Wright, Frasca lift Fronts over 67’s

The Kingston Frontenacs (34-17-3-0) beat the Ottawa 67’s (23-27-2-5) by a 5-4 score in a Wednesday afternoon battle in the nation’s capital. The Frontenacs had a little more luck on there side, even with the home side wearing four-leaf clovers for St. Patty’s Day. Shane Wright had an assist and scored the game-winner in the third period. Jordan Frasca added to a team-leading goal total, collecting two goals in the game. Martin Chomiak and Alec Bélanger netted the other two goals for Kingston. Lucas Peric and Francesco Arcuri each registered a pair of assists to bring Kingston within five points of idle Hamilton leading to this Friday’s big game against each other.

Leevi Merilainen was in Kingston’s crease making 17 of 21 stops for his 27^th victory. Will Cranley, in his seventh appearance against Kingston stopped 37 of 42 shots in the loss.

 

First Period

A 1-1 game after twenty minutes saw the Fronts down early in a frame. The period saw a lot of Kingston pucks on the Ottawa net, outshooting the home side 14-8, (no Ottawa shots from 9:02-17:59), but the better scoring chances came for the 67’s.

Kingston’s third- ranked powerplay got an early opportunity, but it was the 67’s opening the scoring with their eighth shorthanded tally at 2:03 on the first shot at the Kingston net. Vinzenz Rohrer (19) made a backhand play that got by Merilainen for the 1-0 strike. Jack Beck assisted on the first goal of the game. This game was the second consecutive time Kingston surrendered the opening goal to Ottawa. It was the ninth time the Fronts have been stung with the extra-skater.

A second man-advantage for Kingston came with another shorthanded breakaway stop by Merilainen to keep the Fronts down only one. Kingston appeared to have scored a first tying goal but was waved off by officials after a Kingston forward was in the crease.

Ottawa’s first chance with the powerplay came with 12:47 left. Kingston’s penalty killing units limited the 67’s chances and killed off the penalty.

It was 1-0 when Francesco Arcuri made a great play picking up an Ottawa turnover before making a slick move to get the puck towards the goal. Jordan Frasca (37) buried his own rebound in close on Cranley at 11:38 and extended his point streak to eight games (5G,8A). Arcuri’s assist extended his point streak to five (2G,5A).

Kingston had a third powerplay called with 49 seconds left with Shane Wright having the best chance ripping a shot off Cranley’s shoulder but both teams would take the 1-1 tie to the room.

 

Second Period

The Fronts took their 10-4-1-0 record when tied after one to test with 1:11 of remaining powerplay time. While an early goal gave the Fronts a lead briefly, the teams would again head to an intermission all squared up after a four-goal period.

Edmonds had a good chance after Frasca had set him up for a grade a shot from the bottom of the circle before Martin Chromiak (27) would put Kingston out front 2-1 at 3:14. Zayde Wisdom and Shane Wright traded passes off a rush before Wright would tee up Chromiak for a wicked one-timer past St. Louis Blues’ prospect Cranley. The assist marked the fourth straight game for Wisdom with a helper.

It wasn’t long until the game was knotted back up when Tyler Boucher (4) scored after being setup by Stonehouse at 4:32. The 2-2 goal came just 1:18 after Kingston had taken their first lead. Jake Murray was called on a penalty after a post-goal scrum sending the 67’s to a second powerplay, but a call to Ottawa sent the teams to four-on-four and ultimately a Fronts man advantage.

With the ensuing powerplay, a highlight reel save by Cranley robbed Frasca, who had been setup by Arcuri and Chromiak directly in front of the diving Ottawa goaltender preventing a second Fronts lead of the period.

Steven Laforme (1) made it 3-2 on his first OHL goal after the rookie Ottawa skater was able got himself into a good shooting lane letting a shot go that beat Merilainen through a couple of skaters. The 67’s making the best of opportunities being outshot 28-13, took their second lead of the game at 11:19 was assisted by Thomas Sirman.

Maddox Callens and Matthew Soto set up Paul Ludwinski with three minutes left in a great opportunity forcing Cranley to make two quick stops.

Frasca’s second of the game (38) tied it 3-3 after Lucas Peric made an excellent play faking a shot to assist at 17:51, with Arcuri gaining a second helper on the day. It was the second multi-goal game for Frasca in three games.

A neutral zone scrum at the buzzer had penalties handed out as the divisional opponents’ intensity ramped up in the tenth meeting on the season heading to a all-square final frame.

 

Third Period

A quick two goals in the opening moments set up a white-knuckled close checking period that saw Kingston take the lead and earning a tough 34^th win of the season.

Alec Belanger (6) scored against his old team with a beauty shot early in the period on the powerplay rifling a shot into the top corner over Cranley’s glove getting Kingston out front for a second time, making it 4-3 at 1:54.

A second goal by Rohrer (20) off a Kingston turnover tied it up once again less than two minutes later, with the 4-4 strike coming 1:57 after the Belanger goal. Beck was credited with his second assist on Ottawa’s first shot of the period.

A four-on-two was kicked away by Merilainen, with both goalies having to remain sharp with numerous scoring chances throughout the game.

Wright ‘s second point and first goal of the game (25) gave the Fronts a 5-4 lead. The captian stuffed a quick shot past Cranley after Wisdom and Chromiak had done great work to get the puck out front to number 51. The go-ahead goal came 9:01 into the period on Wright’s fourth game-winning goal of season.

Ottawa took another penalty with a call to Brady Stonehouse at 10:55 giving Kingston’s third-overall powerplay a sixth man-advantage. Wright whistled a shot off Cranley’s left pad off the initial draw on a great chance and again stoned Wright with a good blocker save midway through the advantage.

Luca Caputi called a timeout to slow the game resting his powerplay units after a second penalty call sent the Frontenacs to a five-on-three, but no insurance goal came on the powerplay chance for Kingston setting up a tight remaining six minutes.

The Black and Gold had the 67’s on their heels not allowing a 67’s shot from the 8:35 mark to the 18:06 mark stumping down victory and improving to 13-4-3-0 in one-goal games.

 

BMW of Kingston Hardest Worker

Alec Belanger (1G, +1, 3 SOG)

 

Three Star Awards

1. Vinzenz Rohrer – OTT (2G)
2. Jordan Frasca – KGN (2G)
3. Steven Laforme OTT – (1G)

 

Fronts Notes:

• Lucas Edmonds – 2^ndOHL pts – (95), T-1^st assists (65), 1^st OHL PP assists (28), 4^th OHL shots (227) – named to CHL Team of Week

• Edmonds ended eight-game point streak (6G,10A), pts in 17 of last 19 (11G,24A)
• Jordan Frasca (38) – 3^rd OHL goals (one of 17 players with 30+ goals) – 16 PPG’s 2^nd most in OHL (+30 – 7^th OHL), 8^th OHL pts
• Frasca extends eight-game point streak (6G,8A) leading the OHL in first goals (8)
• Martin Chromiak – points in eight of nine (7G,8A)
• Francesco Arcuri – extends five-game point streak (2G,5A), points in 18 of last 22 games (14G,19A)
• Alec Belanger – (1G,1A) in four games played versus former team 67’s

 

Team Stat Pack – GP (54)

(34-17-3-0) 71 pts (2^nd East Div / 4^th Eastern Conf

 Leaders

• Goals – Frasca (38), Edmond (30), Arcuri (29)
• Assists – Edmonds (65), Wright (48), Frasca (39)
• Points – Edmonds (95), Frasca (77), Wright (73)
• PIMs – Haché (63), Poole (55), Stewart (44)

• Shots– Edmonds (227), Wright (198), Frasca (187)

• Powerplay Points – Edmonds (35), Frasca, Wright (25), Chromiak (24)

• Rookie Points – Ludwinski (30), Soto (24), Thibodeau (9)
• Defence Points – Peric (35), Murray (29), Bélanger (16)
• Plus/Minus – Frasca (+31), Edmonds (+27), Murray (+25)

 

On The Front

The Frontenacs return home this Friday, Mar 18, versus the Division-leading Hamilton Bulldogs for Retro-night. Working with the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy and BIG FM to help promote Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month on Friday, the team will be wearing special throwback-inspired jerseys with a twist!

Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca or the venue box office. The Capacity at Leon’s Centre is now at 100%.

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 at Twitter, Facebook and IG for updates. Watch the games on YourTV Kingston (channel 700) or CHL TV/OHL Live.