Adam Boqvist figures the last time he scored four goals in a single game was when he was about 10 years old.
On Tuesday in Windsor, Boqvist managed to repeat the feat in a key playoff game against Ontario Hockey League competition to help the London Knights to a 6-3 victory over the Spitfires.
The Falun, Sweden native and Chicago Blackhawks first-rounder scored the first four London goals of the game and accounted for all of the Knights’ scoring with a goaltender in the opposing crease. Liam Foudy and Alex Formenton added empty-netters late to seal the win and a three-nothing series lead, with Game 4 on Thursday at the WFCU Centre.
“It’s huge to see the team win,” said Boqvist. “It’s great to get it to build more confidence. We didn’t play very well in the first period but we went into the locker room and looked in the mirror and came back out and got the win.”
London assistant coach Dylan Hunter marvelled at the fact that three of the four goals by Boqvist came on the power play and yet he scored each one in a different way.
Hunter admitted the coaching staff has been asking Boqvist to put his shot there. Four goals may have him trying it again.
Windsor head coach Trevor Letowski had said that his team needed to play like the game could be their last, and they did.
The Spitfires scored two goals in the second period to climb in front 3-2. Windsor had held a 19-0-1-1 record when leading after 40 minutes but could not keep the Knights off the scoreboard and could not beat Jordan Kooy, who made 25 saves for his third win of the playoffs.
London went three-for-six on the power play and four-for-four on the penalty kill.
The Knights put 13 pucks on the Spitfires’ net in the third period and outshot Windsor 29-28 in the game.
The goals
Windsor took their first lead in the series with the first goal of the game at 14:36 in the first period. Rookie Will Cuylle knocked in a rebound in front of the net to make it 1-0 for the Spitfires.
The Knights tied the game on a power play as Formenton fought through a check and dropped a pass back to Boqvist, who wristed it past Windsor goalie Colton Incze at 19:10 to tie the game.
Boqvist scored to make it 2-1 on another London power play 5:21 into the second period. Evan Bouchard assisted on that goal as well, giving him nine points in the OHL playoffs. He and Nate Schnarr of the Guelph Storm are tied for the lead in points through three games.
Tyler Angle tied the game 2-2 on a short-handed goal later in the second, and then Louka Henault wristed a shot into the top corner of the Knight net to put the Spitfires ahead 3-2 through 40 minutes.
Boqvist completed his hat trick at 8:09 on another London man advantage and then got the game winner with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.
Foudy and Formenton added empty-net goals inside the final 90 seconds to complete the scoring.
Evan Bouchard named OHL Player of the Week
With seven goals and five assists in two games to begin the playoffs, the London Knights captain took home Player of the Week honours in the OHL. He scored or assisted on seven of the nine goals London scored in winning the first two games of their Western Conference quarterfinal series with Windsor. Bouchard followed that up with assists on the first two London goals in Game 3. The Oakville native began the year with the Edmonton Oilers, after Edmonton selected him 10th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
In the other series
The Guelph Storm moved to within a win of the second round by beating the Kitchener Rangers 6-3. Nick Suzuki had two goals and an assist in the game. Fellow Londoner Isaac Ratcliffe chipped in a goal and an assist.
Ottawa is now ahead of Hamilton by the same 3-0 margin. They held on for a tight 2-1 victory in Hamilton on Tuesday.
Saginaw pushed Sarnia to the brink by beating the Sting 6-1. Six different players scored for the Spirit.
Peterborough returned home and picked up the first win of their series with Oshawa, beating the Generals 3-2. Oshawa leads two games to one overall.
Niagara goalie Stephen Dhillon recorded his second shutout in three games as the IceDogs blanked the Battalion 6-0 in North Bay. Niagara outshot the Battalion 51-20 in the game.
Sudbury will have a chance to eliminate the Mississauga Steelheads on Wednesday night. The Wolves lead three games to none.
Sault Ste. Marie will take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 against the Attack on Wednesday in Owen Sound.
Up next
London and Windsor will play Game 4 on Thursday night at the WFCU Centre.
The puck will drop at 7:05 p.m. Coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. on 980 CFPL, at http://www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
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