Fronts wrapped up the 2021-22 regular season in Peterborough

The Kingston Frontenacs (41-22-4-1) concluded the 2022 regular season with a 6-3 empty-net goal loss against the Peterborough Petes (29-33-5-1) on Sunday afternoon. A trio of rookies combined for Kingston scoring with Paul Ludwinski, Gage Heyes, and Paul Hughes all tallying goals. Freshman goaltender Aidan Spooner was spectacular facing 49 shots and Lucas Edmonds played his final regular season game adding an 79^th assist, finishing with the overall lead the OHL. First Star Emmet Sproule had four points (2G,2A) with Tucker Robertson adding a pair for Peterborough.

The game marked the last regular season match for overagers Lucas Edmonds, Lucas Peric for the Black and Gold with Joe Carroll and Emmett Sproule skating in their final game in the Maroon and White jersey. A nice pre-game ceremony was held for the Petes recognizing the players parents and overagers. Fronts overage forward Jordan Frasca was out day-to-day but expected back for playoffs.

Spooner made 44 saves on 49 shots in his 19^th appearance of the season facing Ottawa for the third time. OHL Goaltender of the Week Michael Simpson saw 31 shots in the Petes crease making 28 saves in his eighth appearance versus the Fronts.

 

First Period

A four-goal period saw the teams head to the first intermission tied 2-2 Spooner seeing 20 Peterborough shots in the Fronts net keeping Kingston tight in scoring.

The Frontenacs took a quick lead with a Paul Ludwinski (16) goal 39 seconds into the game on the games’ first shot for his second straight game with a goal (three of last four). Lucas Peric and Lucas Edmonds earned the helpers on the deflected shot by Kingston’s rookie scoring leader giving Fronts points leader Edmonds the OHL- leading 79^th assist on the 1-0 opening goal.

Aidan Spooner made a great save from point blank as the Petes looked to respond with four shots in less then a minute of play after the Fronts goal on a combined nine shots by the teams in the first five minutes of play as the goalies were tested early.

JR Avon (29) tied it at 6:42 when he was able to get in alone on Spooner after a turnover behind the Fronts net for the 1-1 score with Chase Stillman adding an assist.

Zayde Wisdom made a slick play splitting two Petes defenders and going in alone on Simpson, but a glove save kept the game squared up moments a second Kingston lead. Gage Heyes (2) buried a shot from the slot past Simpson after taking a lengthy cross ice pass from Thomas Budnick. Nathan Poole also earned an assist on the 2-1 goal at 8:47 by the rookie skating trio.

Less than two minutes later, the Petes made it 2-2 on when Tucker Roberston (40) was able to tuck home the puck from a quick Emmett Sproule pass after a loose puck was in the crease following a save by Spooner. The tying goal was also assisted by Konnor Smith at 10:22.

The first powerplay went to the Petes midway through the frame and had a couple good shots stopped by Spooner including a shot off the post.

 

Second Period

The teams fired 14 combined shots in the eight minutes keeping the goaltenders busy for the second period as the Petes took a 4-2 lead on the periods’ only two goals with both clubs firing 13 shots.

Kaspars Ziemins and Quinton Page hooked up for a good chance for the Maroon and White, but a right pad save staved off a potential go-ahead goal by the Petes just before Edmonds and Chromiak had a two-on-one thwarted.

It was 3-2 for Peterborough when Sproule (29) gave the Petes their first lead of the day assisted by Nick Lardis and Konnor Smith on the home clubs’ 26^th shot just 5:15 into the middle frame. Robertson and Kavanaugh both hit posts halfway through the period as Peterborough took the game to the Fronts during the middle portion.

The final regular season game grew in intensity with a post-whistle scrum in the Petes crease. Shawn Spearing and Kingston rookie Jackson Stewart received penalties after coming together and the Petes would get a powerplay opportunity for the second time in the afternoon after the calls were made. The Fronts held the Petes to one shot maintaining the one-goal deficit, but the Petes would go up a pair minutes later.

Joe Carroll (25) scored in his final regular season game after being set up for a breakaway making it a 4-2 Petes lead. The overage forward made a nice move beating Spooner with a forehand deke over the glove of the Kingston goaltender. Jax Dubois and Ziemins assisted on the strike at 15:20 sending the Petes to a final period with a 20-1-2-1 record when leading after forty minutes.

 

Third Period

The Frontenacs faced a tough task down two goals heading to the final twenty dropping to 6-17-1-0 record when trailing losing the period 2-1 and the final score 6-3.

The Petes almost took a three-goal lead two minutes in but a good defensive play in the crease by McGowan combined with Spooner kept the puck out of the net as the Petes fired the first six shots in the period with the Kingston goaltender facing his 40^th shot of the game.

Kingston got its first powerplay of the game with a too-many-men penalty to Peterborough with 14:32 left, however, Robertson (41) scored his second goal for the 12^th shorthanded goal Kingston has given up finishing off a two-on-one with Sproule for the 5-2 home lead at 6:26. The 18^th Petes shorthanded goal leads the OHL.

Kingston went back to the man advantage on a double-minor just seconds after the fifth Petes goal with Lucas Peric hitting the crossbar after the initial draw in the Petes zone before Fronts defenceman Alec Belanger had his shot deflected by Paul Hughes (5) to make it 5-3. Ludwinski earned an assist with Belanger for his second point of the game 9:49 into the period.

Simpson made a couple more good saves off Fronts powerplay shooters maintaining a two-goal Petes lead killing off the second half of the double minor and Spooner made another great right pad save off Sam Alfano breaking in alone looking to regain the three goal Petes spread.

Fronts veteran Francesco Arcuri dropped the gloves with Stillman in the game’s final five minutes as the Dallas Stars prospect took his first OHL fighting major not letting the Petes forward provide any intimidation.

Kingston pulled Spooner for a final push, but Sproule (30) scored his second into the empty net and a 6-3 final decision for Peterborough.

 

Power Plays

KGN (1/2)

PBO (0/1)

 

BMW Kingston Hardest Worker of the Game

Paul Ludwinski (1G,1A, 3 SOG)

Three Star Awards

1. Emmett Sproule – PBO (2G,2A)
2. Tucker Roberston – PBO (2G)
3. Joe Carroll – PBO (1G)

 

Fronts Notes:

• F Lucas Edmonds – 3^rd OHL pts (112), 1^st OHL Assists (79), (Most assists by a KGN player since 1993-94 – Keli Corpse (84), 3^rd OHL PP pts (40), 2^nd OHL PP assists (31), 5^th OHL shots (266)
• F Jordan Frasca – injured (day-to-day), 8^th OHL goals (42), (1 of 13 players with 40 goals), 2^nd OHL (17 PPGs), 11^th -OHL pts (87)
• F Martin Chromiak – 5^th OHL goals (44), 12^th OHL pts (86), (1 of 13 players with 40 goals), Most goals since Matt Elich (44) 1988-89, named to CHL Team of the Week Apr 4-10, OHL Player of the Week Apr 4-10
• Paul Ludwinski – pts in 4 of 5 (5G,2A)
• Fronts and North Bay only teams with five 30-goal scorers (Frasca, Edmonds, Wright, Arcuri, Chromiak)
• D Quinton Burns – inj (day-to-day)
• F Maddox Callens – inj (day-to-day)
• D Maleek McGowan played in first OHL game with Fronts on Saturday night versus OTT

 

Team Stat Pack – GP (68) – Final Regular Season

(41-22-4-1) 87 pts (2^nd East Div / 3^rd Eastern Conf / 5^th OHL)

 

Final Regular Season Stats:

• Goals – Chromiak (44), Frasca (42), Edmonds, Arcuri (34)
• Assists – Edmonds (79), Wright (62), Frasca (45)
• Points – Edmonds (113), Wright (94), Frasca (87)
• PIMs – Poole (66), Haché (65), Burns (59)

• Shots– Edmonds (264), Wright (254), Chromiak (229)

• Powerplay Points – Edmonds (40), Chromiak (29), Frasca, Wright (28)

• Rookie Points – Ludwinski (43), Soto (25), Budnick (20)
• Defence Points – Peric (38), Murray (37), Bélanger (26),
• Plus/Minus – Frasca (+31), Edmonds (+29), Murray (+25)

 

On The Front – Playoffs

The Frontenacs will take on the Oshawa Generals in the opening round of the 2022 OHL playoffs beginning with Game 1 on Friday, Apr 22 at 7:00 pm and Game 2 on Sunday, Apr 24 at 4:00 pm at Leon’s Centre.

Secure your seats to cheer on the Frontenacs run at an OHL Championship today! Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca or the venue box office.

Listen to all the action on 104.3 Fresh Radio with Frontenacs play-by-play voice Jim Gilchrist. Fans can also follow along with the team social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and IG for updates. Watch the games on YourTV Kingston (channel 700) or CHL TV/OHL Live.