Two goals from Luke Evangelista and three assists by Connor McMichael helped the London Knights to knock off the Niagara Ice Dogs 6-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Back on home ice and playing for the third time in 48 hours, the Knights kept things simple and earned their second victory and fifth point out of six available over a jam-packed, three-day run.
“I hope it’s the turnaround that we needed,” London forward Billy Moskal said following the game. “We weren’t happy with a .500 record and getting five points is big in helping us to try to move up in the standings.”
The Knights got a goal from Evangelista in the first period and then another from the second-year forward in the second period. Defenceman Hunter Skinner connected on a power-play blast as well to send London into the third period ahead 3-1.
“For us to come out and play like we did after the overtime and shootout last night and then a long bus ride back, I thought we played great and had really good energy,” said Evangelista. He now has five goals and 11 assists through the first 12 games of this season.
His linemate Connor McMichael will merit consideration for OHL Player of the Week honours for a second time this season after recording eight points this weekend on four goals and four assists. McMichael, a Washington Capitals prospect, is averaging better than two points per game. He has 13 goals and 13 assists so far. Last year, McMichael had a similarly even 36 goals and 36 assists over the entire year.
The Knights blew things open in the third period with breakaway goals by Ryan Merkley and Matvey Guskov and Jonathan Gruden to Cole Tymkin bang-bang play at the net.
Ivan Lodnia scored both goals for the Ice Dogs. One came on a power play and the other came seconds after a Niagara man advantage had ended.
Brett Brochu picked up his sixth victory in net for London as he stopped 24 of 26 shots.
Christian Sbaraglia faced 28 shots in the Ice Dogs net.
London will host the Erie Otters at Budweiser Gardens on Friday, November 1.
Dylan Hunter, Max McCue and Brett Harrison head West
The Under-17 World Hockey Challenge happens between Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 in Medicine Hat, Alta., and Swift Current, Sask. Knights assistant coach Dylan Hunter will be with Team Black as an assistant to former Peterborough Petes boss Jody Hull. Knights forward Max McCue will play for Team Canada Black, which will also feature Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs and Wright’s former Don Mills teammate Brennan Othmann. The two went 1-2 in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. Londoner Brett Harrison who is off to a solid start with Oshawa will play for Team Canada White alongside Mason McTavish and Chase Stillman.
“I’m kind of at a loss for words. Getting a chance to play for Team Canada is going to be a great experience and I’m really looking forward to it.” London Knights forward Max McCue said on being selected to play at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge
Knights in October
The game against the Ice Dogs concluded the Knights October schedule. London only played eight times which will represent the lightest full month of their schedule in 2019-20. The Knights earned points in six of the eight, winning six times and losing in overtime to Owen Sound and in a shootout against the Erie Otters.
They will look back at big wins over Ottawa and Saginaw and the way the month ended as they picked up five of a possible six points playing three games in under 48 hours.
London will play 11 games in the month of November.
Howard rewarded with bigger role
Londoner Mason Howard was in tough to even make the Niagara Ice Dogs last season. He was a 10th round pick and the Ice Dogs quickly had seven defencemen who were 19 or 20 years old. Howard was 17. But the former Jr. Knight did make it and he appeared in 52 of 68 regular-season games and 9 of 11 playoff games. This year Howard is being counted on to fill the skates of some of those older D-men. Five of them have moved on. So far, it is working well. Howard has six points in 11 games and is logging big minutes with three new faces and new who played sparingly last year on the Niagara blue line.
Up next
London will see Erie for the third time this year as November begins. After splitting two pre-season games, London has gone in games against the Otters in the regular season. Luke Evangelista’s three assists led the Knights to a 6-2 victory over Erie on September 27 at Budweiser Gardens. The teams met on Oct. 26 in Pennsylvania and Erie prevailed in a wild game, 6-5 in a shootout.
The Knights will visit Oshawa on Nov. 3 at 6:05.
Both games can be heard on 980 CFPL, at http://www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
The pre-game show will start at 6:30 on November 1 live from Shoeless Joe’s on King Street in London.
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