Petes show depth with win over Frontenacs
With top scorers away, other lines strut their stuff at PMC
When a hockey team’s star players go quiet it’s good to have a backup plan.
The Peterborough Petes have had outstanding offensive production from players like Nick Robertson, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Liam Kirk, Declan Chisholm and rookie Mason McTavish. But on Tuesday night Chisholm was held off the scoresheet for the first time this season, ending a league-best 15game points streak; Robertson and Der-Arguchintsev didn’t register a point and McTavish was away at the World U17 Hockey Challenge.
Tied 3-3 after two periods against a Kingston Frontenacs team which had one win in 16 games, the Petes were looking for someone to step up. Brady Hinz’s second goal of the game broke the tie and rookie Keegan McMullen chipped in his second goal in as many games to secure a 5-3 win. Max Grondin had a goal and two assists and John Parker-Jones scored his second goal of the season.
It was the supporting cast that got it done.
“You don’t want to be a oneline team,” said Petes assistant coach Derrick Walser. “We’ve been trying to find ways to get other guys to contribute. We shuffled Liam Kirk down with Max and Parker-Jones the last two games and they’ve done well. McMullen is two-for-two the last two games and brings a lot of speed and energy. With the depth we have he hasn’t got into too many games to get that rhythm. He’s taking advantage with Avon and McTavish gone. He’s playing with Gallant and Hinz and it’s going to be tough to take him out of the lineup if he keeps playing that way.
“You’re taught to be a pro and when it’s your opportunity to leave it all out there and make it hard to take you out.”
McMullen said it feels good to contribute and to see others pick it up when the stars have an off night.
“It shows a lot about the depth of the team,” McMullen said. “Secondary scoring is going to be huge come late in the season and it shows how good our team is this year.”
Grondin said they know they can count on their offensive stars most nights but it’s important for others to step up, too.
“They step up most games,” said Grondin. “Maybe it wasn’t their game tonight but other guys stepped up which is good. We just keep battling.”
Grondin said the win was a testament to sticking with it.
“Their goalie was pretty good but we kept battling and getting pucks on net and came up with the win,” he said.
“You have to give Kingston credit,” said Walser. “They came out and brought it to us for a couple of shifts early on. We weathered that and got to our game plan and started doing our thing. You can’t look at a team’s record. You have to look at their effort. We know over the last four games they were averaging 35 to 36 shots which means they’re doing the right things and getting pucks to the net so your goaltender has to be ready.”
When the game was on the line Walser thought his team stepped up.
“The third was our best period and that was the difference. We played the right way and got goals we deserved,” he said.
The Petes (12-5-0) sit third in the Eastern Conference tied in points with the Ottawa 67’s who visit the PMC Sunday at 2 p.m. Before that the Petes will visit Kingston Friday night.