RECAP: An emotional and physical contest ends in defeat for Kingston
Story of the Game: After an incredible effort in Game 3 to get back into the series the Frontenacs look to draw even in Game 4. North Bay will still be without regular season leading scorer Anthony Romani as well as starting goaltender Dom DiVincentiis; so the opportunity is there for the taking.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
KGN 0, NB 1
5:27 Dalyn Wakely (4) – Owen Van Steensel, Bronson Ride
It wasn’t the start that Kingston was looking for as just over five minutes into the action Dalyn Wakely fired a laser of a wrist shot over the shoulder of Mason Vaccari to open the scoring and get the visitors off on the right foot.
KGN 0, NB 2
14:42 Dalyn Wakely (5) – Owen Van Steensel
Both teams traded chances after the Battalion opening goal, but it was the Battalion and more specifically Dalyn Wakely finding the back of the net for the second time just under ten minutes after he opened the scoring.
The puck got caught up in the skates of Cal Uens and Wakely poked it free and quickly found the back of the net to extend the North Bay lead.
KGN 0, NB 3
15:07 Lirim Amidovski (1) – Ihnat Pazii
Almost immediately after Wakely got his second of the night the Battalion were quick to pounce for another goal. A strong forecheck from North Bay’s fourth line lead to Ihnat Pazii stripping the puck off a Frontenacs’ defender and feeding it across ice to Lirim Amidovski. Amidovski fired a one-timer that went just over the outstretched arm of Mason Vaccari and would send Kingston ot the intermission down 3-0 in a critical game.
2nd Period
KGN 0, NB 4
1:07 Dalyn Wakely (6) – Owen Van Steensel
Another poor start led to a hat trick goal for Dalyn Wakely off a perfect faceoff play in the offensive zone for North Bay. Owen Van Steensel won the faceoff right to Wakely who fired a wrist shot by Vaccari to make it 4-0 for the visitors.
KGN 1, NB 4
11:26 Jacob Battaglia (3) – Paul Ludwinski, Tyler Hopkins
On a crucial man advantage it was the big dogs that stepped up to the plate for Kingston to get them back into the game. Tyler Hopkins, Paul Ludwinski and Jacob Battaglia found themselves on a 3 on 2 break and it was a shot off the stick of Ludwinski that was deflected in by Battaglia to give the Frontenacs life midway through the second frame.
KGN 2, NB 4
15:30 Nathan Poole (1) – Gage Heyes
Late in the second the Frontenacs found themselves on a critical penalty kill. Who else but Gage Heyes and Nathan Poole not only had a brilliant kill, they were also able to find the back of the net with a man in the box.
Heyes flipped the puck out of the Kingston end and Poole turned on the jets to beat out two Battalion defenders to the loose puck before deking around Mike McIvor who came out to try and beat Poole to the puck. Poole’s shorthanded goal gave the Frontenacs a serious boost as the crowd on hand came to life.
KGN 2, NB 5
15:59 Brice Cooke (2) – Jacob Therrien, Wyatt Kennedy
Just 29 seconds after scoring a massive goal, the Battalion powerplay went to work and found the back of the net to restore their three goal lead. A shot from Jacob Therrien that should have been covered by Vaccari came loose to Cooke; who would have a tap-in at the side of the cage.
3rd Period
13:50 Paul Ludwinski (2) – Tyler Hopkins, Roman Schmidt
The Frontenacs spent a majority of the final frame desperately trying to get back into the contest. The breakthrough finally came when Tyler Hopkins found our captain on the other side of the ice with a burst of speed as he entered the zone. Ludwinski flew into the Battalion zone and ended up on a breakaway where he would fire a shot by McIvor, making it a very interesting 5-3 game as the two teams headed down the stretch.
18:03 Jax Dubois (1) – Roman Schmidt, Tyler Hopkins
With Mason Vaccari on the bench for the extra attacker the Frontenacs were looking for two goals to even the game up. With just under two to play Roman Schmidt blasted a one-timer towards the Battalion net that was deflected by Jax Dubois on the way in and just like that it was a one goal game.
Unfortunately, North Bay would valiantly fight off Kingston the rest of the way and hold on to a 5-4 win and go ahead 3-1 in the best of seven series.
NOTE: Frontenacs forward Linus Hemström left the game in the second period after a vicious blindside hit to the head from North Bay captain Liam Arnsby. Linus was stretchered off the ice and did not return to the game. We will provide updates as soon as they become available.
UPDATE: Linus Hemström has been released from the hospital and is now at home resting. We’d like to thank everyone for your thoughts, prayers and well wishes.
3 Stars of the Game:
- Dalyn Wakely (NB) – 3G
- Owen Van Steensel (NB) – 3A
- Tyler Hopkins (KGN) – 2A
BMW Kingston Hardest Worker of the Game:
Linus Hemström
