ONTARIO, Calif. – The Ontario Reign, proud affiliate of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, announced that defenseman Pat Bowen and center C.J. Stretch will again don Reign sweaters, as both have accepted qualifying offers which will return them to the club for the 2011-12 season.

Bowen was acquired from the Gwinnett Gladiators shortly after the start of last season.  He played 53 games for Ontario in his rookie year, recording 13 points (3g, 10a) and 32 penalty minutes.

Bowen, 26, played four seasons with Merrimack College (H-East), recording 43 points (4g, 39a) and 146 penalty minutes in 124 games with the Warriors. The Marshfield, Massachusetts native served as team captain in his senior year with Merrimack, finishing the season with a career-high 19 points (1g, 18a). Bowen spent one year with the USHL’s Chicago Steel prior to attending Merrimack, and accumulated 10 points (4g, 6a) and 70 penalty minutes in 60 games with the Steel.

Stretch, 22, tallied 21 points (9g, 12a) and had 33 penalty minutes in 46 games with the Reign last season. Though 2010-11 was his rookie year, this will be his third season with the team.  He signed an amateur tryout agreement with Ontario in March 2010 and appeared in the final game of the 2009 – 10 season, scoring his first professional goal in the match.

The center, an Irvine, California native, spent five seasons with the Kamloops Blazers (WHL), recording 248 points (85g, 163a) and 342 penalty minutes in 341 games.