Fast Five: Kingston at Erie
After an impressive offensive display last night, tallying 8 goals against the Niagara IceDogs, the Kingston Frontenacs are gearing up for another challenging matchup this afternoon. They’ll be crossing the border into Pennsylvania, USA, for a showdown with the Erie Otters at the Erie Insurance Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 4:00 pm.
This marks the first regular-season encounter between these two teams in the 2023-24 season. While they clashed twice in the 2023 preseason, with each team securing a victory, today’s game holds a fresh significance. It kicks off a home-and-home series between the Frontenacs and the Otters, with Kingston set to host Erie next Friday night at Slush Puppie Place for Pride Night, adding an extra layer of anticipation to this afternoon’s matchup.
Tune-In:
Fans have the opportunity to tune in to each game in real-time through Fronts Radio, featuring Kingston’s Pure Country 99 as its driving force. The renowned play-by-play announcer, Jim Gilchrist, will be narrating the games, both home and away.
Listen Live (Streaming): Pure Country 99 https://chl.ca/ohl-frontenacs/fronts-radio-streaming-live-on-pure-country-99/
Watch: YourTV Kingston | https://watch.chl.ca/ (subscription needed)
Five storylines in today’s game:
Come A Long Way
The last encounter between the Erie Otters and Kingston Frontenacs occurred on September 10th, 2023, during a preseason game in Kingston. The Frontenacs secured a 2-0 victory, largely thanks to Mason Vaccari’s outstanding performance, which included a 31-save shutout. Since that preseason matchup, both teams have experienced changes in their lineups and have been tested through the rigorous challenges of a long and competitive OHL season.
When it Counted
Last season, the Kingston Frontenacs went 2-0-0-0 against the Erie Otters. The Black and Gold opened their 2022-23 season with a 3-1 win on home ice on September 30th, 2022. The last time the Frontenacs were in Erie, PA, they won by a score of 4-2 on December 10th, 2022. Mason Vaccari earned the win making 33 saves and current Frontenacs, Chris Thibodeau, Gage Heyes and Jacob Battaglia each scored in the game. It has been 442 days since these two teams have met on the ice in a game that counted, so fans can expect an intense matchup.
Making a Streak
Both the Kingston Frontenacs and the Erie Otters are coming into today’s game on the back of victories last night. Kingston secured an impressive 8-1 win over the Niagara IceDogs on the road, while Erie edged out the Guelph Storm with a 3-2 victory at the Erie Insurance Arena. Currently, both Kingston and Erie occupy the 7th spot in their respective conferences. With the playoffs looming on the horizon, a win for either team today would carry significant weight as they jostle for playoff positioning.
Player to Watch: Erie
Pano Fimis (#98) leads the Erie Otters with 57 points this season. He has scored 18 goals and 39 assists and will be a player the Frontenacs will need to be keeping an eye on today.
Player to Watch: Kingston
JJ Salajko is expected to get the start today in net. The game will be JJ’s 9th game of the season and he will be looking to improve on his 3-2 record in his rookie OHL season.
Upcoming Home Game:
March 1st, 2024
Kingston Frontenacs vs. Erie Otters
Slush Puppie Place | 7:00pm Puck Drop
Pride Night
The Kingston Frontenacs will host Pride Night on March 1st, 2024 when the team faces off against the Erie Otters at Slush Puppie Place. Pride Night will celebrate Kingston’s LGBTQ2s+ community, while raising awareness about the importance of inclusion and respect in sport.
