ONTARIO, CA. — When December arrives it brings the holiday season, competitive hockey and the Teddy Bear Toss.

The AHL annual Teddy Bear Toss involves fans throwing stuffed animals onto the ice once the first goal is scored by the home team. Those stuffed animals are then given to children’s hospitals and charities, contributing to a happy holiday season for the community.

Martin Chromiak scored the first goal for Ontario, onsetting teddy bear galore as hundreds of stuffed animals were launched from the stands. 

The Ontario Reign lost game one of this two game series against the San Jose Barracuda with a 4-3 shootout loss Saturday night at Toyota Arena.

The Reign had eight penalties tonight, allowing the Barracuda to score two power-play goals.

“It’s competitive,” Andre Lee said. “Both teams have good depth, both teams really want to win. I think they get the best of us, dragging us into stuff, taking unnecessary penalties. We just need to be more disciplined. But these are the games that are most fun, these are the teams we’ll face in (the) playoffs.”

Barracuda goalie Jakub Skarek finished with 28 saves.

Egor Afanasyev put two goals on the board for San Jose; his first goal being just 3:14 into the opening period while his second was a power-play goal with assists from Jimmy Huntington and Kasper Halttunen.

Lee found the back of the net for the 10th time this season, scoring a shorthanded goal with help from Glenn Gawdin.

Offensively, both teams dominated in the first period. But period two would be a different story.

Although Ontario and San Jose had similar shots on goal in the first two periods, following through on the offensive output and finding the back of the net wouldn’t come as easily or often in the second period.

Period two involved a shutout from both teams, despite seven shots on goal from both the Reign and Barracuda.

After 13:49 had passed in the final period, Oliver Wahlstrom scored a power-play goal and gave the Barracuda the 3-2 lead.

But Ontario wouldn’t give up, despite the clock working against them.

Lee scored his second goal of the game with 43 seconds remaining in regulation, tying the game and sending it to overtime.

Following the scoreless overtime, the game advanced to a shootout, where San Jose would win 2-1, taking the victory with them.

Ontario goalie Isaiah Saville recorded 18 saves. 

The Reign went 0-for-4 on the power play, something they’re hoping doesn’t happen in tomorrow’s game.

“(We’re looking for) more execution (during the power play),” Reign coach Andrew Lord said. “More pace, more tempo, more puck speed – gotta find a way to put one home.”

With this loss, Ontario remains in second place in the AHL Pacific Division with 34 points and a record of 16-8-1-1.

Ontario will face San Jose (16-9-1-1) again on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Ontario.