FRONTS NIP BULLDOGS IN OT
The Hamilton Bulldogs, nee Belleville Bulls, can still stir it up against the Kingston Frontenacs.
Just as many of the Kingston vs. Belleville clashes of the past have produced drama, the new version of the Ontario Hockey League East Division rivalry is starting out well, too.
It took overtime for the Frontenacs to quell the Bulldogs. Juho Lammikko scored on goaltender Charlie Graham 52 seconds into the 3-on-3 overtime to lift the Frontenacs to a 4-3 win before a season-high crowd of 5,069 at the Rogers K-Rock Centre Friday night.
“We are a team that doesn’t quit. We’ll find a way to win in overtime or a shootout,” said Kingston forward Ted Nichol, who had a whale of a game.
It was Nichol’s goal early in the third, when he surprised Graham with a wrist shot, that put the Frontenacs two goals up.
Nathan Billitier, with his first OHL goal, and Lawson Crouse had the other Kingston goals.
After Nichol’s goal at 2:30 of the third made it 3-1, the Bulldogs fought back with power-play goals from Niki Petti and Stephen Harper.
Except for a couple of timely stops by Kingston goalie Jeremy Helvig, one in the final half-minute on a Harper redirect, the Bulldogs might have won it.
“I thought our guys did a good job of regaining our composure after the two goals,” Kingston head coach Paul McFarland said.
“Obviously, Spencer (Watson) and Juho made a great play on the winner.”
There was a good pocket of Bulls jersey-sporting fans — one of the groups at the game was Save the Bulls — who could be heard cheering on the Bulldogs in the third-period comeback.
Bulldogs head coach George Burnett, in his 12-year tenure in Belleville, saw many a Kingston vs. Bulls thriller similar to Friday night.
“I thought we were going to sneak out two points against a very good club,” Burnett said. “Coming back from down 3-1 it’s a good point for us.”
Overtime has been good to Kingston this season. It was the eighth time for extra play and the Frontenacs have come out the winner six times.
The win improved Kingston’s Eastern Conference-leading record to 12-6-1-1. The Frontenacs lead the Ottawa 67’s by three points, 24-21.
“When Watty, Juho or Lawson are out there, they are dangerous guys. They are not guys you want to be going up against 3-on-3,” Nichol said. “We’re lucky they are on our side. We’ve got the best of the overtimes.”
Nichol’s goal, his third of the season, looked like it would be enough to hold up for the regulation win.
Nichol, 18, was used in key checking role at times to take care of Hamilton’s top scorer, Harper.
But in the early going of the third period, he turned goal scorer.
“Their (defence) was shaded over for the pass. I tried to use them as a screen,” he said. “Luckily, the goalie might have misplayed it, but I was happy it went in.”
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