Shorthanded Fronts fall 6-5 to the Petes
The Kingston Frontenacs (17-5-3-0) faced-off against the Peterborough Petes (9-14-2-0) in the club’s first game since a December 12th win over Mississauga. Peterborough would end the Frontenacs eight-game winning streak on a 6-5 win in a penalty filled game.
Martin Chromiak had a goal and four points, rookie Paul Ludwinski had three points and rookie Thomas Budnick would score his first career goal in the clubs first loss in 43 days. Sam Alfano had a pair of goals before a Joe Carroll game winner late sealed the win for Peterborough.
Kingston showed a lot of heart playing shorthanded with just 16 players dressed for the game. Leevi Meriläinen got the start returning from a World Junior appearance with Finland facing Tye Austin in the Petes net.
Philadelphia Flyers prospect Zayde Wisdom made his 2021-22 home OHL debut for Kingston after returning from injury earning an assist. Wisdom had played in the last game before the holiday break versus Mississauga.
First Period
The teams played choppy hockey for the opening minutes before things would settle down for a combined five-goal period by the Eastern Division foes. Peterborough opened the scoring with two quick goals before the Black and Gold replied with three straight.
The Petes took a 1-0 lead just over two minutes in on a seeing eye shot by Sam Alfano (5) that beat Meriläinen behind a crowded crease. Donovan McCoy and Keegan McMullen assisted at 2:46.
The 2-0 goal came less than two minutes later as Nick Lardis (10) scored after taking a redirected shot by Samuel Mayer and spinning in a wraparound goal. Emmett Sproule was also credited with an assist at 4:17.
Kingston’s first shot on Tye Austin came over five minutes into the game by Maddox Callens. Kingston appeared to have gotten on the board, but Francesco Arcuri was called for an interference penalty just as Lucas Edmonds had fired a puck past the Petes goalie. The penalty call nullified the shot, and the Fronts went to their first penalty kill at 5:53.
Kingston would be the benefactors of the call after-all. After Martin Chromiak missed a chance on a breakaway, he and Callens (10) hooked up for a 2-1 goal at 7:47. The LA Kings prospect patiently waited off the Petes defenceman before feeding Callens who buried it into a wide-open net past Austin for the shorthanded marker. The assist gave Chromiak points in nine straight contests (7G,9A).
It was 2-2 when Paul Ludwinski (6) wired a wrist shot past Austin after taking a nice feed from Chromiak. Wisdom got his first point of the season with the secondary assist on the tying goal at 10:56.
Peterborough’s Mason McTavish hit the post with just under five minutes left before Chromiak (14), fresh off a two-goal performance at the World Junior, scored to give the Frontenacs a 3-2 lead heading to the first intermission. Wisdom fed a pass down low to Ludwinski, who quickly fed a waiting Chromiak in the slot at 18:41.
Kingston was called for a penalty to close out the period.
Second Period
The middle frame was penalty filled with four more goals in a wild 20 minutes. Kingston would only get four shots, but again would take a lead to the dressing rooms at the second intermission.
Wisdom had a breakaway chance during the remaining powerplay minutes for Peterborough. The Petes then had a five-on-three advantage on the powerplay for a third opportunity at 4:24 with a two-man advantage when two penalties were called on Kingston during one play.
Lucas Edmonds and Braden Haché made big shot blocks as the Fronts killed off the penalties. Kingston got their first powerplay of the night after being held shotless for the opening eight minutes of the frame, but it was the Petes scoring a shorthanded goal of their own on an unassisted semi-break by Jax Dubois (2) at 9:58 knotting the game back up at 3-3.
Peterborough went back to the box for a second consecutive penalty seconds after the Dubois tying goal. Kingston was then called with 18 seconds left to end their man advantage and Petes would go on their fifth powerplay at 12:44 and get a second five-on-three opportunity for 36 seconds with 6:12 left. Meriläinen made a nice leg-save on Robertson and Haché made another key block to keep the Frontenacs tied.
The last five minutes were wild with three combined goals. The teams played at four-on-four and Mason McTavish (6) scored to give the Petes a second one-goal lead of the game at 15:44 for a 4-3 score.
The game was also a physical affair as Wisdom made a big hit on Artem Guryev as the Petes defender found himself in the Kingston bench for a moment.
Kingston would score two goals in the last minute of the period to take the momentum back. Peterborough took the last penalty of the middle frame with 48 seconds left sending Kingston to its fourth chance of the game and the home-side made them pay. It was a tie game with 23 seconds left as Jordan Frasca (20) scored the powerplay marker from Martin Chromiak and Lucas Peric to make it 4-4. Peric’s assist extended a point streak to four games.
Rookie Thomas Budnick scored his first OHL goal to make it 5-4 with just 1.6 seconds left sending the Frontenacs to the intermission with a one-goal lead for a second time. Ludwisnksi made a nice pass to the defenceman, who buried a one-timed shot behind Austin. Ludwinski and Callens both earned their second points of the game.
Shots were 21-14 in favor of Peterborough after 40 minutes.
Third Period
The third saw more defensive play from Kingston holding an advantage on the shot clock, but it would be the visitors escaping with the win.
Peterborough had their seventh powerplay at 3:39. It was a tie game again after Alfano (6) buried a feed from the slot for his second of the game making it a 5-5 score for the second consecutive game between the two teams. Justin DeZoete and Samuel Mayer drew helpers for Peterborough.
Kingston had its fifth chance with the man advantage and had solid chances by Arcuri and Edmonds forcing the Petes into a second penalty, getting their first two-man advantage of the night. Austin stoned Arcuri for a second time just before the penalty was called. Kingston had good zone time during 1:04 of five-on-three but couldn’t get the puck past Austin who took a good shot off the mask by Peric near the end of the powerplay.
Kingston was called for too many men for a second time in the game with 1:43 left and the visitors would take advantage for the win. The Petes took a timeout resting their number one unit for their eighth opportunity with the extra man. It would be 6-5 on a Joe Carroll (9) goal after he tucked a puck past Meriläinen when the puck was redirected on its way to the goaltender, who stood no chance to make the save.
BMW of Kingston Hardest Worker
Thomas Budnick (1G)
Three-Star Awards
- Martin Chromiak – KGN (1G,3A)
- Sam Alfano – PBO (2G)
- Paul Ludwinski – KGN (1G, 2A)
Game Notes
- Defencman Lucas Peric has six points (6A) in a four-game streak
- LA Kings prospect Martin Chromiak has points in nine straight (7G,8A)
- Forward Zayde Wisdom (Philadelphia Flyers – 2020 /4th Rd) made his Home 2021/22 OHL debut with an assist
Team Stat Pack – GP (26)
(17-6-3-0) – 37 points – Lead East Division
Leaders (Top/3)
- Goals – Frasca (20), Edmonds, (17), Chromiak (14)
- Assists – Edmonds (35), Chromiak (22), Wright (19)
- Points – Edmonds (52), Chromiak (36), Frasca (35)
- PIMs – Haché (40), Poole (31), Budnick (29)
- Shots– Edmonds (123), Chromiak (98), Frasca (89)
- Rookie Points – Ludwinski (18), Soto (16), Thibodeau (7)
- Defence Points – Murray (18), Peric (17), Budnick (6)
On The Front
The Frontenacs play their next three games on the road starting tomorrow night in Peterborough at 7:05 pm. The team then heads for a Sunday matinee at 2:00 pm in Mississauga before a date with Oshawa on Tuesday at 7:05 pm.
The next home game is TSN televised on Friday, Jan 14 at 7:30 pm.
Listen to all the action on 104.3 Fresh Radio with Frontenacs play-by-play voice Jim Gilchrist. Fans can also follow along with team social media channels at Twitter, Facebook and IG for updates.