Kingston drub Storm, 6-1

The Kingston Frontenacs (4-1-0-1) wrapped up the second half of a back to back at home with a 6-1 win over the Guelph Storm (1-4-1-0) on Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Leon’s Centre on Saturday. The victory extended the team’s winning streak to three games with points in four for the black and gold. After an early 1-0 Guelph lead in the first, Kingston scored five consecutive goals to round out the 5-1 final.

The first star of the game Francesco Arcuri scored twice in the first including a second consecutive game-winning goal and joined Linus Hemstrom, Paul Ludwinski, Matthew Soto and Owen Outwater in having multi-point nights. Adam Cavallin, Soto, and Outwater added a trio of third period tallies to send the Storm packing.

Kingston had Ivan Zhigalov between the pipes for the second consecutive night. The Colorado Avalanche drafted netminder made 30 saves off 31 Storm shots. Jacob Oster was in the visitors’ net stopping 29 of 35 Kingston shots.

The games second star, Paul Ludwinski recognized the team effort since a return from Chicago Blackhawks camp in his second game back. “Everyone is competing. We look good, I think we are the hardest working team in the league. We are tight as a team, but we need to keep getting better every game.”

The first period saw the visitors hold most of the play and chances in the opening minutes taking a lead before the Fronts took over. Guelph opened the scoring when Jake Murray had a shot from the point tipped past Zhigalov by an open Cooper Walker (2) in the slot. Peyton Robinson earned an assist with Murray on the goal seven minutes into the opening frame.

Francesco Arcuri (5) hit the century mark in points on his career when he beat Oster off the crossbar into the cage. Arcuri extended a point streak to four games (6G,2A) with the goal at 10:48. Paul Ludwinski (CHI) and Ben Roger (OTT) each earned their first points of the season in the second game back from NHL camps with assists.

“It’s been a pleasure since I’ve come back,” said Roger after the game. “It feels great to get a couple wins this weekend coming back into the lineup. Our d-corp is another year older and more comfortable playing with each other, so everyone is taking a step and we’re liking how its working so far.”

A late first period powerplay for Kingston saw Arcuri (6) net another shot past Oster for a 2-1 Kingston lead with his second goal of the game. Linus Hemstrom assisted to extend a point streak to four games (2G,4A), with Ludwinski earning a second assist at 16:32 to send the Fronts to the intermission with a one goal lead.

A powerplay marker in the second period saw Ludwinski (1) net his first goal of the season with a bullet of a one-timer that blew by Oster after Arcuri earned an assist with a nice sauce pass to make it 3-1. Hemstrom also earned a second assist of the game at 14:05 on Ludwinski’s third point of the game.

“They are smart players,” described Ludwinski after the win. “Just from playing with him (Arcuri), I know he knows where to be on the ice, and he has a rocket. Hemstrom isn’t afraid to get dirty too and he makes plays. They make it easy for me when I use my speed and I think we compliment each other quite nicely.” The trio combined for an eight-point night.

Matthew Soto (2) made it 4-1 early in the third at 3:25 on nice play setup by Owen Outwater. Adam Cavallin (2) later added to the Fronts lead making it 5-1 with a quick shot past Oster from point blank with Mitchell Brooks drawing an assist at 7:31. Soto repaid an assist favour setting up Outwater (2) with just over four minutes left to round out the final 6-1 score.

The game featured some animosity as Hemstrom was hit in the Storm zone by Chase Coughlan and a scrum ensued with Fronts Braden Hache and Ludwinski coming to their teammate’s defence late in the game. Coughlan received a five-minute major for the hit. Zhigalov made his presence felt with Storm players crashing his crease during a second period scrum in front of the Kingston goal.

Roger is excited to see a team that has already gelled and have a common goal competing hard for each other. “We are priding ourselves as a hard team to play against. A team that competes for a full-60. Guys are finishing checks so its great to see.”