Fronts Jump into a Playoff Spot with an OT Win Over Oshawa
The Kingston Frontenacs were finally able to leapfrog the Niagara IceDogs and take control of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Oshawa Generals. Christian Propp had an impressive night in the Kingston net helping his team earn two points over their division rival.
Nick Wong opened the scoring with an incredible shot over the shoulder of Jordan Kooy at 13:30 of the first period. He was able to find a hole not much larger than the puck itself and put his current team ahead of his former team 1-0.
The Generals would tie the game with a similar shot. Giovanni Vallati went over the glove of Christian Propp before the period ended to send the teams to the room tied 1-1.
The Frontenacs came out strong in the second period and scored twice before the midway point of the game. Jordan Frasca put Kingston back in front when he swung his stick at a loose puck after Kooy made the initial save. Frasca got just enough of the puck to push it over the goal line to make it 2-1.
Dustin Hutton extended the lead less than two minutes later. He broke down the wing and beat the defenceman with his speed, then he beat Kooy with a great shot to the short side. It was his 6th goal of the season and it gave Kingston a 3-1 lead.
Generals rookie Brett Harrison would pull them back within a goal on the power play. Christian Propp made the initial save on a Lleyton Moore shot, but Harrison was there to tap in the rebound to make it 3-2.
Despite the late goal against, Christian Propp had made 34 saves on 36 shots through just two periods of play and ensured the Frontenacs were able to take a lead into the third period.
However, the Frontenacs would again give up the dreaded tying goal in the third period. Jacob Winterton was standing directly beside Christian Propp and got his stick on the puck to tip it in and tie the game 3-3 with just over ten minutes remaining.
From that point on both goaltenders would make big saves at different points of the period to help their teams earn at least a point, and the game would go to overtime.
At the end of regulation, the referees missed an obvious highs tick that left Dawson Baker bleeding from the nose, but at the start of overtime former Frontenac Brett Neumann would clip Jakob Brahaney with a high stick that did not go undetected.
On the power play, Kingston moved the puck around well until Shane Wright, the teams leading goal scorer, found the puck on his stick with a screen in front of Kooy. He delayed slightly to make sure his shot wasn’t blocked and then beat Kooy to the blocker side giving Kingston a 4-3 win.
It was Wright’s fifth game winning goal of the season, but likely his favorite as it helped the Frontenacs take control of the last playoff spot in the East.
Christian Propp finished the game with 46 saves, several of which were highlight reel. Jordan Frasca, Nick Wong, and Jakob Brahaney all had multi-point games in the victory.
Kingston will now play seven straight road games with the Tim Horton’s Brier taking over Leon’s Centre. They will kick off the trip on Tuesday morning in Ottawa to face the 67’s.
The Frontenacs will return home on March 13th to host the Hamilton Bulldogs. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca or at the Leon’s Centre box office.
