The best ABC Afterschool Special authors of the 80s would have had trouble scripting it any better.
St. Thomas, Ont., native Owen Willmore earned his first win in his first start for the London Knights and helped them to end a couple of streaks on Sunday afternoon in Sarnia, Ont.
Willmore stopped 17 Sting shots to lead London to a 4-2 victory in a game that he had to leave due to a minor medical emergency in the third period (a cut on the back of his leg) and return to a close call. Willmore hit the side of his own net with a clearing attempt meant to go around it. The move could have put Sarnia ahead.
The highs and lows of an After School Special at its best.
They were amped even higher by a game winner courtesy of London forward Sean McGurn that came with 22.1 seconds remaining in regulation time.
“I’m a local kid who grew up around here watching (the Knights) and all that they have done,” said Willmore. “It’s just an amazing experience.”
Willmore backstopped the Knights to a 2-0 lead through two periods of play on goals by Kirill Steklov and Camaryn Baber. However things got interesting early in the third period when Sarnia cut into that lead with a deflection by Nolan Burke on a power play into the London net at 2:22.
Thirty seconds later big Boston Bruins prospect Ryan Mast welcomed Willmore to the OHL when he ran into him at the end of a rush down the right-wing side of the ice.
Unbeknown to the 3620 fans at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena, Willmore got hurt on the play but stayed in the game until after the 10-minute mark when a promotional timeout saw him bolt to the Knights dressing room.
“When I got bulldozed (Mast’s) skate got caught behind me. It was just a scratch but it was bleeding and I was just making sure it was all good,” Willmore admitted.
When he left the game it was 2-1. When he returned to the net the game was tied. Marko Sikic converted a bang-bang play into the slot for Sarnia. Suddenly the Knights needed another goal to end the Sting’s five-game winning streak against them and a four-game losing streak overall.
It came in London’s fifth game in eight days when McGurn directed an Evangelista pass underneath San Jose Sharks draft pick Ben Gaudreau on a power play. McGurn was tripped to send the Knights to the man advantage.
Baber finished the scoring — into an empty net with 2.5 seconds left.
“We did a lot of things things right,” said London assistant coach Dylan Hunter. “We readjusted some things. You see the streak and everyone’s shoulders are down and you’ve got to come out of it. We have good leaders in the room and just have to hit a stride.”
London outshot Sarnia 35-19.
The Knights head home to face Saginaw on Monday night.
The fastest of the fast
Luke Evangelista’s goal just seven seconds into the second period against the Flint Firebirds on March 11 sparked conversation and a few Google searches around Budweiser Gardens. What is the record for the fastest goal ever scored by the Knights to begin a period? The answer is four seconds. The record holder is Doug Synishin. The date was Nov. 3, 1989 against the Niagara Falls Thunder.
“It was the third period and their centre tried to go ahead with the puck and missed and ended up beihind me,” remembers Synishin. “I took a couple of strides and wound up. I sent a knuckleball that went right through (the goalie’s) legs. Of course when I tell my buddies it went top shelf.”
Mike DePetrillo holds the record for fastest goal to begin a game at just six seconds. DePetrillo set that mark on Nov. 1, 1996 against the Barrie Colts.
Coaching change in Oshawa
Stuck in a seven-game losing streak the Oshawa Generals have decided to part ways with head coach Todd Miller. The Generals have been outscored 46-17 over that span and general manager Roger Hunt stated, “We feel our team is underperforming right now.
Hunt added, “We all think the group can benefit from a different voice down in the room.”
That voice will be split between assistant coaches Kurtis Foster and Mike Heddon who are expected to serve as co-coaches for the rest of 2021-22.
Miller spent four seasons as a player in the OHL with Sarnia, Sault Ste. Marie, Owen Sound and North Bay.
Up next
The Knights will complete six games in nine days on Monday, March 14, when they return home to host the Saginaw Spirit. London defeated Saginaw 5-3 when Tonio Stranges scored the game winner of the last meeting between the teams on Feb. 9. The Knights erased a 3-1 Spirit lead in the third period.
That is the only game the clubs have played this year. They will see each other a total of four times over London’s final 16 games.
Coverage will start at 6:30 on 980 CFPL, at http://www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
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