Jon Maillet For the Journal
The Sarnia Sting continued their eastern road trip and fell to the Kingston Frontenacs 5-3, following a 2-1 shootout win in Peterborough Thursday night.
The Sting found themselves in penalty trouble in the first period, giving Kingston five chances to work with the powerplay; the Frontenacs capitalized on two of those chances late in the first.
Matthew Soto’s sixth of the season made it 1-0 with just under six minutes left, followed by Jacob Holmes’ fifth of the season just two minutes later.
Kingston would put Sarnia into a 3-0 hole with just two seconds left in the first; Linus Hemstrom’s fifth of the season capped off a dominant opening period for Kingston.
The Frontenacs out shot Sarnia 12-6 in the first.
Jacob Batagglia put Kingston up 4-0 on his seventh of the season just before the five minute mark of the second. Soto added his second of the game, and seventh of the season, midway through the second, giving Kingston a commanding 5-0 lead.
Despite out-shooting the Frontenacs 10-6 in the period, the Sting only managed to cut the Kingston lead to 5-1. Carson Hall scored his first career OHL goal with just under seven minutes left in the middle frame. Easton Wainwright and Andrew LeBlanc picked up the assists.
The Sting would get a quick start to the third period as Cooper Way scored his third of the season just 1:15 into the final period. Easton Wainwright and Andrew LeBlanc picked up the assists on the goal that brought Sarnia within three.
With just under two minutes left, Sarnia would come within two after Sandis Vilamis scored; Jacob LeBlanc and Marko Sikic assisted the goal that cut the Kingston lead to 5-3.
Kingston would hold on to their two goal lead in the dying minutes, handing Sarnia their fifth straight loss
Nick Surzycia got the start, allowing four goals on 15 shots before Karsen Chartier took over in the second. Chartier stopped 11 of the 12 shots he faced.
Despite seven opportunities with the man advantage, Sarnia was unable to connect with the powerplay, while Kingston scored twice on six chances.
Sarnia wraps up this eastern road trip Sunday afternoon in Ottawa to take on the 67’s at 2pm.