One day after a disappointing effort against the Peterborough Petes, the Soo Greyhounds rebounded on Friday night with a game that could be a much-needed confidence boost offensively.
The team scored six unanswered goals in a 6-2 win over the Kingston Frontenacs Friday at the Leon’s Centre in Kingston.
The Frontenacs scored a pair of power play goals 54 seconds apart early on before the Greyhounds cut into the lead late in the opening period and didn’t look back.
For the Greyhounds, a renewed aggressiveness on the forecheck helped the team rebound from an early deficit en route to the victory.
“We had a really good second half of the first period and a really good second period,” Greyhounds coach John Dean said. “A lot of that had to do with our forecheck. The team I’ve seen for the last few years here is relentless on the forecheck, relentless reloads and wanting the puck on their stick. Everybody started to play a more aggressive style and not sit back so much.”
Dean also called the offensive output in the win a boost for the confidence of a team that has struggled to score early in the season.
“It’s critical for our guys to experience success,” Dean said. “To experience what it feels like to put a big number on the board and find a way to win a tough hockey game against a team that’s playing very well right now, I’m excited for the guys.”
Kingston opened the scoring 5:01 into the opening period when Francesco Arcuri beat Greyhounds goaltender Samuel Ivanov with a shot from the left faceoff circle glove side on the power play.
The Frontenacs took a 2-0 lead thanks to a power play goal by Jacob Battaglia on a redirection of a pass from Paul Ludwinski 54 seconds after Arcuri’s goal.
With 1:37 to go in the period and the Greyhounds shorthanded, Bryce McConnell-Barker took a turnover by the Frontenacs in the Sault zone down the ice, skated into the slot, and beat Kingston goaltender Ivan Zhigalov glove side to make it a 2-1 game.
Midway through the second period, rookie forward Christopher Brown tied the game for the Greyhounds on the power play. After McConnell-Barker’s initial shot from the left circle was stopped, Brown potted the rebound to even the score at two,
Just under three minutes into the third, Kirill Kudryavtsev skated into the Kingston and took a pass from Alex Kostov before beating Zhigalov glove side to give the visitors a 3-2 lead.
Luc Brzustowski made it 4-2 Greyhounds at 10:45 when his shot from the left point found its way through traffic before beating Zhigalov high glove side.
McConnell-Barker made it 5-2 with his second of the night into an empty net with 1:34 to go.
Just 15 seconds later Landen Hookey got his first of the year sliding a backhand 5-hole on Zhigalov alone in close after taking a pass from Kostov on the left wing.
McConnell-Barker finished the night with two goals and an assist while Kostov assisted on a pair of goals for the Greyhounds.
“The most impressive thing for me right now with Bryce is his leadership,” Dean said. “He’s just really settled into that role very nicely and found his voice as our captain. His leadership style, a lot of it is by example. He knows when to speak up.”
Dean added that the shorthanded goal scored by McConnell-Barker changed the game as well.
“It’s huge,” Dean said. “For Bryce to go down with basically a one-man effort and score a shorthanded goal, it gives everybody a chance to reset and realize we’re still in a hockey game. I really liked our response from there.”
In addition to the play of McConnell-Barker, Dean also praised the recent play of Brown for the Greyhounds.
“His game is really starting to take shape here,” Dean said.
“Brownie has exceptional hockey IQ,” Dean also said. “It might look like a Johnny-on-the-spot goal, but he knows exactly where to be and where to go to get himself an opportunity,” Dean said. “He’s created a lot of chances for himself the last two or three games.”
Ivanov made 27 saves for the Greyhounds.
Dean called Ivanov “fantastic.”
Zhigalov stopped 22 shots for the Frontenacs.
The Greyhounds will wrap up their road trip on Sunday afternoon at TD Place in Ottawa against the 67’s.
With the win, the Greyhounds improve to 3-4-3-1 on the season while Kingston falls to 6-3-0-1.