Kingston Frontenacs Shock Brantford Bulldogs 2-1 in Shootout

In a thrilling encounter at the TD Civic Centre on March 15, 2024, the Kingston Frontenacs achieved a remarkable upset, defeating the Brantford Bulldogs 2-1 in a shootout. Kingston’s stellar goaltender, Gavin Betts, emerged as the standout performer, stopping 29 of 30 shots from a Bulldogs roster that boasts five first-round National Hockey League draft picks.

Betts’ impressive performance earned praise from Frontenacs’ head coach Troy Mann, who noted, “Betts is a gamer. He just has so much drive and determination.” In the shootout, Betts demonstrated his skill by thwarting attempts from Caleb Malhotra, a top prospect for the 2026 NHL entry draft, and high-scoring Czech center Adam Benak.

With Betts holding strong, the Frontenacs only needed two shooters to secure victory. Center Aleks Kulemin scored by firing the puck through the five-hole of Bulldogs’ goaltender David Egorov, while Adam Kelly, a fourth-line winger who has yet to score this season, executed a clever deke to find the net. Mann explained his decision to select Kelly, highlighting his success in practice shootouts, stating, “Kelly scores in practice and he’s got skill.”

As the game unfolded, the Frontenacs faced a challenging start. Despite controlling play early and limiting the Bulldogs to one shot in the first eight minutes, Kingston fell behind due to a mistake from Betts. During a dump-in, Betts attempted to pass to defenseman Will Bishop but accidentally turned the puck over to Brantford winger Gabriel Frasca, who scored into an empty net. This goal marked the only tally for the Bulldogs on the night.

Despite this setback, Betts regained his composure, particularly during a demanding second period when the Bulldogs outshot the Frontenacs 15-3. He made several key saves, including stops on breakaways and impressive lateral movements. The Bulldogs seemed poised to secure the win, but the Frontenacs managed to equalize with just over 11 minutes left in regulation.

A breakout pass from Robin Kuzma set up Nolan Snyder, a 16-year-old rookie, who scored with a precise shot from the right wing, marking his tenth goal of the season. Mann praised Snyder’s effort, calling it “a goal-scorer’s goal,” and noted that Snyder’s line had been the best on the ice.

As the game approached its conclusion, additional drama unfolded. The Bulldogs had a goal by Edison Engle disallowed after a video review confirmed an offside call. Later, in overtime, a potential goal by Kulemin was also waved off due to another offside violation. The officials’ decisions left the crowd in disbelief, and Mann expressed relief that the team ultimately secured the two points, stating, “If that was waved off, well, not getting two points would have been pretty disappointing.”

The Frontenacs, who managed only six shots in the final 40 minutes of regulation, found their rhythm in overtime, recording seven shots, excluding the disallowed goal and a shot that hit the crossbar. This hard-fought victory provides a confidence boost for the young Kingston team as they prepare for their next matchup against the Owen Sound Attack on Friday.

Reflecting on the game, Mann said, “It was a great team win. Coming here, yesterday and today we talked about having belief in this team.” The Frontenacs’ triumph over the Bulldogs not only enhances their standings but also solidifies their belief in their potential as they aim for future successes in the Ontario Hockey League.