Frontenacs powerless against the Petes

Third-worst power play fails to score including a 5-on-3.

A struggling power play and a couple of fluky goals did in the Kingston Frontenacs against the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes took the first game of their home-and-home set on Friday night with a 3-2 victory in overtime.

3,128 at Slush Puppie Place saw another close game by the Frontenacs.

For the first time in five games, the opposition scored the opening goal of the game. Adam Levec scored on the power play at the 13:31 mark of the first period for a 1-0 Petes lead.

But Tyler Hopkins would answer for the Frontenacs with 49.5 seconds left in the period to tie the game at 1-1.

Up 2-1 in the second, Kingston found themselves with a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:03 but were not able to score. They finished 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

The Frontenacs (10-9-2-2) entered the game 18th in the OHL on the power play scoring just 10 times on 67 opportunities.

Hopkins, who had both of Kingston's goals, says being unable to add to the lead during the two-man advantage really cost them the game.

Head coach Troy Mann had no explanation as to why the power play has been floundering.

Gavin Betts was sharp up until early in the third when Petes forward Adam Novotny threw the puck at the net towards the glove side of Betts. The puck got the shoulder but flipped over and into the net to tie the game at 2-2.

Novotny would get the winner 23 seconds into overtime when his sharp-angled shot went off the skate of Betts and in.

Hopkins says Betts, who made 24 saves, played well enough to win the game.

Mann says the guys playing in front of his struggling goaltender need to be better in getting him support.

This is the sixth straight game that the Frontenacs have recorded at least one point but Mann says until the offence improves, they will need to find a way to win with little scoring.

Mason Johnston stopped 25 shots in the victory for the Petes (13-8-1-1) who have won seven of their last eight games.

The same two teams hit the ice on Saturday in Peterborough.

Catch all the action with Jim Gilchrist on Upper Canada Fuel and Burner Frontenacs Hockey on New Country 98.9 starting at 7 pm.

Story by Ken Hashizume