Ending in Front
Brampton, ON – Led by a shutout performance from Jack Ivankovic, the Brampton Steelheads made a statement win over the Kingston Frontenacs.
The Steelheads pressured early with a pair of chances off an offensive zone draw. Luke Misa pushed the puck forward off the faceoff where Gabe Chiarot drove it to the net with a shot. His bid was turned aside but Jack Van Volsen snapped a pass to Misa in the slot, but his one-timer was swallowed up by rookie netminder Gavin Betts.
Just a minute later, the Trout came inches from the icebreaker. Vilmer Alriksson picked up a feed in the neutral zone and burst to the outside. The big Swede blew past the Kingston defender before snapping a shot off the bar.
Five minutes in, the Frontenacs nearly connected for a tiebreaker. When Vann Williamson chipped a clearing attempt, Jacob Battaglia caught it in stride. The Calgary Flames prospect tried to saucer a pass over to Tyler Hopkins who joined the rush from the bench, but the puck sailed over his stick.
Jack Ivankovic flared the glove with a pair of saves with twelve minutes to go. First, an Emil Pieniniemi shot was blocked, before it bounced to Adam Kelly in the slot. The rookie one-timed a shot on goal, but Ivankovic snared it with the glove. Next, Tyler Hopkins cut to the net where he tipped a shot on goal, but Ivankovic was there with the glove again.
With just over six minutes to play, the Steelheads broke the ice. After a heavy forecheck, Porter Martone stripped Matthew Soto in the Kingston zone. The captain rifled a shot through the nine-hole of Betts to give Brampton a 1-0 lead.
At the five-minute mark, Kingston pressed for the equalizer. Off the rush, the Frontenacs found Jacob Battaglia for a cross-ice one-timer, but Konnor Smith got in the lane and blocked his drive.
The Steelheads had a golden opportunity to double their lead in the final minute when they went to a five-on-three power play. In the dying seconds of the perio,d they mustered a flurry of shots. First, Luke Misa worked in from the left side and ripped a shot on goal that was blockered away by Betts. The rebound bounced to the point where Parker Von Richter unloaded a blast on goal, but it was blocked by Cal Uens. Jack Van Volsen ripped the rebound wide, but the puck careened to Luke Misa on the doorstep. The Calgary Flames prospect got a good shot on goal, but Gavin Betts dove over to rob Misa.
With the power play carrying into the second period, the Steelheads capitalized at the start of the middle frame. Angus MacDonell found Finn Harding at the point, who rifled a shot on goal. The puck was stopped in traffic, but Porter Martone crashed the net to jam home the rebound. The captain’s second of the game doubled the Trout lead.
Five minutes into the period, Brampton looked for more. The Steelheads’ top trio flew out of the Brampton zone in stride. Angus MacDonell sent a feed to Porter Martone at the Kingston blueline who floated a shot on goal. The rebound was kicked into the slot where Carson Rehkopf hammered the rebound post and in to make it 3-0.
Brampton was not done yet, as just under two minutes later they added another goal. Gabe Chiarot forced a turnover in the Brampton zone and started a rush up ice. Chiarot burst into the Frontenacs zone where he dropped for Luke Misa. The Oakville native slid it five hole on Betts to make it 4-0 Trout. With this goal, Luke Misa joined the OHL’s 30-goal club for the first time.
The Steelheads pressed for more when they headed to another power play. Carson Rehkopf found Jakub Fibigr cross-ice, but Betts slid over to rob his one-timer.
With four minutes to play, Kingston received their first power play of the game. It was the Trout with the best opportunity. Porter Martone stripped the Frontenacs defender in the neutral zone and broke down in on goal. The captain tried to find Vilmer Alriksson joining the rush, but the puck was poked away before it made it to the Swede.
Jack Ivankovic had to be sharp, as he was tested in the final minute of the frame. The puck bounced to a wide open Riley Clark in front, but his bid was swallowed by Ivankovic.
The Frontenacs tested Ivankovic again at the start of the final period. Gage Heyes intercepted a pass in the Kingston zone and broke in on a two-on-one with Ethan Hay. Heyes carried it into the zone before saucing a pass over to Hay. The Tampa Bay prospect quickly snapped a shot on goal, but Jack Ivankovic slid over to keep it 4-0.
Kingston had an opportunity to get on the board when they went to their second power play of the afternoon. Tyler Hopkins broke the line before dropping to Cedrick Guindon, but his one-timer sailed high and wide.
Just before the ten minute mark, the Steelheads pushed their lead to five. Jakub Fibigr jumped up at the blue line to intercept a clearing attempt before floating a shot on goal. The puck was kicked into the slot where Kieran Witkowski sent a no-look feed to Mason Zebeski. The Oakville native hammered the puck into the empty cage.
With six minutes to go the Frontenacs tried to start a comeback with a flurry of shots on goal, but a collection of blocks by Kieran Witkowski and Mason Zebeski combined with a pair of saves from Jack Ivankovic kept it out.
Just after the five-minute mark, the Steelheads added their final goal of the game. When Porter Martone and Luke Misa forecheked behind the Kingston goal, the puck squirted to the slot. Kieran Witkowski jumped into the play to blast it by the scrambling Betts. Witkowski’s goal brought us to a final score of 6-0.
The Steelheads are back home on Family Day when they host the Niagara IceDogs. Grab your tickets here!
