” he added. “That was my first AHL game so just to see the level, the speed, the operation, helped me a lot.”

“The guy is incredible,” said Andrew Lord following his debut. “Coachella put us under siege, once they got that first one, that gave them a little bit of jolt, and he made some really good saves there.”

Just like Brzustewicz, Slukynsky is no stranger to big time games and victories. Drafted by the Kings in the fourth round, 118^th overall, in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-2, 175lb netminder helped the USHL’s Fargo Force to their second Clark Cup Championship in his one season of junior hockey where he was named the league’s goaltender of the year. With the Force he led the USHL with 28 wins, a 1,86 goals against-average, .923 save percentage, and five shutouts posting a 28-3-0 record in 33 regular season games before a 9-3-0 mark in the playoffs with a 1.69 GAA and .931 SV%.

From there, the Warroad, MN native helped Western Michigan to their first NCAA National Championship last season as a freshman when the Broncos defeated Boston University 6-2 backstopped by 24 saves from Slukynsky. During the 2024-25 campaign he held a 19-5-1 mark with a 1.90 GAA and .922 save percentage being named to the Frozen Four-All Tournament Team, NCHC All-Rookie Team, Second All-Star Team, and a finalist for NCHC Goaltender of the Year. In two seasons with the Broncos he appeared in 64 games with a 46-16-2 record, 2.14 GAA, and .918 SV%.

Not only has Slukynsky had success at the junior and collegiate levels, but he also helped USA to Gold Medals in the 2025 World Championships, 2025 U20 World Junior Championship, and 2023 U18 World Junior Championship.

“The whole goalie development staff here in LA has treated me unreal,” said Slukynsky. “They’ve been unreal ever since I was drafted here, they’ve helped me so much. I’ve only been here a week, and I’ve already learned so much and it showed tonight.”

The sky is the limit for these two Kings prospect who look to help the Reign achieve their first ever Calder Cup Championship. Ontario wraps up the regular season Saturday night at Toyota Arena against Abbotsford before a first round bye in the playoffs.