A classic lesson was on display at Budweiser Gardens on Friday night: never leave a junior hockey game early.
The Oshawa Generals held on for a 4-2 win over the London Knights, but the final 7:18 would have had action movie stars like The Rock or Steven Seagal or even Sylvester Stallone feeling envious.
With his team trailing 3-0 at that moment, Knights head coach Dale Hunter pulled London goalie Joseph Raaymakers for an extra attacker and a 6-on-5 advantage. The move seemed to throw some confusion into Oshawa. Billy Moskal immediately won a faceoff and the Knights worked the puck around the Generals’ zone until a backhanded whack by Matvey Guskov put the puck past Oshawa goaltender Kyle Keyser to get London on the board.
Just over four minutes later, with London just finishing a power play and the goalie pulled again, Tonio Stranges grabbed a loose puck and ripped a wrist shot high and in to cut the Generals’ lead to a goal.
Time continued to wind down and the Knights pulled Raaymakers for a third time, hoping for a charm. It didn’t happen. Falling over from just inside his blue line, Oshawa’s Eric Henderson flipped the puck down the ice and found the empty net to seal the win for the Generals.
The Knights now sit at 4-4-1 on the season and have very little time to rest, as the Kitchener Rangers come to London for a 3:30 puck drop at Budweiser Gardens on Saturday.
The Knights outshot the Generals 33-31 in the games.
How the goals were scored
The largest smile of the night came very early in the game. Dylan Robinson of the Oshawa Generals banged in the rebound after Knights goalie Joseph Raaymakers had stopped a Nando Eggenberger shot for his first goal in the Ontario Hockey League.
Eggenberger got his stick on a Mitchell Brewer shot in the second period that Raaymakers was ready to take up high, only to have it deflect down and in. The play was reviewed to make sure Eggenberger’s stick was below the crossbar, but the goal stood and Oshawa led 2-0.
Bruions’ prospect Jack Studnicka put the Generals ahead 3-0 as he converted on a penalty shot at 8:57 and that score held until London pulled the goalie 12 minutes and 42 seconds into period three.
Matvey Guskov’s third goal and Tonio Stranges’ fourth goal closed the gap to one, but Eric Henderson’s empty-netter finished the scoring on the night.
Evangelista to represent Canada
Hockey Canada unveiled their 66-player selection roster for the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge in Quispamsis and Saint John New Brunswick in early December. Knights forward Luke Evangelista will play on one of the Team Canada squads. Canada is divided into a Team Red, Team Black and Team White for the tournament.
Evangelista was London’s first round pick, 14th overall, in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.
Wellwood named head coach of Firebirds
A week ago, Ryan Oulahen informed the Flint Firebirds that he was stepping down as head coach for family and personal reasons. On Thursday, October 18, Flint announced that another former OHLer, Eric Wellwood, will assume the position. Wellwood played 31 games in the NHL before his career was ended by injuries.
He was part of the Windsor Spitfires’ back-to-back Memorial Cup championship teams in 2009 and 2010 and was an assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals when they won the Memorial Cup in 2015. Most recently, he was the head coach of the OUA’s Windsor Lancers.
Hough suspended
The Ontario Hockey League has handed down its first lengthy suspension of 2018-19. Kingston Frontenacs forward Cameron Hough received a 15-game ban for a hit from behind on Erie defenceman Brendan Kischnick. Hough is seen on video cross-checking Kischnick once and then again before he hit the ice. Kischnick was taken off the ice on a stretcher. Hough was given a five minute major penalty and a game misconduct and has now received the longest suspension that the OHL has delivered over the past three seasons.
Up next
The Knights will be back on home ice on Saturday afternoon as they play the Kitchener Rangers for the first time this season. Kitchener started off hot with three straight wins and points in their first four games, After dropping three of four, they shut out the Guelph Storm 5-0 on Friday night.
Puck drop is 3:30 at Budweiser Gardens. Coverage will start at 3 p.m. on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
London will be in Sarnia for a 2 p.m. game on Sunday.
Comments