Frontenacs overcome early hole, major penalty to beat Generals in overtime

Snyder with a pair including the winner, newcomer Zurawski tied it in regulation.

It didn't look good for the Kingston Frontenacs early on but they battled back to beat their division rivals from Oshawa.

Nolan Snyder scored twice including the game winner and added an assist in a 5-4 overtime victory for the Frontenacs over the Generals Friday night at Slush Puppie Place.

Snyder managed to lift the puck off a Oshawa defender in the defensive zone and lead a two-on-one rush with Aleks Kulemin.

He says he tried to pass it off to Kulemin but had other ideas.

The win capped off a comeback where Kingston dug themselves an early 3-0 deficit that saw goaltender Royden Smith (23 saves) give up two goals on the Generals' first two shots of the game. 

It wasn't until the second period when the Frontenacs (7-4-0-0) rebounded with three unanswered goals from Tomas Pobezal, Robin Kuzma, and Snyder. Snyder's first goal came while the team was shorthanded.

Head coach Troy Mann commended the way Snyder has played at both ends of the ice.

The Generals retook the lead late in the second period then, before the end of the period, Alex Misiak received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for slewfooting.

But Mann says the team managed to kill off the penalty and the momentum started to shift in their direction.

Newly acquired Cole Zurawski put his name on the scoresheet in his first game as a Frontenac when his third period goal tied the game at 4-4. 

He says it was great to finish the game with a win after the start they had.

The Florida draft pick was acquired in a trade from the Owen Sound Attack on Thursday in exchange for four draft picks. 

He sense there was going to be a rebuild there after new ownership and new management were installed in the off-season.

Mann for one is happy to see Zurawski in a Fronts uniform.

Mark Pape had two goals while Aiden O'Donnell and Tyler Hinde each with singles for the Generals (4-5-1-0). Matthew Humphries made 36 saves in the loss.

The Frontenacs head to Cornwall Saturday night for the second meeting against the Brampton Steelheads in as many weeks. Face off is at 7:05 and you can listen in on Upper Canada Fuel and Burner Frontenacs Hockey with Jim Gilchrist on New Country 98.9.

Story by Ken Hashizume