The Kingston Frontenacs did not sneak their former goalie Andrew Raycroft (pictured) into uniform today to help lend authenticity to their impersonation of the Leafs' late collapse from Friday night. It just seems that way.Or how about this for a one-liner: Didn't you figure when you heard the words "Kingston" and "collapse," you just assumed that the Memorial Centre roof had caved in?
The Limestone City's Light Brigade blew a four-goal third-period lead -- on home ice and in the last 12 minutes of regulation -- in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Oshawa Generals in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series today. John Tavares was everywhere -- five points, including an assist on the equalizer at 19:59 of the third period -- and the Generals now lead the best-of-7 series 2-0.
It might have flattered the Frontenacs to be up 6-2 after two periods. It's true that with Tavares, Oshawa is a top offensive team and there have been bigger playoff collapses in Ontario Hockey League annals, but how hard is it to defend a friggin' four-goal lead?
A loss like that hurts in the way where the only response is to laugh like a hyena.Then there's another kind of painful that should be kept in mind before anyone tears the Fronts a new corn chute. Fronts captain Chris Stewart (second picture) soldiering on days after losing his mother, Susan Stewart, who died suddenly Monday. The stats sheet tells a story of a 19-year-old -- one who's 235 lbs. and a Colorado Avalanche first-round pick who likely has millions waiting for him in the NHL, but a kid nonetheless -- who was understandably adrift today. Stewart didn't record a point in a high-scoring game and took a penalty 29 seconds in. Naturally, Oshawa scored on the power play.
Still, that's not an out, even for junior players. Many athletes have to play through similar personal tragedies. Stewart is captain, but by this point in the seasona team's supposed to have other people who can be leaders. And did anyone mention Kingston was ahead 6-2? Helped by Cory Emmerton's hat trick, the Fronts looked home free after two periods, but couldn't outskate Oshawa or all the baggage from another mediocre regular season.
All of that -- no jam, no defence, dodgy netminding -- came home to roost in the third period. Even then, it was 6-4 with three minutes left before Tavares scored to make it a one-shot game. Overtime was a fait accompli -- Oshawa took six shots to Kingston's none before Kody Musselman got the winner. Talk about ignominious -- you lose in overtime on a goal by someone who didn't score once in the regular season and spells Kody with a damn K.
Anyway, for those who follow the OHL, the buzz for the next 24-48 hours will probably be about Tavares leading a once-a-year rally. Seriously, why are the Frontenacs always ending up on the wrong side of karma, history, the bounces -- pretty much everything? Why?
It's just a little funny this goes down on the same weekend as the Leafs' collapse in a big game against the Buffalo Sabres. Raycroft was not the reason the Leafs blew a three-goal lead and lost 5-4 in a game that may keep them out of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The mere fact he was part of that suggests something about the state of Ex-Frontenacess which is probably best left unexplored -- at least until after Game 3. The sun will still come up tomorrow.
Related:
Frontenacs fold (Doug Graham, Kingston Whig-Standard)
Quick OHL note: Junior Hockey Blog notes the Mississauga IceDogs search for a new home now centres on mid-Michigan -- and the Saginaw Spirit would love to have a natural geographical rival. There's no quarrel with U.S. teams in the OHL, but it should come through expansion or relocation after all options in Ontario have been spent. Has North Bay really been given a long enough look?
(UPDATE, 12:49 p.m. March 27: A new report says the Dogs could move to Newmarket, and Niagara Falls is back in the game after Dalton McGuinty threw some election year goodies that city's way. So sorry, North Bay.)
Anyone else think it's odd, by the way, that a certain beer baron in Southern Ontario who is always professing interest in buying a sports team has never gone after a franchise that's practically in his backyard? Just sayin'.
Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.
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