The Kingston Frontenacs (26-38-1-2) dropped a tightly fought 5-2 decision to the Barrie Colts (42-16-6-3) on Friday night at Leon’s Centre in the final home game of the regular season. With an Oshawa win over Mississauga, the Fronts have been eliminated from postseason play.
Maddox Callens gave Kingston an early 1-0 lead with Linus Hemstrom adding a highlight reel strike for a 2-0 Kingston lead through the first period. Barrie tallied the only goal of the middle frame to set up a 2-1 beginning to the final stanza. Barrie scored twice in under three minutes in the final frame to take a 3-2 lead before adding two empty net tallies for the 5-2 final.
Defenceman Quinton Burns had two assists for his 4th multi-point game of the season.
A pregame ceremony was held recognizing overage graduating players Alec Belanger, Ian Lemieux, and Ottawa Senators prospect Ben Roger. All assistant captains, the trio contributed an immense amount of leadership to a young Frontenacs club. Lemieux, played with the Colts for 122 of his 164 career games.
Former Fronts blueliner Braden Hache made his second visit back to his former home, playing a third game against his former teammates. Kingston rookie Gabriel Frasca faced-off again against brother Jacob.
Colorado Avalanche prospect Ivan Zhigalov made his 45th appearance in the Kingston crease seeing 31 shots with 28 saves. Barrie had Ben West in the crease making 22 saves.
Matthew Soto drew the first powerplay for Kingston just over three minutes after opening faceoff and registered an assist on the opening tally. Callens (16) spun around and sniped a shot past West’s blocker after taking a feed from Soto, for the 1-0 lead 25 seconds into the man-advantage. Quinton Burns also earned his first helper of the period at 3:36.
After five straight shots for Barrie, it was a two-goal lead Fronts lead on a beauty tally by Linus Hemstrom (11) after the import selection used patience, and teammate Alec Belanger as a decoy, to beat West on a sneaky backhand deke off the rush. Burns earned his second assist sending in Hemstrom on the fast break for the 2-0 score at 3:36.
Kingston would take the two-goal lead and a 20-12-1-0 record when scoring first to the first intermission with Barrie ahead on the shotclock in the evenly played frame by a 11-10 margin.
After Barrie staved off a second early Kingston powerplay, Zhigalov made a nice glove save off Josh Kavanagh 6:30 into the period one of multiple highlighted saves in the night.
With 8:24 remaining in the middle frame, Zhigalov made another outstanding stop, diving with the paddle of his stick, to rob Tai York of a tying tally. A line-scrum ensued after the play with each team receiving matching penalties with four players sent to the box with the teams remaining full-strength.
The Colts got on the board at 15:38 when a deflected shot attempt fell in front of the Kingston crease for Roenick Jodoin (10) to tap it up over an outstretched Zhigalov.
Ethan Cardwell had a breakaway chance with 72 seconds left that was swallowed up by Zhigalov on his 25th save of the game, helping the Black and Gold take a 15-2-1-0 record with a lead after forty minutes to the final frame.
Just under four minutes into the third frame, Kashawn Aitcheson (1) was able to beat Zhigalov from the faceoff circle after a nice setup for the 2-2 strike. Less than three minutes later, a second visiting goal came from Jacob Frasca (27) as he tipped a point shot for the 3-2 Colts lead at 6:41.
Kingston went to a five-minute powerplay after Mitchell Brooks was hit in the Fronts zone with 13:02 remaining. A Fronts penalty sent the teams to four-on-four with Barrie’s Hache and Carter Lowe having good chances stopped by Zhigalov. After the Fronts went back to the remaining man-advantage, a second Kingston penalty wiped out the remaining time on the Barrie major with more four-on-four action.
The Colts added two empty net tallies to finalize the 5-2 score.
Scorers:
KGN: Callens (16), Hemstrom (11)
BAR: Jodoin (10), Aitcheson (1), Frasca (27), Cardwell (43), Vierling (35)
Powerplays:
KGN: (1/4)
BAR: (1/3)
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