Miners can’t stop the Reign, lose 4-3.

Miners can’t stop the Reign, lose 4-3.

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON)

Despite being heavily out played for most of the evening, the Seattle Reign finally found a way to a win close game.

Jordan Staal and Jason Zucker each had a goal and an assist to lead the Reign past the Sudbury Miners 4-3 on Monday night.

Oliver Bjorkstrand and Artturi Lehkonen also scored for the Reign, who snapped a four-game losing streak with the win. Corey Crawford preserved the victory, making 39 saves on the night.

Seattle had a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals by Staal and Zucker.  It would stay that way until a wild third period in which the two teams would combine for five goals.  The Miners made a late push, but the Reign held on.

"It doesn't matter how you finish," Crawford said. "The most important part is the end result and we got two points."

For the Miners, it was their fifth loss in the past six games.

"It's been tough sledding for us this year," defenceman Aaron Ekblad said. "We're going to have to work really hard to be consistent because it's not going to be easy for us. We're going to have to learn some tough lessons along the way."

Goaltender Ben Bishop, who stopped 19 of 23 shots, thought he should've stopped Lehkonen's game winner off the rush but he also allowed a third-period goal to Bjorkstrand.

"I need to make some saves," Bishop said. "There's some stoppable pucks there, and that's the difference."

Ekblad, Shea Theodore and Tobias Reider scored for the Miners, who out-shot the Reign 42-23 in the game but could not put any more than three by Crawford.

"I know we're capable of playing some good hockey," Ekblad said. "It's a mindset. It's an attitude.  We score three goals tonight but we didn't get our first goal until the third period.  So we're not creating enough offensively."

MINERS NUGGETS

- With the loss, the Miners home record drops to 8-11-2.

- The Miners power play was effective last night going 2-for-5.  The penalty killing unit was a different story as they failed to kill off the only penalty of the night.   

- Wednesday night is a bit of a homecoming for GM Terry James as the Miners travel to Fort Erie.  James grew up and played his junior hockey there, and it is worth noting he has had a few meals at the famous “Happy Jacks” Chinese restaurant.