The Kingston Frontenacs sure didn’t start the game the way they wanted to, but they definitely finished it right, as the Fronts held off the Guelph Storm 4-2 Friday night at the K-Rock Centre. The Storm out-shot the Fronts badly in the first period 21-7 and at one point held a 12-1 shot advantage, but the Fronts flipped the tables in the second period out-shooting the Storm 20-5 and they struck for three goals in the third en route to the win. “We were a little sluggish getting going, but we got our feet under us and played really well the last 40 minutes,” said Head Coach Doug Gilmour.

The Fronts got a big boost as they found out shortly before game time that bruising top ranked defenceman Erik Gudbranson would make his return to the lineup. “His timing was off a little bit and that’s understandable after missing two months. It just goes to show how much quicker the games are than practice,” said Gilmour. “Overall though, he didn’t look out of place and it was nice to have him back patrolling the blue-line for us,” said Gilmour.

The Storm opened the scoring on their 11^th shot of the opening period, as Peter Holland slipped a puck past Tyler Beskorowany that the Fronts goaltender would surely like to have back. Beskorowany more than made up for the first goal, by keeping his club in the game stopping the remaining 20 shots fired his way and 37 on the night, picking up first star honours.

The Fronts actually had trouble solving Storm goaltender Brandon Foote and despite only putting seven shots on him in the first period, they had three point blank shots that the Storm goaltender turned aside, none bigger than when he robbed Taylor Doherty on the backdoor on a Fronts power play. Kingston peppered the Guelph net in the second period but still couldn’t beat Foote, until Michael Fine finally jumped on a rebound and put one home with just 32 seconds remaining in the second period.

Rookie Derek Froats who scored the game winner Thursday night in Peterborough appeared to have pulled off another game winner, as he put home a rebound to put the Fronts up 2-1. Froats had a big night for the Fronts, scoring a goal and coming up with a big TKO victory in a fight over Connor Tresham, in being named the games third star. A tough bounce at the blue-line on a Fronts power play midway through the period, allowed Holland to skate in uncontested and beat Beskorowany on the breakaway to tie the game, but with just over four minutes to go, Mitch Lebar jumped on a rebound and wrapped the puck around the net on the other side to put the Fronts up for good. Nathan Moon ended the night, scoring a short-handed marker into the empty net with 41 seconds left giving the Fronts their fourth win in their last five games.

Kingston has the weekend off and don’t return to action until next Friday night, when they will host the Niagara Icedogs, before hooking up with the Ottawa 67’s in a big home and home weekend.