Frontenacs outplay the Colts, but still come up short on Saturday
Kingston, ON – In their final game of the week, the Kingston Frontenacs welcomed in the Barrie Colts for the first time on home ice this season and the first time since the second round of the 2024 OHL Playoffs. The black and gold entered the afternoon on an eight-game winless streak, something that simply has to end sooner rather than later as they have fallen to eighth in the Eastern Conference.
Something that has been consistent for the Frontenacs as of late is a strong start to the game, and they would get it once again to start this game. The Frontenacs peppered Barrie netminder Ben Hrebik with shots and controlled a majority of the first ten minutes of action, but the reigning goaltender of the month would stand tall.
The Colts would hang around long enough and eventually take advantage of a odd man rush opportunity. It was four Colts against two Frontenacs, and Cole Beaudoin fed a perfect saucer pass behind Maleek McGowan and onto the stick of Emil Hemming who would put the puck over the glove of Matt Minchak to open the scoring.
Neither team could find the back of the net until the third period. Both teams traded opportunities throughout the game, but as the game went on Kingston was spending more and more time in Barrie’s end of the ice. Colts’ netminder Ben Hrebik was proving to be the difference maker until Nolan Buttar finally broke Hrebik’s shutout bid eight minutes into the third period and tying the game. Buttar picked the top left corner with a bullet of a wrist shot, scoring on Kingston’s 32nd shot of the game.
Kingston continued to push for the go ahead goal after tying it up, but just over 11 minutes into the third Barrie would take the lead instead. Bode Stewart rushed up the ice and fired a seemingly harmless shot at Minchak who made the save, but the puck shot straight up into the air, off the back of Minchak and into the net.
The Frontenacs would push hard with Minchak on the bench for the extra attacker but to no avail, as Hrebik slammed the door shut stopping 39 of 40 Kingston shots on goal, stealing a win for the Colts and extending Kingston’s losing streak to nine consecutive games.
Kingston gets a chance to get back into the win column Wednesday night on home ice at Slush Puppie Place as they face off against the 20th place team in the OHL, the Oshawa Generals in a 7:05pm puck drop.
