RECAP: Kingston continues winning streak, defeat the 67’s 3-2
Story of the Game: It’s the final weekend of the 2023-24 OHL regular season, and it begins with your Kingston Frontenacs welcoming in the Ottawa 67’s for the final time this season. The Frontenacs hold an impressive 6-0-1 record against Ottawa; with the only loss to the division rivals coming back in November in overtime.
While Kingston is locked into the 7th seed in the conference, they are still awaiting their opponent for the first round. While they wait to see who they’ll face off against they will be looking to fine tune their game as they prepare for the beast that is playoff hockey.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
KGN 1, OTT 0
17:28 Chris Thibodeau (21) – Quinton Burns, Paul Ludwinski
After almost a full period of action with both sides trading chances, it was Kingston’s Chris Thibodeau opening the scoring. After a 67’s shot went wide of the net it wrapped around the boards and eventually landed on the stick of a streaking Chris Thibodeau who sold the pass and tucked it in the five-hole for his 21st of the campaign.
2nd Period
KGN 1, OTT 1
3:20 Luca Pinelli (48) – Samuel Mayer, Derek Smyth
The 67’s would be quick to respond after the puck dropped for the second period of action. After a blocked shot from the point, the puck was laying to the left of Mason Vaccari that was ripe for the picking. 67’s captain Luca Pinelli would bury the puck into the yawning Kingston cage to even the game up at one a side.
KGN 1, OTT 2
5:38 Cooper Foster (20) – Henry Mews, Braden Kressler
Not long after tying the game up Ottawa would take the lead after the Frontenacs’ got caught flat footed. Henry Mews would thread a pass to a streaking Cooper Foster who was in behind the Kingston defence and tucked it five-hole between the legs of Mason Vaccari to put the visitors ahead.
KGN 2, OTT 2
7:42 Matthew Soto (24) – Tyler Hopkins, Jakub Chromiak
After forcing a turnover in the neutral zone Jakub Chromiak fed a pass to Tyler Hopkins. Hopkins found himself on a two-on-one with Matthew Soto, and the first year player made a move around his defender and fed a beautiful saucer pass to Soto who tapped the puck out of the air and into the back of the net for his 24th of the year.
3rd Period
No scoring.
Overtime
KGN 3, OTT 2
3:29 Matthew Soto (25) – Maleek McGowan, Gabriel Frasca
After the 67’s hit not one but two posts in a matter of seconds, the Frontenacs went the other way. Maleek McGowan dropped the puck back for Matthew Soto in the neutral zone who turned on the jets as he entered the Ottawa zone with a burst of speed. Soto blasted a wrist shot that found its way under the blocker and above the pad to get the win for the Frontenacs.
3 Stars of the Game:
- Mason Vaccari (KGN) – 32 SV
- Matthew Soto (KGN) – 2 G, OTW
- Maleek McGowan (KGN) – 1 A
BMW Kingston Hardest Worker of the Game:
Jakub Chromiak
