The London Knights stepped onto the ice to start the period down two goals.
They left the ice at the end of the third period ahead by two.
If you are wondering what happened, it’s simple.
Luke Evangelista happened.
The Knights captain scored twice and assisted on two others as London scored four goals in the final 20 minutes to come back and defeat the Saginaw Spirit 5-3 at the Dow Event Centre in Saginaw, Mich.
Evangelista also netted his fourth empty net goal in three games and stayed on pace for a 60-goal season. The Oakville, Ont., native now has 34 goals in 32 games to lead all Ontario Hockey League players.
London had a power play opportunity that carried into the third period, but the final 20 seconds of it were negated by a Knights penalty that gave Saginaw a chance on the man advantage.
But one minute and 30 seconds later it was London that took advantage sparked by Evangelista. He pushed the puck down the left wing side of the ice and fought his way into the Spirit zone, cut to the net and one-handed his 33rd goal of the season around New York Islander goaltending prospect Tristan Lennox to cut the Saginaw lead to 3-2.
Just 1:38 later, Evangelista was back in the Spirit end with the puck on his stick. He snapped a shot off Lennox that deflected up in the air and was batted home by Cody Morgan for his 15th goal of the season and a 3-3 tie.
The teams sat even through to a promotional timeout at the halfway point of the third. The rest allowed Knights head coach Dale Hunter to keep the line of Evangelista, Sean McGurn and Tonio Stranges on the ice and as they puck dropped they went to work. The trip got the puck into the Spirit zone where Evangelista found Stranges in the slot and the Dallas Stars draft pick ripped home the eventual game winner.
With the goalie pulled late in the game, Evangelista grabbed a puck and from his own zone found the back of the empty net to finish the scoring.
Denver Barkey got the scoring started with the third goal of his OHL career just 6:22 into the game as he rifled home a feed from behind the net from Ben Bujold. It was the first time the most recent two first-round picks of the Knights had combined on a goal.
Saginaw defenceman Mitchell Smith tied the game on a 5-on-3 power play at 11:02 of the first period after London was assessed two penalties on the same play.
Tyler Wong banged in a rebound to make it 2-1 Spirit later in the period and Smith’s second goal of the game just 49 seconds into the second period built the 3-1 Saginaw lead that they would carry into the final 20 minutes.
Brett Brochu made 28 saves in goal for London.
The Knights were missing Logan Mailloux due to injury and seven other players who were held out of the lineup due to COViD-19 related border restrictions.
The win was the Knights’ fourth in a row and improved their road record to 13-4.
The game was the first between London and the Spirit in more than two years.
Points in bunches
Over the past 11 games, when Tonio Stranges has picked up a point he has always picked up another one. Or a bunch.
Stranges has six multi-point games in that stretch. The Plymouth, Mich., native has recorded two points three times, three points twice and had a four-point game against the Kitchener Rangers on Jan. 9. Stranges now has 12 goals and 39 points in 30 games.
He spent last season with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League where Stranges appeared in nine games as an 18-year old after being selected in the fourth round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.
Knights back in CHL top-10
The London Knights returned to the weekly CHL rankings for the first time since December. London has been as high as #2 overall. This week they re-enter at #9 and join the Hamilton Bulldogs as the only two Ontario Hockey League teams in the top 10.
The Western Hockey League’s Winnipeg Ice sit #1 while the Everett Silvertips (WHL) and the Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL) round out the top three.
Up next
The Knights will be away from Budweiser Gardens until Wednesday, Feb. 16. They will visit the Kitchener Rangers on Friday, Feb. 11, and then take on the Spitfires in Windsor, Ont., the next night.
London is 5-0 against the Rangers this year after a four-goal outburst in the third period on Feb. 5 lifted them to a 6-3 victory. Luke Evangelista scored into an empty net for his 30th goal in his 30th game.
The Knights have a 4-1 record against the Spitfires which includes a decisive 5-1 win on Feb. 4 in London, Ont.
Coverage of both games can be heard on 980 CFPL. at www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
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