The London Knights and Ottawa 67’s have played 135 minutes of regulation and overtime hockey against each other in the 2022-23 season.
They have scored two goals.
Combined.
But the level of entertainment in two Knights shootout victories has been off the charts.
London edged Ottawa 2-1 in a shootout on Friday night at TD Place in Ottawa, Ont.
The Knights edged the 67’s 1-0 in another shootout on Dec. 9 in London, Ont.
Ruslan Gazizov scored the game-winner in the fourth round but saves made by Knights rookie goaltender Zach Bowen in the shootout and in regulation earned him first star honours playing in his hometown.
Bowen grew up just outside Ottawa, Ont., in Kanata, and made 28 stops in the first 65 minutes of the game.
He made a game-saving stop in the third round of the shootout on 67’s sniper Vinzenz Rohrer in Rohrer’s return to the lineup from injury. London forward Ryan Winterton then scored to extend the shootout and Bowen then made a save on Will Gerrior to open the door for Gazizov’s finish.
The only shot to beat Bowen during the game was a rebound off a Brady Stonehouse shot that went right to Matthew Mayich at 4:58 of the third period. That tied the game 1-1.
The Knights had led from the 5:30 mark of the first period.
Denver Barkey won seven of the eight faceoffs he took in the opening period. He won back-to-back draws to Alec Leonard in the Ottawa zone and twice Leonard got a hard shot off. The first time it was stopped and held by 67’s goalie Max Donoso. On the second shot Leonard went post and in to give that London a 1-0 lead.
London almost won the game twice before the shootout even happened.
Barkey fed a pass to Brody Crane with 14.7 seconds left in the third period and then with seconds ticking down to zero in overtime Easton Cowan fought his way to the net and got a shot away that Max Donoso of the 67’s saved.
Ottawa outshot London 28-25.
The win improved the Knights road record to 15-4.
Bowen has now won nine consecutive games.
Levin leading the way at U20s
London Knights and St. Thomas Stars forward Mike Levin is playing for Israel at the Division III World Junior Hockey Championship and he is a big reason why Israel might find themselves moving up a division after the tournament is over.
Through two games, Levin has five goals and three assists for eight points. He has scored two short-handed goals and has been a finisher for a team that has the early lead atop their group. Israel defeated South Africa 16-1 and then Bulgaria 8-0. They will finish their round-robin schedule against Turkey on Jan. 29.
Levin was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and moved to Toronto with his family in 2012.
Pride night in Ottawa, Ont.
The Ottawa 67’s hosted Pride Night as they took on the London Knights. The 67’s wore jerseys designed by Mio Linzie who has created pieces of art that have been used in the National Hockey League, the Premier Hockey Federation and now the OHL. Linzie stated at www.ottawa67s.com that the flower-like look to the logo is meant to have meaning.
“It’s not stuck in a box. It can be out and explore, it’s a metaphor for the queer community. I wanted it to feel like that,” said Linzie.
Up next
London will finish their three-game road trip in Kingston, Ont., on Saturday night.
The Knights and Frontenacs have not played each other in a game since Feb. 15, 2020. Kingston is the only team London has not played to this point in 2022-23.
Coverage will start at 6:30 on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.