Sproule sets point-streak record

After falling behind 5-0, Petes claw back to tie game only to end up losing by a 6-5 count

The Peterborough Petes rallied from a five-goal deficit, Emmett Sproule set a new team record and 1,070 teddy bears were collected for charity, but it wasn’t enough to get a victory.

After rallying from a 5-0 deficit, the Petes were on the verge of something special when Paul Ludwinski’s goal with 7:57 left spoiled the storyline, giving the Kingston Frontenacs a 6-5 win before a season-high 2,611 fans at the Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Sproule picked up two assists to extend his OHL-high points streak to a new Petes record of 20 games, eclipsing the mark set in 2019-20 by Nick Robertson and equalled by Mike Ricci in 1988-89. The OHL doesn’t track points streaks prior to 1997-98. Ricci held the OHL record for scoring a goal in 19 consecutive games.

The Petes, short two forwards due to a slew of illness and injury, are 0-4-1 against Kingston this season and 8-11-1 overall after seeing a three-game winning streak snapped. Kingston won its third in a row to improve to 12-5-3.

Reigning OHL goalie-of-the-week Tye Austin lasted just 24:05, allowing five goals on 16 shots. Michael Simpson took over and stopped 14 of 15 shots, while the Petes fired 42 at rookie goalie Aidan Spooner.

Despite the outcome, Sproule was pleased to set the record, assisting on Joe Carroll’s second goal of the game on a four-minute power play. Carroll one-timed his pass, cutting the deficit to 5-3.

“It’s something special I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Sproule said. “There are a lot of great players who had the record before like Nick Robertson and Eric Staal and Ricci. It’s pretty cool.”

It’s just too bad, he said, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

“We showed some heart and dedication,” Sproule said. “It was a tough one. Kingston just has our number this year. I’m sure we’re going to get them the next time.”

Petes coach Rob Wilson wasn’t happy with a lot of what led to the deficit but he said he can’t ignore the way his crew fought back either.

“I said after the first we can let this go two ways,” Wilson said. “We can let a good night like the Teddy Bear Toss run one way or we can actually go out and fight and whatever happens, happens. They responded the right way. They fought and scrapped and clawed their way back and I have to give them full credit because it’s not easy to do.

“We’re so banged up and I’m not trying to make excuses, but guys are playing way too many minutes and they’re still fighting.”

The Petes fired seven of the game’s first eight shots on net before Kingston scored four goals in a 4:38 span.

Shane Wright put a wicked wrist shot by Austin’s glove and Lucas Edmonds, who had three points, buried Jordan Frasca’s two-on-one pass 60 seconds apart. Francesco Arcuri capitalized on a Sam Alfano turnover and Martin Chromiak drilled a slapshot past Austin on a power play. Austin’s night came to an end when Frasca put a shot through his legs 4:05 into the second period.

Carroll set off the shower of teddy bears when he scored on a wraparound 5:32 later.

The Petes host the Mississauga Steelheads on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.