Petes Fall to Experienced Frontenacs
The Petes struck the game’s first two goals early in the opening frame but were overpowered 6-3 by the Kingston Frontenacs – the East Divisional leader. Emmett Sproule tallied a goal and J.R. Avon picked up two assists, as they each extended their point streaks to four games.
A minute into to the game, Brian Zanetti fired a low slapper from the point into the right pad of Kingston’s starting goalie, Leevi Meriläinen. The rebound was directed into a sea of bodies infront of the net, deflected off the right foot of Chase Stillman, and ended up in the back of the net.
#NJDevils prospect @chasestillman61‘s 12th of the season gets the maroon and white on the board early!????#GoPetesGo | @NJDevils pic.twitter.com/J4Nxxe3Fhb
— Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) January 28, 2022
The Petes continued to generate offensive zone chances, and would find the score sheet once again on a similar play to the first goal. Stillman dished a cross-ice pass from the top of the offensive zone to Josh Kavanagh, who put the puck towards Merilainen’s right pad. The rebound was troublesome once again and Avon got the first crack at it before Sproule tucked it away for his career-high 16th goal of the season.
Leaving our point leader uncovered in front? Yeah, not a good idea. @Emmett9393 makes no mistake on the doorstep to give us a 2-0 lead ????????#GoPetesGo pic.twitter.com/cPCBnvo40b
— Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) January 28, 2022
After creating havoc for the Frontenacs’ defence on the cycle in the final minute of play, the visiting team were eventually able to break the puck out of their end and head the other way. The Petes were whistled for a hooking infraction on the backcheck, putting Kingston’s third-ranked power play unit to work.
The Frontenacs ensured that they would not come out of the first with nothing to show for on the score sheet. With 12 seconds left on clock, projected first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Shane Wright had his shot ricochet off two Petes to beat Tye Austin shortside to get the Frontenacs on the board and back within one.
The Petes took a 2-1 lead into first intermission.
The Frontenacs were able to carry the momentum from their late first period goal into the second, while the Petes were held to nine relatively low, danger shots on goal.
Four minutes into the period, the Petes had a miscue on a breakout attempt, which resulted in a point blank opportunity for Zayde Wisdom in the slot. He made no mistake, as he perfectly placed a quick snap shot above Tye Austin’s catching hand to tie the game at two.
Kingston jumped ahead to grab the 3-2 lead at the 17:49 mark of the second period. Frontenacs’ defenseman Thomas Budnick lobbed a point shot towards Austin, and Francesco Arcuri was on the doorstep to pot home the rebound.
The Frontenacs extended their lead again three minutes into the third. Wright stopped up inside the Petes blueline and fed a sharp pass to the trailing Wisdom. Wisdom put the time and space he was afforded to good use, as he rifled a snapshot into the top left corner for his second goal of the night.
At the 14-minute mark, the Petes went to the powerplay cause of a Frontenacs’ hooking minor. Emmett Sproule walked into the Frontenacs’ zone, toedragged around a defender, and rang his shot off the right post.
Moments later, the Frontenacs found themselves in Petes territory. They worked the puck back to the point to Lucas Peric, who walked the line laterally and sifted a point shot through a heavy screen past Tye Austin. The insurance goal extended the Frontenacs lead to 5-2.
The Petes had a response just three minutes later when Jonathan Melee sprung Sam Alfano for a breakaway. Alfano quickly closed in on Merilainen and placed a quick snapshot off the left post and in. Melee’s primary assist on the play was his first point as a member of the Peterborough Petes.
Perfectly executed break away from Sam Alfano????????#GoPetesGo pic.twitter.com/vjIFGqI6iE
— Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) January 28, 2022
That was unfortunately as close as the Petes would get. With three minutes remaining, Frontenacs’ forward Martin Chromiak caught a Petes’ defender flatfooted, went in for a breakaway of his own, and extended Kingston’s lead by three goals.
The game would come to a close on that note, with the Petes falling to the Frontenacs by a final score of 6-3.
The Petes are back at it on Saturday night to host the rival Oshawa Generals. You can catch all of the action on Channel 700 on YourTV Peterborough or tune in to Freq 90.5 for the play-by-play game call.
