Fronts suffer a 4-1 defeat to 67’s

The Kingston Frontenacs (28-13-3-0) lost 4-1 to the Ottawa 67’s (20-24-1-3) on Wednesday night at TD Place in the nation’s capital to remain three back of Hamilton for the East division lead. Jack Beck had three points (1G,2A) for Ottawa, and Tyler Boucher scored the winner early in the second period as they break a six-game losing streak beating Kingston for the first in six games.

Rookie Jackson Stewart scored his third of the season and freshman goaltender Aidan Spooner played great, while keeping Kingston within reach as Ottawa held a majority of play during the first 40 minutes.

Spooner faced 34 shots in Kingston’s crease making his 11^th appearance on the season. The visitor’s sent the on less shot though (33) on Max Donoso in the 67’s net.

 

First Period

Ottawa scored the opening goal in a tightly contested twenty minutes. The Fronts saw heavy pressure by the home side during the middle portion of the period in the best period for the opponents versus the Fronts this season.

The Frontenacs Jackson Stewart and Gage Heyes both made hits early to get the game sparking with shots coming at a premium in the opening minutes.

The first penalty came on Ottawa just under four minutes into the frame. Lucas Edmonds forced Max Donoso into a nice glove save early in the powerplay. Francesco Arcuri had a breakaway chance thwarted by a Donoso five-hole stop seconds after the man advantage had ended.

The 67’s got their first chance with an extra skater finally firing their first shot on Aidan Spooner eight minutes in. The rookie goalie made a nice glove save on Jack Beck off the initial powerplay faceoff. Defenceman Braden Hache made a huge shot block midway through helping Kingston kill off the penalty.

After a rare three faceoffs in 14 seconds, Beck had just fired a wicked one-timed shot stopped by the blocker of Spooner before the 67’s got on the board first. The 1-0 strike came off a slapshot by Anthony Costantini (3) from the left faceoff circle at 11:22. Tyler Boucher earned an assist on the opening goal.

Spooner made a beauty extended left pad save off Will Gerrior with five minutes left as Ottawa took 10 of the final 11 shots in the latter portion of the period pushing to get up a pair. A Spooner right pad save off Alex Johnstone combined with a late good shift in the Ottawa zone by the Shane Wright, Zayde Wisdom, Martin Chromiak line helped keep Kingston within one heading to the break.

Kingston took a 6-8-0-0 record into the intermission when trailing after the first period.

 

Second Period

A three-goal middle stanza saw Ottawa take a 3-1 lead to the final frame.

The second goal in two games against Kingston for Tyler Boucher (2) came early polishing off a three-on-two making it 2-0 Ottawa in the opening seconds of the middle stanza. Cameron Tolnai teamed with Beck on the odd-man rush assisting on the eventual game-winning goal at the 46 second mark.

Spooner made two saves of Gerrior and Beck shortly after the second goal keeping Ottawa’s early pressure at bay allowing the Fronts to get back to a one-goal deficit. Stewart (3) scored his second of the season versus Ottawa making it 2-1 on a great play with the forward making a steal at the Fronts blueline culminating in the rookie firing a wicked wrist shot over the shoulder of a surprised Donoso. The unassisted strike at 4:33 was the third point for the Norwood, On native in the season series.

Ottawa responded for a second two-goal lead when Beck (14) redirected a Thomas Sirman centering pass inches away from the pad of Spooner on a third quick shot by Ottawa in rapid succession. Luca Pinelli also earned an assist at 8:32 on the 3-1 goal.

Jack Matier was stopped on a great save by Spooner halfway through the period with Ottawa keeping up the home pressure. Brady Stonehouse was then turned away by Spooner as the 67’s made a nice tic-tac-toe passing play opening up a lane for the Stonehouse one-timer amid seven consecutive Ottawa shots.

Kingston rounded out the period on four straight shots with Arcuri pinging one of the post as the visitors held a good shift in the last minute forcing Ottawa into a second penalty of the game. The Black and Gold took 1:13 of extra-skater time to the third.

 

Third Period

Ottawa hadn’t lost in regulation (10-0-1-1) with a lead heading to a third period this season and they extend that to 11 holding the Fronts off the board for the second of two periods in the game.

Beck had another one-timer saved by Spooner after Kingston couldn’t get within one on the early period powerplay time.

Donoso stopped Frasca on a two-on-one break three minutes in as Kingston forced pressure with an 8-4 shot advantage through half the period. Stonehouse took a big hit getting dropped by Jake Murray near the Ottawa bench as the veteran assistant captain looked to keep the Frontenacs intensity up.

Ottawa stalled Kingston pressure getting a second powerplay off a Kingston offensive zone penalty. While good offensive-zone time was taken by the 67’s, Kingston’s penalty killing units held Ottawa shooters to one shot, but lost time a bigger factor for the trailing Frontenacs.

Beck (15) scored his second of the game, adding a shorthanded empty net marker finishing off the 4-1 score giving Ottawa its first after five straight losses to Kingston.

 

BMW Kingston Hardest Worker of the Game:

Jackson Stewart (1G)

 

Three Star of the Game:

1. Jack Beck -OTT (2G,1A)
2. Tyler Boucher – OTT (1G,1A)
3. Cameron Tolnai – OTT (2A)

 

Fronts Notes:

• Lucas Edmonds 3^rd OHL pts -79 (Johnston-WSR/80), 1^st OHL assists (55), 1^st OHL PP assists (22)
• Edmonds ended nine-game point streak (4G,13A), longest current assist-streak in OHL (nine games) – season-high Coe (NB) 14
• Jordan Frasca ended nine-game point streak (8G,9A)
• Frasca (32) T-3^rd OHL goals (one of eight players with 30+ goals) – 13 PPG’s 2^nd most in OHL.
• Matthew Soto, Maddox Callens day-to-day

 

Team Stat Pack – GP (45)

(28-14-3-0) 59 pts (2^nd East Div / 4^th Eastern Conf / T-5^th most pts OHL)

 

 Leaders

• Goals – Frasca (32), Arcuri (25), Edmonds (24)
• Assists – Edmonds (55), Wright (37), Frasca (31)
• Points – Edmonds (79), Frasca (63), Wright (57)
• PIMs – Haché (59), Poole (44), Budnick (41)

• Shots– Edmonds (201), Frasca (157), Wright (155)

• Powerplay Points – Edmonds (27), Frasca, (21), Wright (19)

• Rookie Points – Ludwinski (27), Soto (21), Thibodeau (9)
• Defence Points – Peric (29), Murray (25), Bélanger (12)
• Plus/Minus – Frasca (+29), Edmonds (+22), Murray, Arcuri (+21)

 

On The Front

The next game is the Frontenacs 12^th annual Military Appreciation Game. On Friday, Feb 25^th, the Fronts hosts the Oshawa Generals at 7:00 pm. Kingston will don their CADPAT jerseys for the game. The jerseys will be made available for auction online following the game. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to Military Veteran Program Plus and the Kingston Military Family Resource Centre (KMFRC).

Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca or the venue box office. The Capacity at Leon’s Centre has increased to 50%, and the venue should be 100% as of March 1, 2022.

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