Robert Thomas had a career night as the London Knights won their third straight game, 8-2 over the Flint Firebirds at Budweiser Gardens on Friday.
The first-round pick of the St. Louis Blues scored four goals and added two assists as the Knights continued to grow their offensive confidence, pressuring the Firebirds with their speed from start to finish.
London was back at home for the first time since an October 15 overtime loss to Owen Sound that saw the Knights score three goals in the third period to earn a point and they seemed to pick up where that game and games in Kitchener and Mississauga last weekend left off.
Thomas and linemates, Sam Miletic and Alex Formenton combined for five of the eight goals, while Tim Fallowfield and Billy Moskal recorded their first goals in the Ontario Hockey League and the Knights picked up their first win of the season on home ice.
Joseph Raaymakers picked up his first win for his new team in London, in front of a large contingent from his hometown of Chatham. Raaymakers made 22 saves and is now 3-0 in the Knight net.
How the goals were scored
If you blinked too much, you might have missed the opening goal of the game. Sam Miletic raced down the left-wing side of the ice and fed a pass into the slot to Thomas. In continuous motion. Thomas took the pass off his skate to his stick, made a move and flipped a shot into the top corner of the Flint net, over the shoulder of Garrett Forrest.
Thomas played set-up man on London’s second goal as he found Alex Formenton for his first goal of the year. Formenton began the season in the National Hockey League with the Ottawa Senators and showed off an NHL release on a shot that beat Forrest on the short side.
Cliff Pu signed his first NHL contract during the week leading up to the game and he celebrated it with a power-play goal before the first period had ended. Shane Collins stepped up at the right point to hold a puck in and got it to Formenton on the left side of the Firebirds’ zone. Formenton found Evan Bouchard down low and he fed Pu in front for his second goal of the season and a 3-0 London lead through 20 minutes.
Flint got on the board just over three minutes into the second period as 2017 first-round pick, Ethan Keppen scored his fifth goal of the season on a delayed penalty call, cutting London’s lead to 3-1.
Thomas got that back on a rush down the right side as he crossed the blue line and ripped a wrist shot off the post and in to restore the Knights’ three-goal lead.
After a Nic Mattinen goal was ruled off-side and disallowed, London took advantage and Billy Moskal scored his first Ontario Hockey league goal as he was set up in front by Thomas and Formenton.
Thomas completed the hat trick on a power play with a shot that hit the back bar and came right out. It was signalled a goal, reviewed and counted and gave Thomas five points in the game through two periods.
Another Mattinen blast found the back of the net off the stick of Nicholas Caamano and the teams went to their dressing rooms at the end of two periods with the Knights leading 6-2.
Flint replaced Forrest with 16-year old, Luke Cavallin to start the final period and Tim Fallowfield put the puck past him at 9:09 for the St. Thomas native’s first OHL goal.
With two games still to come this weekend. Thomas, Formenton and Miletic didn’t see many shifts in the third period, but combined on a final goal for London. The puck went from Miletic to Formenton to Thomas and he batted in his fourth goal of the game and ninth goal of the season to complete the scoring at 8-2.
A Robert-sized sombrero
Every hat-trick scored by a Knights’ player brings a sombrero out of the crowd courtesy of Sharon and Dick Hoos. Robert Thomas now owns one after his hat-trick-plus-one. It was the first time Thomas had scored three goals in a game, let alone four. He had two goals and three assists in a game against Flint in the 2016-17 season.
Line of stars
The line of Thomas, Formenton and Miletic swept the three stars. Thomas had six points, Formenton had a goal and three assists for a four-point night and Miletic had four assists.
Hit of the game
Nic Mattinen is one of the most solidly built players in the OHL. Before the game, some of his former teammates commented that he looked as though he had grown since being traded to the Firebirds. As he carried the puck through centre ice in the third period, Cole Tymkin stepped up and knocked Mattinen over with a solid check.
Mete to stay in Montreal
London Knights’ defenceman, Victor Mete, is now a Montreal Canadiens’ defenceman. He heard the magic words from Montreal GM, Marc Bergevin on Friday to “Get a place.” Mete was one of 28 former Knights to begin the year on NHL rosters.
Up next
The Knights will play two afternoon road games before Monday comes. They will be in Hamilton on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. and then in Guelph 24 hours later to face the Storm. You can hear both games begin at 3:30 on both Saturday and Sunday on AM980, at http://www.am980.ca
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