Game Preview: Fronts set to do Battle in Barrie

The Kingston Frontenacs (22-21-1-2) shoot for wins on consecutive nights hitting the road for an Eastern Conference battle at 7:30 pm with the Barrie Colts (26-13-4-2) at Sadlon Arena. Tonight is the second of four matchups against the Colts, with the Black and Gold previously capturing two points with a 5-4 road win on Oct. 29^th.

Kingston has earned points in consecutive games and continue to push for playoff positioning sitting one back of Hamilton for sixth in the Eastern Conference, and three points up on the eighth place Sudbury Wolves for the final ticket to post-season play. The Fronts are 11-12-1-0 away from Leon’s Centre with two victories in their last three away from home.

Tonight’s game marks the first time former Fronts assistant captain Braden Haché dresses as an opposing player since a trade sent the well-respected rearguard to the Colts at the OHL trade deadline. Haché appeared in 96 games for Kingston (11 playoffs) after being taken in the fourth-round in 2019 by the Fronts. The Florida Panthers prospect is plus-7 in 10 games with Barrie, collecting three points (2G,1A), including a tally in his Colts debut.

Chris Thibodeau scored a pair to tie for the team lead in goals during the Fronts 5-2 home win over Peterborough on Friday night and now the club looks to improve on an impressive 7-4-0-1 record when skating back-to-back nights. Import forward Linus Hemström has recorded a pair of two-assist games on a two-game point stretch. Maddox Callens had a goal and assist in Friday’s win over Peterborough for tallies in consecutive games.

In their previous matchup, Barrie went up 4-2 in the third period before a three-goal comeback win saw veteran rearguard Alec Bélanger net the game-winner for Kingston with just over two minutes left for the game-winner earning first star status. Bélanger returned to action in Friday nights win over Peterborough after a lengthy time away, last playing on Remembrance Day.

Barrie (30) is the only team with more game-opening tallies than Kingston (29) as both teams have been solid in opening frames, with Kingston allowing an Eastern Conference-low (36) against, with only London giving up fewer in the first twenty minutes of play.

With a 4-3 win on the road in Oshawa on Friday night, Barrie heads into tonight on a three-game unbeaten streak after the club had suffered a trio of consecutive losses, scoring 25 goals in the six-game stretch. The Colts carry a 12-7-1-1 record on home ice.

Powerplay:

KGN: (33/157) 21.0% – (14^th OHL) – 5 SHGA (season series – 1/6)

BAR: (38/160) 23.8% – (4^h OHL) – 7 SHGA (season series – 2/5)

Penalty Kill:

KGN: (122/158) 77.2% – (13^th OHL) – 3 SHGF (10.46 pen mins/game – 16^thleast OHL)

BAR: (122/153) 79.7% – (7^th OHL) – 5 SHGF (10.18 pen mins/game – 19^th least OHL)

 

Fronts Notes:

• Frontenacs Hockey Club officially announced its bid to host the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Kia

• G Mason Vaccari – Named East Division Academic Player of The Month (Jan)
  • 4^th Best Save-percentage for goalies with 17-or-more appearances (.908)

• KGN – 2^nd lowest goals against in 1^st periods OHL (36)
• KGN – 2^nd most game-opening goals in OHL (29) – BAR – 1^st (30)
• D Alec Belanger – returned from injury Feb. 3^rd versus PBO – scored GWG versus BAR Oct 29
• D Ian Lemieux – returned from injury Feb. 3^rd versus PBO – 1A
• F Linus Hemström – points in consecutive games (4A)
• F Ethan Miedema – points consecutive games (1G,1A)
• F Maddox Callens – points in consecutive games (2G,1A), points 4 of last 6 games (4G,1A)
• F Paul Ludwinski – points in consecutive games (3A), points 4 of last 6 games (5A)

Team Stat Pack – G.P. (46) (22-21-1-2) 47 pts (4^th East Div / 7^th Eastern Conf / T-13^th OHL)

Leaders:

Goals –Soto, Thibodeau (13), Miedema (12)

PPG – Ludwinski, Soto (5), Miedema (4)

Assists – Ludwinski (24), Hemström, Miedema (23)

PPA – Hemström (11), Burns (9), Outwater (8)

Points –Soto, Miedema (35), Hemström (32), Ludwinski (31)

PPP – Ludwinski (12), Hemström, Soto (11), Burns (10)

SOG –Thibodeau (92), Soto (83), Outwater (78)

Plus/Minus –Burns, Miedema (+6), McGowan (+4)

PIMs – Burns (77), Budnick (54), Uens (41)

 

On The Front:

The Frontenacs will head further north tomorrow, finishing off a three-game in three days stretch on Sunday, February 5^th at 4:00 pm in North Bay versus the Battalion. The next home game sees the Oshawa Generals make a visit on Friday, February 10^th, at Leon’s Centre at 7:00 pm for the annual OHL Talk Today theme night.

96.3 Big FM and 104.3 Fresh Radio are your exclusive home for play-by-play with Jim Gilchrist and Kingston Frontenacs Hockey! Fans can listen live to all the games at https://frontenacs.leanplayer.com/. Fans can also tune into the game at https://watch.chl.ca/ (subscription needed).

Fans are encouraged to follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for live updates!