Sarnia Plays Solid Road Game Beating Kingston 5-3
Written by Carl Chimenti
The Sarnia Sting (2-1) dominated from beginning to end Friday night at the Slush Puppie Place, as they beat the previously undefeated Kingston Frontenacs (2-1) 5-3. The score was close only because the Frontenacs added two late third-period goals from Nolan Butter, shorthanded at 10:39, and Vann Williamson on the power play, in the final minute at 19:23, as Sarnia was in command throughout the entire sixty minutes.
Sarnia had four players with a goal and an assist – Easton Walos ran his early point streak to three games (3-2-5), Brenner Lammens, with his second goal in two games, Parker Holmes (Chicago Blackhawks), and Cameron Aucoin, who both scored their first goal of the season.
Walos was named the first star, Holmes the second star, and Wyatt Herres was the third star, as he scored his first career OHL goal and point tonight. Captain Alessandro Di Iorio, with his second point in two games since returning from the Columbus Blue Jackets training camp, Jack Van Volsen also ran his point streak to three games (2-2-4), Chase Gaughan, with his second helper in the last two nights, and Adrian Sgro, Sarnia’s fourth overall pick in the 2026 OHL Priority Draft, with his second assist in the past two games, contributed in the win with one assist each against Kingston.
Sting goaltender Kale Osipenko was excellent, as he stopped 26 of 29 shots, including numerous breakaways. It was Osipenko’s first win in his first start this season. Nolan Buttar was the offensive star for the Frontenacs, with a goal and an assist. Kingston netminder Matthew Minchak (Vegas Golden Knights) turned away 24 of 29 shots, as both teams had 29 shots on goal. The Frontenacs scored the only power-play goal as they went one for four. The Sting finished 0/3. Kingston was slightly better in the face-off, 34-32. It’s now off to the nation’s capital, Ottawa, for a Sunday afternoon tilt against the 67’s, with puck drop at 3 p.m.
A fast-moving first period saw the Sting flying out of the gate, and it led to the first goal at 9:57. A turnover in the Kingston zone ended up on Gaughan’s stick, and he quickly fed a rushing Holmes, who finished the play with an easy tap-in for the game’s first goal. Kingston tied the game on a goal from Tomas Pobezal, from Brody Cook and Buttar, at 14:17.
Sarnia went back in front at 17:36. Walos won the draw deep in Kingston’s end, and the puck found its way to Cameron Aucoin. Aucoin passed the puck to Van Volsen, but his shot was stopped. Walos, who never gave up on the play, put the rebound past goaltender Minchak for the go-ahead marker.
Sarnia out-shot Kingston 14-8. Sarnia played a very sound second period, scoring twice to open up a 4-1 lead after forty minutes. Osipenko was sharp in net for the Sting, stopping all 10 shots, including a couple of tough stops on Landon Wright and Alex McLean.
The Frontenacs appeared to score early in the period, but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference, after Gavin Christie bumped into Osipenko.
The Sting went up 3-1 as Herres, driving to the net, was set up with a perfect stick-to-stick pass from Holmes from the left wall, and he made no mistake, scoring his first career OHL goal at 10:32. Walos drew the second helper.
Lammens made it 4-1 as he put in the rebound following a shot from the point by Sgro at 13:05. Di Iorio was credited with the second assist. Both teams had 10 shots on goal.
