Fronts Get a Hard Earned 4-3 Shootout Win in North Bay
March 4, 2018 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kingston Frontenacs News Release
The Kingston Frontenacs headed to North Bay Sunday afternoon in desperate need of a win after dropping an 8-3 decision in Barrie on Saturday night to extend their winless streak to four games. Kingston and North Bay had split the season series heading into Sunday's game with both teams taking a win on their home ice. After Hamilton clinched the East division on Saturday night, Kingston was looking to solidify their hold on the third seed in the Eastern conference. With North Bay sitting in sixth place, Sunday's game offered a potential playoff preview with just a couple weekends left in the OHL regular season.
The Frontenacs had struggled with rebounds, as well as giving up the first goal over the past few weeks and that trend continued early in North Bay. Brandon Coe put a rebound by Jeremy Helvig to give North Bay a 1-0 lead 7:10 into the game. Kingston tied the game at 12:26. Just seconds after a North Bay penalty had expired, Jason Robertson scored his 39th of the season, and 99th in a Frontenacs jersey to tie the game at a goal each. Kingston had a strong first period out-shooting the Battalion 11-8. They headed to intermission tied, but with some much needed confidence.
That confidence carried over into the second period. Gabe Vilardi gave Kingston the lead just 1:21 into the second period. It was the first time Kingston had lead a game since they scored the first goal against Hamilton four games prior. Unfortunately, the lead was short lived. Justin Brazeau beat Jeremy Helvig with a one timer from the top of the circle to tie the game again. The Kingston power play gave the Frontenacs the lead back with one of the prettiest goals we have seen all season. Cliff Pu made the initial pass to Linus Nyman to draw Julian Sime across the crease. Nyman slid the puck against the grain and found Vilardi who had a wide open net for the power play marker. Kingston was starting to look like the Eastern conference powerhouse that everyone has been used to seeing since the OHL trade deadline. They took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
North Bay wasn't going to lay down going into the final period. After recording just 15 shots in the first two periods, North Bay fired 16 at Jeremy Helvig in the third. One of those found the back of the net to tie the game. Jesse Saban fired a point shot that beat Helvig for just his third of the season. Neither team was able to score again in regulation time and the game headed to overtime.
As usual, the 3 on 3 overtime provided lots of excitement. Both teams had glorious scoring chances to end the game, but Helvig and Sime were very good to force this game into the shootout.
Cliff Pu and Jason Robertson scored for Kingston in the shootout, while Jeremy Helvig stopped Justin Brazeau and Brandon Coe to earn Kingston a 4-3 shootout victory.
The win ends a four game losing skid for Kingston. The top line for the black and gold was dominant in the victory. After a shaky first two periods, Jeremy Helvig was spectacular in the third period as well as overtime and the shootout to help push his team to victory.
The three game road trip will come to an end on Wednesday night in Oshawa. Kingston will look forward to returning to home ice on Friday night against the Ottawa 67's. Puck drop for that game is 7 PM.
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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 4, 2018
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