Frontenacs grind one out to beat Sudbury

Home win streak now at eight, Misiak scores first goal as a Frontenac.

Sometimes it's not how many but how you get it done.

The Kingston Frontenacs only had two shots on goal in the third period but one of them managed to find the back of the net and it was the difference.

Alex Misiak tipped in Vann Williamson's shot from the top of the left face-off circle to give the Frontenacs a 3-2 lead on the visiting Sudbury Wolves with 5:15 left in the period. Kingston held on by that 3-2 score on Friday night to push them over the .500 mark (22-21-2-2) and extend their winning streak at Slush Puppie Place to eight games.

For Misiak, it was his first goal since being acquired from Erie at the trade deadline.

Misiak nearly got his first goal as a Frontenac in the second period when his one-timer off a Williamson feed was tipped in by Alek Kulemin on the power play that gave Kingston a 2-1 lead.

Head coach Troy Mann says it was great to see him score and his line with Tomas Pobezal and Riley Clark played well after a slow start.

The Frontenacs carried that 2-1 lead into the third but Sudbury controlled much of the period firing 12 shots on Gavin Betts (28 saves). The Wolves (18-26-2-0) would eventually tie it on a goal by Jan Chovin at the 9:09 mark.

Betts says they played better in the final period that what the shots on goal would indicate.

The Kingston netminder made some quality saves and handled the puck well clearing the zone on the penalty kill. He also had a chance to score a goal when the Wolves pulled Paolo Frasca (27 saves) with 1:58 left in regulation and had a wide open net when he made another clearing attempt.

All three of the goals were tip-ins compared to the previous games where the scoring came from the point or the perimeter. 

Mann says the players had to go low in the offensive zone to generate chances in the game.

Kieran Dervin had the other Frontenacs goal. Ethan Dean also scored for the Wolves.

Power plays saw Kingston score on their only opportunity, Sudbury were 1-for-3.

The next game for the Frontenacs is this Sunday afternoon against the Peterborough Petes. It's a special start time of 1 pm.

If you can't make it to game, tune in to Upper Canada Fuel and Burner Frontenacs Hockey on New Country 98.9 with Jim Gilchrist on the call.

Story by Ken Hashizume