Sports stats



OHL Kingston Frontenacs

Game Day Preview: KGN vs OSH

November 12, 2021 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kingston Frontenacs News Release


The Kingston Frontenacs meet up with the Oshawa Generals for the first time in the 2021-22 season tonight at 7:00 pm at Leon's Centre. The East Division rivals sit one-point apart in the East Division standings, with Kingston sitting just above the Generals looking for a third consecutive win.

The Generals are riding high coming in off a 4-1 win over Sudbury last Sunday and have not lost a regulation game since a 5-2 loss on October 21 versus the Peterborough, going 4-0-1-1 registering at least four goals in each of their last four contests.

Oshawa's scoring attack is led by Ty Tullio leading the OHL in assists (16). The Edmonton Oilers prospect has registered a point in each of the Generals 12 games and leads the team in points (19). Rookie sensation and Ethan Ritchie's brother, Calum Ritchie (2nd Overall-OHL Priority 2021) has only been held off the scoresheet in two games and leads all OHL rookies in points (16). He had six goals through the team's first five games. Ryan Stepien has 10 goals leading the deep offensive squad.

Both goaltenders are workhorses for their respective teams, with Kingston's Leevi Meriläinen (633 mins) and Oshawa's Patrick Leaver (602) in the top-5 for busiest in the crease. The duo are also tied for fourth in wins (6).

Kingston will travel to Oshawa on November 21 for the second matchup. Oshawa natives Gage Heyes and Nathan Poole are both familiar with the Generals and will look to strike against their hometown squad for Kingston.

Kurtis Foster makes his return to Kingston after coaching the team from 2017 to 2020. Foster is now an Assistant Coach with the Oshawa Generals.

Frontenacs Week That Was

The Frontenacs earned five of eight points over a busy stretch, with four games over the last week for a 7-3-2-0 record sitting in second place in the East Division and Eastern Conference. Three games went extra time, and with a win in Ottawa, the Black and Gold extended a team road-unbeaten streak to three.

A frustrated Kingston squad dropped a pair of home games last week in the first two games, with excellent chances to win both. The Fronts got one point as the Mississauga Steelheads scored a third-period goal tying the game before taking a 3-2 OT win on Nov 3. The Wright, Soto, and Chromiak combo scored both goals, earning multi-point games in the loss. Leevi Meriläinen made 44 saves earning first-star, helping the Fronts take the bonus point.

Two days later, Wright scored his first of two goals 3:14 into the game, and the Black and Gold were up by a score twice, but a three-goal third pushed the visiting North Bay Battalion to a 5-4 win on Nov 5. Lucas Edmonds had a two-goal, three-point effort, with Paul Ludwinski chipping in a pair of helpers. It was a tough game to lose," said Francesco Arcuri after the game. "I thought we played good for 40 minutes, but this league won't let you get away with that." Rookie Nathan Poole and Battalion captian Liam Arnsby had a spirited tilt midway through the physical affair.

However, head coach Luca Caputi's team rebounded with two consecutive wins over Peterborough and Ottawa, rounding out the last week of play. Arcuri spoke of the need to play hard all game after the North Bay loss: "We must have the same game plan," he said. "Our compete level has to be strong (like NB) and make sure we come out for a 60-minute game."

The team responded with a 6-5 overtime home-win over the Petes highlighted by three separate two-goal deficit comebacks, including down 2-0 midway through the first. A pair of four-assist games off the sticks of Chromiak and Wright led the way, with Edmonds scoring a power play goal in OT for the win after the Petes had tied the game with 18 seconds left. "It's a big team win for us coming back, said defenceman Braden Haché. "It's something we struggled with a couple of years ago, and it is part of our new culture in believing in ourselves. I think we have a team that believes in one another."

The most recent game ended in an exciting 4-3 shootout win on the strength of a 38 save performance by Ottawa Senators prospect Leevi Meriläinen in the Nations Capital on Tuesday night over the Barber Poles. Chris Thibodeau scored a power play marker with under seven minutes left, securing a comeback win seeing the Fronts trail by a goal three times. The win moved Kingston (16) within one point of the East Division-leading 67's (17).

Locked and Leevi'd

Leevi Meriläinen made many key saves, helping the Frontenacs win the two games, including a nod for the Real Canadian Superstore Save of the Night, preventing the Petes Vinzenz Rohrer from getting a hat trick on a grade "A" chance during the game in Ottawa on Tuesday. The Import Selection is tied for fourth in OHL wins (6) and minutes played (633).

A Wright Week

With eight points (3G,5A) in three games, captain Shane Wright became the first Fronts player to receive the OHL Player of the Week award before Tuesday's game in Ottawa. The first Frontenacs player since Brett Neumann in Oct of 2018. Teaming up on a line with Matthew Soto and Martin Chromiak, the 2019-20 CHL Rookie of the Year scored the shootout winner in the 4-3 win over Ottawa.

The Burlington, ON native has averaged over six shots per game over the last five sitting in the fourth spot amongst all OHL shooters tied with 55. He registered his 80th career point for a 1.17 career-ppg average in 70 OHL games. Operating at a 1.33 clip during the 2021-22 campaign, the projected number-one pick at the 2022 NHL Draft is still improving.

Streaking Soto

After a pair of third-period goals in the Peterborough win last Tuesday, Matthew Soto was held off the scoresheet in Kingston's win over Ottawa, snapping the rookie forwards' eight-game point streak. Kingston's leading rookie scorer began the stretch with a first OHL point on Oct 15, collecting 13 points (4G,9A). He sits three points behind Oshawa's Calum Ritchie (16), and the nine assists are third-most behind leader Ty Nelson of North Bay (11). "I don't really think about that stuff," said the rookie," it's great, but I just think about winning and playing hard as a team." He had five points over the last week (2G, 3A).

Teammate Braden Haché is as excited as fans at the rookies' start. "I couldn't be happier for him. He's a great kid on and off the ice, he's dedicated and wants to work. He's a smart player and probably one of the more skilled players on the ice every night. I'm happy he's here with us."

Polished Chrome

Los Angeles Kings prospect Martin Chromiak has been a force on a line with Wright and Soto leading Kingston assists (12) and is tied with Lucas Edmonds for the team lead in points (18). On Tuesday, the Slovakian native had a five-game point-streak (4G,8A) snapped in Ottawa, being held off the scoresheet for only the third time this season. One goal and six assists in the four games over the last week and his 1.50 points-per-game average is 8th best in the OHL (Tied with teammate Lucas Edmonds).

Notes

Jordan Frasca returned from injury with a full cage on Tuesday versus Ottawa, scoring his fifth goal of the season in the win

Paul Ludwinski is tied with Oshawa's Calum Ritchie at third overall for rookie plus/minus (+7)

Nathan Poole sits atop OHL rookie penalty minutes and fourth-overall (23)

Mason Vaccari and Matthew Soto were both chosen for the Capital City Challenge taking place in Ottawa this month

Team Stat Pack - Games Played (12)

Record

(7-3-2-0)

16 pts - Tie 2nd East Conf (HAM, NB)/ Tie 2nd Eastern Div (HAM)

One back of Eastern Conference Lead - Ottawa 67's (17) / One back of East Division Lead - Ottawa 67's (17)

Leaders (Top/3)

Goals - Edmonds (8), Chromiak, Wright (6), Frasca (5)

Assists - Chromiak (12), Wright, Edmonds (10), Soto (9)

Points - Chromiak, Edmonds (18), Wright (16), Soto (13)

Rookie Points - Soto (13), Ludwinski (9), Thibodeau (6)

PIMs - Poole (23), Burns (12), Haché (12)

Plus/Minus - Ludwinski, Murray (+7), Arcuri, Wright (+5), Chromiak (+4)

SOG - Edmonds (55), Wright (55), Chromiak (49)

On The Front

November is Special Olympics Game Month in the Ontario Hockey League. The Fronts will be raising awareness around the Special Olympics movement tonight.

On Saturday afternoon, Nov 13, Kingston hosts Mississauga Steelheads at 3:00 pm in a nationally televised game shown on CBC. A very special tribute to the late legendary OHL coach/manager Larry Mavety will be held before the game starting at 2:50 pm. (Note the afternoon start time).

Listen to all the action on 104.3 Fresh Radio with Frontenacs play-by-play voice Jim Gilchrist. Fans can also follow along with team social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates.

All home game tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.ca or visiting the Leon's Centre box office. Group Sales and Flex Packs are also available for fans at www.kingstonfrontenacs.com.

Check out the Kingston Frontenacs Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 12, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central