Game Preview: Kingston vs. Barrie
Looking to keep in line for a playoff position, the Kingston Frontenacs (26-37-1-2) take to home ice in the last regular season game at Leon’s Centre against the Central Division Barrie Colts (41-16-6-3) at 7:00 pm. The inter-conference foes meet for the fourth time in the season series, with Kingston holding a 2-1-0-0 edge. After a pair of 5-4 Kingston victories, Barrie took the last matchup by a 4-0 score on Feb 20 at Leon’s Centre.
The Black and Gold begin action one point back of eighth-place Oshawa with two games remaining, including a final regular-season game versus the Generals on Sunday at Tribute Communities Centre. The Fronts have collected two more regulation wins than Oshawa, but the Gens gained three-more extra-time points. The Generals are in Mississauga tonight.
Fronts point leader Ethan Miedema registered four goals in Wednesday’s home win over Oshawa and has points in four of his last five games (6G,1A). The 2023 NHL-draft-eligible prospect also took over the team lead in goals (18) with the four-spot on Wednesday, surpassing Chris Thibodeau (16). It was the first time a Kingston player had recorded a four-goal performance since current Edmonton Oiler Warren Foegele on Mar 26, 2016, in a playoff matchup versus the same Generals. Ryan Verbeek recorded the last four-goal game in the regular season on Dec 13, 2013.
With three assists on three Miedema goals, Thibodeau registered his third three-point effort of the season against Oshawa last Wednesday. Linus Hemstrom is tied with Thibodeau for the team lead with three points on the season against Barrie, each recording a pair of goals. Rookie goaltender Mason Vaccari has started all three games for Kingston against Barrie, earning the two Frontenacs’ wins. Assistant captain Maddox Callens recorded his 15th goal of the season in Wednesday’s win over the Generals for a new career high.
On a three-game winning stretch, Barrie has won eight of their last ten games (8-1-0-1) and sits comfortably in the third spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, four points behind the Central Division-winning North Bay Battalion, carrying a 20-7-3-2 record on the road. The Colts are one of three OHL teams penalized less than Kingston, making special teams of vital importance tonight.
Forwards Beau Jelsma and Callum Chisholm enter tonight’s action on three-game goal streaks for Barrie. Former fronts defenceman Braden Hache has recorded two points in two games against Kingston, registering an assist in each of two games since the trade to Barrie. L.A. Kings prospect Brandt Clarke (5A) has five points to lead both clubs in the season series and is currently on a league-high 16-game point streak (13G,22A) with 35 points in the stretch. Forwards Evan Vierling (15-games) and Ethan Cardwell (12-games) also begin puckdrop on point streaks, with each recording two goals and two assists against Kingston this season.
Kingston honours its overage their overage players before their final home game of the regular season. Ian Lemieux joins Assistant Captains Ben Roger and Alec Belanger in graduating from OHL action at the end of the season. Lemieux, the current Frontenacs Performer of the Week with a pair of two-assist games last week, has played 164 games, with 17 coming in the Black and Gold since a trade from Barrie.
An Ottawa Senators prospect initially drafted by London Knights, the Fronts acquired Roger in Nov 21. He has appeared in 86 games for the Kingston, 140 overall, providing a rugged, steady minute-crunching role as a leader on the back end. Roger assisted on one of the biggest Kingston goals in franchise history, with a helper on Shane Wright’s game-6 overtime winner against Oshawa last spring.
GM Kory Cooper acquired the now 182-game veteran Belanger from the Ottawa 67’s in a Jan 22 trade that has seen the multi-dimension player provide leadership support on both ends of the ice, on and off. Belanger tallied the fourth goal in Kingston’s big game-6 playoff-series-clinching win versus Oshawa.
Powerplay:
KGN: (40/227) 17.6% – (19th OHL) – 12 SHGA (season series – (1/10)
BAR: (60/237) 25.3% – (3rd OHL) – 10 SHGA (season series – (6/15)
Penalty Kill:
KGN: (169/226) 76.1% – (16th OHL) – 6 SHGF (10.33 pen mins/game – 4th least OHL)
BAR: (177/216) 81.9% – (4th OHL) – 7 SHGF (10.11 pen mins/game – least in OHL)
Fronts Notes:
- Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Club officially bid to host the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Kia
- F Ethan Miedema – 4 Goals v OSH Mar 22
- pts in four of last five gms (6G,1A)
- D Ian Lemieux – pts in three of last four gms (5A)
- F Owen Outwater – pts in last six of eight gms (3G,3A)
- F Chris Thibodeau – registered his third 3-pt game of the season v OSH Mar 22
- F Maddox Callens – recorded career-high 15 goals v OSH Mar 22
Team Stat Pack – G.P. (66) (26-37-1-2) 55 pts
Leaders:
Goals – Miedema (18), Thibodeau (16), Outwater, Callens (15)
PPG – Miedema (6), Ludwinski, Soto (5)
Assists – Miedema (30), Hemström (28), Soto, Ludwinski (25)
PPA – Hemström (12), Burns, Outwater (9)
Points – Miedema (48), Outwater (39), Soto, Hemström (38)
PPP – Ludwinski (12), Hemström, Outwater (12), Soto (11)
SOG –Thibodeau (132), Miedema (117), Hemström (116)
PIMs – Burns (100), Budnick (64), Uens (50)
On The Front:
The Black and Gold hit the ice for a last regular season game on Sun, Mar 26 at 6:05 pm against the Oshawa Generals.
96.3 Big FM and 104.3 Fresh Radio are your exclusive home for play-by-play with Jim Gilchrist and Kingston Frontenacs Hockey! Fans can listen live to all the games at https://frontenacs.leanplayer.com/. Fans can also tune into the game at https://watch.chl.ca/ (subscription needed).
Fans are encouraged to follow the team’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram social media channels for live updates.
