Game Day Preview: KGN vs HAM

In a big division battle, the Kingston Frontenacs (34-17-3-0) face a stiff test with the red-hot Hamilton Bulldogs (37-12-2-2) coming into town tonight at 7:00 pm at Leon’s Centre. Tonight’s game is Retro Night, featuring a fresh new-look Count Frontenac jersey in support of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month.

The division-leading Bulldogs hold a seven-point edge in the standings entering Friday’s action, with one fewer game played, so a win tonight for head coach Luca Caputi’s club would undoubtedly serve as a big step for a run at the division title. With both squads qualifying for the post-season, tonight’s game is an excellent test for both teams to set bars for a potential meeting in the playoffs. Kingston comes in off a big third-period victory thanks to a third period game-winner by Shane Wright in Ottawa on Wednesday afternoon.

The Black and Gold have won four straight, sitting comfortably in second place in the division. Still, they aspire to catch their opponent tonight for the division and possible conference title. “It’s a measuring stick game against the best team in the league in our building,” said Caputi on Thursday. “For the better part of the year, I think we deserve to be in that class, but we have to start on time tomorrow night and go ahead and prove that.” Good starts for Kingston have been a stressing point by coaches and players, and with Hamilton having a 1-6-0-0 record when trailing after the first period, it is key to improving the chances of winning.

Kingston faces a Hamilton team losing their first game after a 12-game winning stretch (to the Peterborough Petes in their last match on Mar 18). In fact, the Bulldogs have lost just three times in their previous 22 overall. Two of those losses came to Kingston on Jan 21 (5-2) and Feb 13 (5-4); however, Hamilton got some revenge in the team’s last game on Feb 19 in Hamilton as the Dogs took the win on an impressive 8-2 score bringing the season series to 4-3-0-0 for Kingston (with a SO win).

With the season series winding down today, both teams figure to let it all out. The head coach added, “It’s important to play in significant games at this time of the year. We’ve earned the right to play these games; I think, especially with them coming into our building and establishing what it could be like to play each other in the playoffs is important. It’s the last meeting of the year, so nothing really save it for.”

 

Firepower Everywhere

Both teams have a lot of firepower, with the solid goaltenders and defensive structure surely to be of greater importance in a game featuring the two highest-scoring teams in the East Conference. However, Hamilton has been stingy defensively of late, allowing just five goals in their last five games. Linemates Jordan Frasca (6G,4A) and OHL-assist leader Lucas Edmonds (5G,5A) lead the Kingston attack against Hamilton with 10 points each in seven games against Hamilton, with Frasca’s six goals part of a 38-goal campaign that has the recent Pittsburgh Penguins signee third in OHL goal scoring.

Kingston boasts five players (Edmonds, Frasca, Shane Wright, Francesco Arcuri and Martin Chromiak (tied 20^th) in the top-20 point totals and will need to utilize that depth of scoring to counterbalance the Hamilton attack, with Hamilton’s Morrison (9^th) the only Bulldog skater in that list.

Logan Morrison (13), Avery Heyes (12), and Ryan Humphrey (10) all have double digits against Kingston in the season series, with Heyes nine goals leading both teams. Former Peterborough Pete Mason McTavish has four goals on six points in just three games against Kingston. Morrison enters action on a league-high 12-game point streak (10G,17A).

 

Special Teams

Powerplay

KGN – 25.5% (3^rd OHL, 2^nd Eastern Conf) –  (10/32 in season-series versus HAM – 31.3%)

HAM – 25.4 (4^th OHL, 3^rd Eastern Conf) – (7/22 in season-series versus KGN – 31.8%)

Penalty Kill

KGN – 77.2% (13^th OHL, 5^th Eastern Conf) – (15/22 season-series versus HAM –  68.2%)

HAM – 80.0% (8^th OHL, 3^rd Eastern Conf) – (22/32 season-series vs KGN – 68.8%)

 

Fronts Notes:

• Lucas Edmonds – 2^nd OHL pts – (95), T-1^st assists (65), 1^st OHL PP assists (28), 4^th OHL shots (229) – (one of 18 players with 30+ goals)

• Edmonds ended eight-game point streak (6G,10A) versus OTT, pts in 17 of last 19 (11G,24A)
• Jordan Frasca (38) – 3^rd OHL goals (one of 18 players with 30+ goals) – 16 PPG’s 2^nd most in OHL (+30 – 7^th OHL), T-8^th OHL pts
• Frasca eight-game point streak (6G,8A) leading OHL in first goals (8)
• Martin Chromiak – points in eight of nine (7G,9A)
• Francesco Arcuri – five-game point streak (2G,5A), points in 18 of last 22 games (14G,19A)
• Rookie Paul Ludwinski five points vs HAM in seven games (4G,1A), including game-winner on Jan 21 (5-2 win)
• Gage Heyes scored first OHL goal with Game-winner on Feb 13 versus HAM (5-4 win)
• Shane Wright and Paul Ludwinski will attend CHL Prospects game
• Wright points in three of last four (4G,6A)

 

Team Stat Pack – GP (54)

(34-17-3-0) 71 pts (2^nd East Div / 4^th Eastern Conf / T-5^th points OHL /

 Leaders

• Goals – Frasca (38), Edmonds (30), Arcuri (29)
• Assists – Edmonds (65), Wright (48), Frasca (39)
• Points – Edmonds (95), Frasca (77), Wright (73)
• PIMs – Haché (63), Poole (55), Stewart (44)

• Shots– Edmonds (229), Wright (198), Frasca (187)

• Powerplay Points – Edmonds (35), Frasca, Wright (25), Chromiak (24)

• Rookie Points – Ludwinski (30), Soto (24), Thibodeau (9)
• Defence Points – Peric (35), Murray (29), Bélanger (16)
• Plus/Minus – Frasca (+31), Edmonds (+27), Murray (+25)

 

On The Front

Kingston heads to Oshawa on Sunday at 6:05 pm followed by a battle with the Mississauga Steelheads on Friday, Mar 25 at 7:00 pm, opening a three-game in a three-day stretch. The next home game is versus the Barrie Colts on Saturday, Mar 25 at 7:00 pm, followed by a Sunday, Mar 26 matinee at 2:00 pm against Peterborough Petes.

Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca or the venue box office. The Capacity at Leon’s Centre is now at 100%.

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.