It was a pitcher’s duel through two periods and a home run derby in the third.
The London Knights outlasted the Saginaw Spirit 6-5 on Monday at Budweiser Gardens in a game that saw the teams combine to score eight times in the third period.
Luke Evangelista and Tonio Stranges each scored twice for the Knights while Dean Loukus and Luke McNamara netted a pair apiece for the Spirit. Evangelista and Stranges each had a pair of assists in the game as well.
After London forward Sean McGurn scored 1:07 into the game and Loukus tied the game for Saginaw later in the first period it was Evangelista who set up Stranges for the only goal of the second period to make it 2-1 Knights and give Stranges 60 points on the season.
The flurry of the third period saw both teams score four goals each.
Denver Barkey started the avalanche by converting a pass from former Spirit captain Camaryn Baber to make it 3-1 and give London what felt like breathing room. It ended up being more like a half gasp as McNamara brought Saginaw back within one just 28 seconds later.
Evangelista stole a puck in centre ice and went in alone where he deked and scored his league-leading 46th goal of the year and restored a two-goal advantage for the Knights.
It took Saginaw a span of exactly 15 seconds to take that lead away. Loukus and Sebastien Gervais got goals at 8:42 and 8:57 of the third period and the game sat 4-4 until a London power play gave Evangelista a chance to pick a corner for his 47th goal of the season.
Stranges gave London a final two-goal cushion with his 23rd of the season before McNamara made the final 30 seconds interesting with his fourth.
London appeared to score into an empty net twice but both were waved off because the Knights were ruled offside.
Time ticked down after that and London walked off the ice with their second win in roughly 28 hours to complete a run of six games in nine days.
The game featured two goalies who came into the game with a combined 283 minutes of OHL experience. Owen Willmore of the Knights and Brett Fullerton of the Spirit each faced 28 shots.
Willmore earned his second OHL win in as many days.
Brett Brochu Injury update
The Knights confirmed on Monday that goaltender Brett Brochu underwent a minor surgical procedure to address the lower body injury he sustained in a game against the Kitchener Rangers on March 8 in Kitchener, Ont.
Brochu is listed as week to week but the expectation is that he will be able to return before the playoffs.
Willmore joins the club
There is a long list of goalies who have played in London, Ont., in the past decade who won their first start in a Knights uniform.
Owen Willmore joined it on March 13 when he made 17 saves in Sarnia, Ont., in a 4-2 victory over the Sting. It’s an accomplishment he shares with both Brett Brochu and Owen Flores, the two keepers who he currently shares the crease with in London.
However the list extends beyond this year. Jordan Kooy won his first start for the Knights. So did Anthony Stolarz, now with the Anaheim Ducks and his former goaltending partner with the Knights, Jake Patterson.
The final name is Michael Houser who made 42 saves on 44 shots in a 4-2 win over the Windsor Spitfires.
Thanking front-line workers
The London Knights partnered with Finch Auto Group and London Health Sciences Centre to bring 1300 front-line workers and family members of front-line workers to the game between the Knights and the Spirit.
The gesture was made as a thank you for the work each of them has done over the past two years. All 1,300 were honoured with an ovation at the 10-minute mark of the first period by the rest of the fans in attendance at Budweiser Gardens.
Up next
London’s run of 15 games in 30 days continues on Wednesday when the Knights visit the Storm in Guelph, Ont.
The season series between the teams is 11 games long this year and so far the Storm have won five of the eight games the teams have played.
London won the most recent one in a shootout on March 2 and have actually beaten Guelph three times in the past four meetings.
Both teams will be coming off a win after Guelph came back to defeat the Erie Otters 4-3 on March 14.
Coverage will begin at 6:30 on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
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