Ruslan Gazizov scored a career-high four goals and Easton Cowan tied a Knights franchise record as London doubled up the Soo Greyhounds 6-3 at Budweiser Gardens on March 15.
Cowan had two assists which gave him at least one point in his 33rd consecutive game. That tied Dave Gilmore’s club record for the longest point streak set back in 1993-94.
Gazizov came just one goal shy of the Knights record for most goals in a game. Denis Maruk, Dave Lowry, Tim Taylor, Ron Goodall, Corey Perry and Josh Beaulieu all share that record with five.
Gazizov got the Knights off to a quick start with his 31st and 32nd goals of the season that both came on power plays inside the first eight minutes and 23 seconds of the game.
Londoner Brodie McConnell-Barker got the Greyhounds on the scoreboard with a sneaky backhand in tight at 17:30 of the first period.
Gazizov cashed in twice more in the second period as he first chipped a puck past a defender and then won the race to it and ripped a shot past Greyhounds goalie Charlie Schenkel to complete his third hat trick of the season at the 3:04 mark.
Later in the period Easton Cowan set up Gazizov for his fourth goal of the night and in doing so tied Dave Gilmore’s record for longest point streak ever by a London player at 33 games and London led 4-2 through 40 minutes.
Cowan wasn’t finished there as he threaded a backhand pass to Jacob Julien going to the net just 1:11 into the third period to put the Knights ahead 5-2.
Londoner Bryce McConnell-Barker joined his brother with a hometown goal to tighten things to 5-3 with just under five minutes remaining in regulation time, but Landon Sim of the Knights took a big hit to get the puck out of the London zone where Max McCue caught it at the Sault Ste. Marie blue line and eventually got it to Kaleb Lawrence for his fifth goal in four games and the final one of the night as the game ended 6-3.
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London was 3-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Michael Simpson made 33 saves in the Knight net as the Greyhounds outshot London 36-31.
Ex-Knights continue to propel UNB Reds
The perfect season at the University of New Brunswick has reached the national semifinals. The UNB Reds shut out former Knight Cole Tymkin and the Brock Badgers 4-0 on March 16 to keep their undefeated run intact. UNB went 30-0 in the regular season and then swept their way through the Atlantic University playoffs.
Cody Morgan, who played in London in 2021-22, scored once of the four UNB goals against the Badgers. Former Knight Jason Willms had an assist. Last year’s co-captain in London, Sean McGurn, along with Camaryn Baber who played on the 21-22 Knights are also a part of this year’s UNB squad.
The Reds will face the Toronto Metropolitain University Bold in one of Saturday’s semis. UQTR will meet McGill in the other semi.
Up next
The Knights will play their final road game on St. Patrick’s Day against the Spitfires in Windsor.
London is 4-0 against the Spitfires this season. After making it to Game 7 of the OHL Championship series in 2022 and then finishing in first place in the Western Conference last year, the Spitfires are in a rebuild in 2023-24.
Windsor will miss the OHL post-season for the first time since 2014-15.
Coverage will start at 3:30 p.m., on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
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