Kingston's "Unsung Heroes" Shine In Game Two Double-Overtime Win

Last night, the Kingston Frontenacs took a 2-0 series lead by defeating the Sudbury Wolves 4-3 in double overtime. 

Just under three minutes into the second overtime, Gage Heyes streaked into the zone and lobbed a shot on goal that slipped through goaltender Nate Krawchuk's guard. 

"Going into double overtime, everyone is tired and worn down," said Heyes. "You throw pucks at the net and hope something goes in ... It was pretty special to do that in front of amazing fans tonight."

Heyes spent the rest of the night performing a shutdown role for the Frontenacs alongside linemates Ben Pickell and Ethan Hay. The trio spent most of the evening matched up against Seattle Kraken prospect Nathan Villeneuve, Winnipeg Jets prospect Kieron Walton and former San Jose first-round pick Quentin Musty, who hit the ice for the first time in the series.

Being a part of a shutdown line often involves a lot of hard work and bruises with very little time in the limelight. However, when done correctly, the rewards for the team are incredibly high. 

"I just think that line [Pickell, Hay and Heyes] is made for playoff hockey," said Head Coach Troy Mann. "They're the unsung heroes of a hockey team. You need those kinds of contributions to win in the playoffs."

Despite being 5-foot-9, Pickell has fought in both of the opening games of the series. In last night's game, he feathered a backhand shot into the top corner after receiving a feed from Heyes. 

The opening 40 minutes of game two largely resembled game one. Kingston smoothly controlled the puck while outshooting the Wolves and building up their lead. The top lines' cycle game was especially effective, often keeping the puck in the Sudbury zone for prolonged periods of time. 

University of Vermont commit Cedrick Guindon had another stellar performance, tallying a pair of goals for Kingston. He's averaging two goals a game through the beginning of the series and has a total of five points. 

The Sudbury offense, boosted no doubt by the presence of Musty, found more shooting opportunities in game two of the series. Frontenac's goaltender Charlie Schenkel made 32 saves on 35 shots by the end of the night, including a few spectacular stops leading up to Kingston's first goal.

"My job is to stop the puck and give my team a chance to win every night, and that's all I'm focused on doing," said Schenkel. "Whether I get five shots or 50, I'm going to be battling with everything I've got."

While Schenkel played well, the Wolves pounced on their opportunities with Villenueve acting as the prime mover and shaker of the offense.

The tenacious young forward set up Walton on a 2-on-1 for Sudbury's first of the game. He put his blistering shot on full display when he riffled a puck past Schenkel off a turnover, before jamming the game-tying goal into the net on the powerplay. 

He ended the night with three points, becoming one of only two Sudbury players with multiple points after the first two games of the series. 

The situation is somewhat dire for the Wolves, who will look to rally as the series shifts onto their home turf. Meanwhile, Kingston has the luxury of a two-game lead in the series while retaining home ice advantage. Even winning just one of the two games in Sudbury would put them in a position to eliminate the Wolves on home ice come game five. 

However, winning on the road during the playoffs can be easier said than done. Mann won't have the last change, making line matching much more difficult. 

"It's a hostile environment up there - a tough building [to play in]," said Mann. "They don't want to go down 3-0, so it will be their best effort ... We've just got to take a deep breath, enjoy tonight and be ready to go Tuesday night."