If you were ticking off boxes on a checklist for the London Knights on Monday afternoon, you wouldn’t have to leave many empty.
They scored on the power play, killed off all five penalties they took, got solid stops from Joseph Raaymakers and yet another goal from Liam Foudy in a 3-1 victory over the Windsor Spitfires.
Foudy now has goals in seven straight games and 14 goals in his last 13 games. His empty-netter was his 20th on the season.
London won all three games they played on the Family Day long weekend.
The Knights have now picked up wins in six of their past seven games and sit three points ahead of the Owen Sound Attack for the fourth seed in the Western Conference. They have 11 games remaining in their regular season schedule.
The recent victories have opened up some space between the Knights and 6th place Saginaw and 7th place Guelph. London is six points ahead of the Spirit and eight ahead of the Storm, heading toward two home games next weekend against the Ottawa 67’s and the OHL-leading Soo Greyhounds.
How the goals were scored
The first one took just 46 seconds to find the back of the net, courtesy of Alex Formenton, who used six-foot seven-inch Windsor defenceman Lev Starikov as a screen, snapping a puck past the blocker of Vancouver Canucks’ prospect Michael DiPietro for a 1-0 London lead.
Evan Bouchard put the Knights ahead 2-0 at the 1:38 mark of the second period with an absolute blast from the middle of the blue line, on a power play that was set up by Nathan Dunkley.
Luka Boka got Windsor on the scoreboard with a seeing-eye snapshot at 7:41 of period two and the teams went to their dressing rooms with London leading 2-1 through 40 minutes.
London held off the Spitfires on three short-handed chances in the third period before Liam Foudy iced the game with his 20th goal of the year into an empty net with 58 seconds left.
Playoff spot
London’s victory over Windsor has technically locked up a playoff position for the Knights. The Erie Otters could technically still tie the Knights in total points, which in the Ontario Hockey League would force a one-game playoff. Of course, for that to happen, the Otters would have to win every one of their 11 remaining games and London would have to go winless.
Two of the best in net
Joseph Raaymakers of the Knights and Michael DiPetro of the Spitfires combined for 53 saves on Monday afternoon. Both are playing behind fairly young and inexperienced defence corps this season, which makes the numbers they are putting up even more impressive. Raaymakers ranks third in both goals against average and save percentage. DiPietro ranks fourth.
Up next
The Knights host the Ottawa 67’s on Friday, Feb. 23 at Budweiser Gardens. Ottawa has been picking up points like a sweatshirt picks up cat hair at your grandmother’s house. The 67’s have points in nine of their last 10 games and that has them back in the conversation for home-ice advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
Comments