Game Preview: Kingston vs. Barrie
Gather your family and friends and come enjoy Family Day at Leon’s Centre for matinee hockey as the Kingston Frontenacs (24-25-1-2) drop the puck against the Barrie Colts (30-15-6-2) at 2pm today in the second of back-to-back day games. The Family Day event is full of fun for everyone, with games and activities on the main concourse. Today’s game marks the third of four regular-season matchups, with the Frontenacs looking to improve on a 2-0-0-0 record against their Conference counterparts with a pair of 5-4 wins.
The Black and Gold begin the day two points back of Hamilton, who’s third in the division and sixth in the Eastern Conference, and look to stay ahead of the Sudbury Wolves and Oshawa Generals, sitting tied for eighth in the final playoff spot, one point back of Kingston. The Fronts carry a 12-11-0-2 record on home ice travelling back from Hamilton on Sunday.
The teams last met on Feb 4, with Kingston taking a wild 5-4 overtime victory after knocking off the Colts by the same score in regulation for the first matchup on Oct 29, also in Barrie. During the previous matchup, the Frontenacs went up 4-0 in the first period before a furious comeback by the Colts, including a tally in the last minute, sent the game to overtime before Fronts goal leader Chris Thibodeau netted the game-winner 1:05 into the extra period taking the extra point.
Former Colt defender Ian Lemieux acquired in a trade with Barrie, is a game-time decision. The former Colt registered a pair of assists against his former team in his first game as an opposing player on Feb 4.
In the season series, Thibodeau and Linus Hemstrom each have two goals to pace the Fronts, joining Ethan Cardwell and Evan Vierling on the Barrie side. Rookie netminder Mason Vaccari has started both games against Barrie in Kingston’s cage.
Fronts’ Gabriel Frasca faces off against brother Jacob, who also skated against oldest brother and former Fronts 40-goal man, Jordan, as a member of the Colts. Jacob (21) is one of four Barrie players with 20+ goals. Gabriel had a pair of assists in yesterday’s 5-3 loss to Hamilton for his sixth multi-point game in his rookie campaign, sitting eighth overall amongst OHL freshman assist totals.
Former assistant captain Braden Hache makes his first appearance in Kingston since a move on trade deadline day sent the veteran defender to the Colts. The Florida Panthers prospect dressed in 131 games in Black and Gold colours and played his first game against his old mates in the 5-4 Kingston OT win on Feb 4 at Sadlon Arena, registering an assist on Barrie’s opening powerplay score.
The Colts sit third in the Eastern Conference, entering Monday’s action off a 4-2 loss on Feb 18, but have won two straight road games to set an impressive 17-7-3-1 record away from Barrie. Vierling has 66 points to lead the Colts scoring, joining Cardwell for the team lead with 28 goals.
Powerplay:
KGN: (34/182) 19.0% – (18th OHL) – 7 SHGA (season series – (1/9)
BAR: (43/186) 23.1% – (5th OHL) – 7 SHGA (season series – (3/7)
Penalty Kill:
KGN: (132/175) 76.0% – (16th OHL) – 4 SHGF (10.47 pen mins/game – 18thleast OHL)
BAR: (142/176) 80.7% – (5th OHL) – 6 SHGF (10.17 pen mins/game – 19th least OHL)
Fronts Notes:
- Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Club officially announced its bid to host the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Kia
- F Linus Hemstrom – 10th multi-pt gm (2A) v HAM Feb 19
- F Gabriel Frasca – 6th multi-pt gm (2A) v HAM Feb 19
- D Quinton Burns – returned Feb 17 – out since Jan 16
- D Maleek McGowan – 1st OHL goal v BAR Oct 29
- D Ian Lemieux – inj day-to-day – traded from Barrie
Team Stat Pack – G.P. (52) (24-25-1-2) 51 pts ( 4th East Div / 7th Eastern Conf / 15th OHL)
Leaders:
Goals –Thibodeau (15), Soto (13), Miedema (12)
PPG – Ludwinski, Soto (5), Miedema (4)
Assists – Ludwinski, Miedema, Hemstrom (25)
PPA – Hemström (11), Burns (9), Outwater (8)
Points – Miedema (37), Soto (36), Hemstrom (35)
PPP – Ludwinski (12), Hemström, Soto (11), Burns (10)
SOG –Thibodeau (104), Miedema (95), Soto (90)
Plus/Minus –Burns (+6), McGowan (+3)
PIMs – Burns (79), Budnick (60), Uens (41)
On The Front:
The Fronts play a second successive home game on Fri, Feb 24, at 7:00pm for Military Appreciation night versus the Mississauga Steelheads to open a three-game in three-day stretch. After travelling to Hamilton on Sat, Feb 25, at 4:00 pm, the Black and Gold return to Leon’s Centre on Sun, Feb 26, to take on former captain Shane Wright and the Windsor Spitfires.
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 Twitter, Facebook and Instagram social media channels for live updates!
