Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
On Friday, February 27th, the fourth-place Western Conference (35-17-1-5) Soo Greyhounds welcomed the seventh-place Eastern Conference (26-27-3-2) Kingston Frontenacs to the GFL Memorial Gardens. In their only previous meeting this season, the Greyhounds earned a 5-4 victory in Kingston on September 26th. The Frontenacs entered Friday’s matchup following a narrow 4-3 loss in North Bay to the Battalion on February 26th, while the Soo returned home riding momentum from a February 25th road win in Sudbury over the Wolves.
Despite an early milestone moment for the Greyhounds, a dominant second period by Kingston proved to be the difference in a 6-3 Frontenacs victory.
In the first period, the Greyhounds struck first at 6:36 when Marco Mignosa, skating in his 295th career game — second all-time in franchise history — scored his 29th of the season. The milestone marker came off assists from Brady Martin and Jeremy Martin, giving the Soo a 1-0 lead.
Kingston responded at 9:58 after capitalizing on a rebound in front of Soo netminder Carter George. Nolan Buttar potted his ninth of the season, assisted by Lukas Moore, tying the game 1-1 heading into the intermission.
The Frontenacs took control in the middle frame.
At 3:23, Aleks Kulemin scored his tenth of the season, assisted by Vann Williamson, to give Kingston a 2-1 advantage.
Kingston extended its lead at 11:52 when Landon Marleau netted his first of the season off a setup from Vann Williamson and Ty Robar, making it 3-1.
Less than two minutes later at 13:41, Nolan Snyder added his 15th of the campaign, with assists credited to Aleks Kulemin and Robin Kuzma, stretching the lead to 4-1.
The Greyhounds answered quickly. At 14:08, Quinn McKenzie buried his 20th of the season, assisted by Brodie McConnell-Barker and Travis, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
With 1:45 remaining in the period, Mignosa struck again. At 18:15, he scored his 30th of the season — and second of the night — off a feed from Brady Martin, bringing the Soo within one at 4-3 heading into the third.
Kingston regained momentum in the final frame.
At 10:16, the Frontenacs capitalized on the power play as Tomas Pobezal scored his 15th of the season, assisted by Nolan Snyder and Alex Misiak, restoring a two-goal cushion at 5-3.
The Frontenacs sealed the victory at 19:34 with an empty-net goal from Robin Kuzma, his 13th of the season, assisted by André Mondoux, making the final 6-3.
In net for the Greyhounds, Landon Miller stopped 22 of 27 shots, suffering his ninth loss of the season while Kingston goaltender Matt Minchak turned aside 33 of 36 shots to earn his eleventh win of the year.
The Greyhounds return to action on March 4th when they head south to Michigan to take on the Flint Firebirds in Flint for a 7:00 p.m start.
