Forty saves from 17-year old Brett Brochu helped the London Knights to win their third game in a row on Friday night at Budweiser Gardens.
London defeated the Mississauga Steelheads 3-1 in the first game of 2020 for both teams.
Brochu kicked out 10 shots in the first period, 12 in the second period and then 19 more in the third period and was named the game’s first star.
Tonio Stranges scored the first goal of the game on a good read in the defensive zone. He saw Mississauga defenceman Thomas Harley caught deep in the London end and helped to create a 2-on-1 the other way.
Stranges then snapped a shot past Kai Edmonds in the Steelheads net for his 16th goal of the year, giving the Knights a 1-0 advantage through 20 minutes.
Avery Winslow sent a slick pass to the front of the Steelheads’ net and Nathan Dunkley got it across the goal line to make it 2-0 London at 5:16 of the second period. Ryan Merkley then set up Jonathan Gruden just under nine minutes later and the Knights led by three heading into the third.
Mississauga’s only goal came on a deflection in front of Brochu just past the midway mark of period three as Nick Isaacson redirected a puck across the London goal line.
The game was played in just two hours and 12 minutes and featured only six minor penalties and just three power play opportunities.
The Knights were 0-for-1 with the man advantage and killed off both Steelheads chances.
London will be in Flint on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
Evangelista off to Top Prospects Game
Luke Evangelista will be on the ice in Hamilton on January 16 in front of scouts and GMs taking notes for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft in June. The Knights first round pick in 2018 was added to the roster for the Top Prospects Game on Friday.
Evangelista admitted that he found out while scrolling through Twitter and Instagram as he was eating his pre-game meal ahead of a game against the Mississauga Steelheads. The second-year forward has 14 goals and 33 points in 35 games this season and will join teammate Tonio Stranges in the annual game that features the 40 top eligible draft prospects currently playing in the Canadian Hockey League.
Canada set to play Finland in World Junior semifinal
Canada’s semifinal opponent, Finland, has won the World Junior title more than any other country since 2014, having captured gold three times. After a 6-1 win over Slovakia on Thursday at the World Junior Hockey Championship, Canada will face the Finns with the winner advancing to the gold medal game on Sunday against either Sweden or Russia.
Finland was not considered a favourite coming into 2020 in Ostrava and Trinec, but they have mimicked a style that has drawn success in all kinds of international tournaments. They are are selfless, hard-working and extremely patient. Finland’s quarter-final victory over Team USA saw them score the only goal of the game 44 minutes and 23 seconds into it. Justus Annunen did the rest making 29 saves in the Finnish net.
This will be the second straight medal round meeting between the two countries. Finland beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in a quarter-final matchup a year ago.
Suspensions announced for Cole Tymkin and Corey Perry
The Ontario Hockey League has announced that Knights forward Cole Tymkin will serve an eight-game suspension for a hit on Isaac Langdon of the Kitchener Rangers in a game that took place at Budweiser Gardens on Dec. 28. Tymkin will be eligible to return to the London lineup on Jan. 19. The Rainy River, Ont., native is in his fourth season with the Knights and has 12 points in 33 games. He leads London in penalty minutes with 73.
In the National Hockey League, former Knight Corey Perry of the Dallas Stars has been handed a five-game suspension for a hit on Ryan Ellis of the Nashville Predators during the NHL’s Winter Classic on New Year’s Day in Texas.
Up next
The Knights head to Flint on Saturday for their third meeting against the Firebirds this season. Both teams have won in each other’s building. London knocked off Flint 4-1 on Nov. 30 in a game that saw Tonio Stranges score twice. The Firebirds defeated the Knights on November 15 to end a 7-0-1 run by London.
Coverage will begin at 6:30 on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca or on the Radioplayer Canada app.
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