OHL Kingston Frontenacs

Slow Start Hurts Frontenacs in Loss to 67's

February 25, 2020 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kingston Frontenacs News Release


It was again a valiant effort by the Kingston Frontenacs in Ottawa battling back into the game but falling 7-3 to the best team in the OHL. Kingston had some good periods of time including a strong second period and Shane Wright would extend his point-streak to 11 games scoring a historic goal in Kingston franchise history. Rookie of the Year candidate Shane Wright sat just one goal back of history chasing down Bernie Nicholls franchise rookie-record for goals in a season. He entered the game as the OHL rookie-goal leader with 35 and led all rookie scoring with 61 points.

After jumping ahead of the Niagara IceDogs for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture with last Friday's win, the Frontenacs again are in a position of needed points today in Ottawa but still have two games-in-hand on Niagara. Ottawa had lost three of their last four games in a season that had only seen them lose just seven times in their first 47 games.

It wasn't an ideal start as no team would like to get down three goals in the first 10 minutes, but that is what the Frontenacs today. It was 1-0 at 2:59 on a Graeme Clarke goal after he buried a cross-crease pass by Cameron Tolnai. Kingston almost scored their opening goal when Dustin Hutton sent in Nick Wong on a break that forced Ottawa starter Will Cranley into a good save shortly after the opening goal.

Kingston would go on the power play five minutes in an had some good chances as they spent virtually the whole man-advantage in the offensive zone with a Shane wright shot ringing off the post on their best chance to get the game tied. The excellent goaltending by Cranley while killing the penalty set up the 67's to go up by two as Lucas Peric was called for hooking giving the number one ranked power play in the OHL a chance. It was an opportunity they capitalized on just 10 seconds in after the face-off in Kingston's end. Tolnai was able to sneak a seeing eye shot past a screened Christian Propp with Kevin Bahl and Clarke getting assists making it 2-0 game at the 8:00 mark.

This season has seen occasions with quick-strike goals on Kingston and the 67's would score a second goal just 20 seconds later to make it 3-0 on an unfortunate bounce. Alec Balanger threw it towards a breaking Marco Rossi in front and the puck deflected off Rossi and in to give the 67's three goals on just five shots, though Propp couldn't entirely be faulted. Ryan Dugas would relieve Propp as head coach Kurtis Foster looked to get a spark from his team.

Dugas was tested early making a good save on Jack Quinn almost immediately before Kingston drew their second penalty of the game. After the success on the first man-advantage, Kingston would look good again forcing Cranley into three big saves with Wright and Martin Chromiak sharing great shots that the 67's starter turned away.

After the penalty ended, Ottawa began to pressure Kingston again with a great shift hemming Kingston deep for almost two minutes and at 15:50 it was 4-0 after Joseph Garreffa was sent in alone on Dugas by a great pass from Clarke. He beat Dugas with a nice deke over the pad for his 32nd goal of the year. The assist was Clarke's third point of the frame.

Ottawa would kill off the third penalty as Daylon Groulx took a double minor on a high stick to Brahaney but the 67's penalty-kill was able to again thwart the Kingston attack and the period would end with Kingston still on the man-advantage.

Just 16 seconds into the second period, it was 5-0, just as Groulx stepped out of the box. Austen Keating made a good play to get the puck to Rossi who made a nice deke in close on Dugas to score his 34th of the year.

Lucas Rowe would set up Wright in the slot with a nice pass trying to get Kingston on the board shortly after but Cranley again was solid on the save. A couple of minutes later it was 6-0 at 4:35 as Quinn scored his 47th in the crease. After Mitchell Hoelscher had sent the puck down low to the net, Quinn was able to fight of Kingston defenders to get the dirty goal seemingly putting the game out of hand for the 67's.

Kingston has been a resilient bunch all year and today would prove to be no different. At 7:13, the Frontenacs would begin to scrape back into the game making it 6-1 on a historic goal for the Frontenacs franchise. The 36th goal for Wright tied him with Bernie Nicholls of the Kingston Canadians for the rookie-goals in a season record. The OHL leading point-getter went in on a two-on-one with Zayde Wisdom and after finding himself alone in the slot he fired a snapshot past Cranley low blocker. It also extended his point streak to 11 games.

After Ethan Ritchie almost got it to a four-goal deficit forcing Cranley into a nice save, Kingston went on their fourth power play of the day. Dawson Baker would score his 17th goal banging home a backhand pass through the crease from Vitali Pinchuk at 12:40 making it 6-2.

Justin Pringle had another opportunity getting stoned by Cranly before Ottawa had an excellent shift in the Kingston zone hemming the defenders in deep and tiring them out. Dugas made a good save and Kingston was able to escape the pressure and any potential for a comeback continued with 55 seconds left in the period as Pinchuk made it 6-3 following up on a loose puck. After Wong had shot it towards the goal, the puck bounced into the legs of traffic in front and Jordan Frasca was able to chip it out front to Pinchuk who got his seventh goal. He had scored his first career goal in Ottawa earlier in the season. Kingston held Ottawa to just five shots in the second period.

Both teams came out tentative in the third as expected after nine goals scored in the game already. Kingston had a good chance to get it within two as Jake Murray let a good wrist shot go after being set up by Wright on a cross-ice pass.

Ottawa scored at 8:20 to hurt Kingston's chances of coming back. Adam Varga was able to tip a point-shot taken by Nikita Okhotyuk that just made it over the pad of Dugas to make it a 7-3 game.

Kingston would continue to press showing their never-quit attitude as has been prevalent all season. Wright broke in on another two-on-one with Chromiak and, unlike his goal earlier, he made a beautiful saucer-pass to a streaking Chromiak who made a nice deke on Cranley but the Ottawa goalie made a ten-bell save to keep the four-goal lead and give the 67's the 7-3 win.

Kingston's next game is Friday, February, 28 vs Saginaw Spirit as they will play the second of seven-straight road games.

The Frontenacs are back at home on Friday, March 13 against Hamilton at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Leons Centre box office and at Ticketmaster.ca.

Check out the Kingston Frontenacs Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2020


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