The London Knights began their first-round series with a shutout and they ended it with a shutout.
Brett Brochu made 23 saves and Ryan Winterton and Logan Mailloux each scored twice as London downed the Attack 5-0 in Owen Sound, Ont., on April 6.
The game started out tentatively on both sides but that changed just past the halfway mark of the first period, when the expression ‘cutting the tension with a knife’ was modified by Max McCue.
McCue obliterated the tension with a massive body check. Not exactly the same ring to it but it was a game-changing hit.
After that tentative start from both sides, McCue levelled Attack captain Colby Barlow after Barlow lost the puck in his feet inside his own blue line. Barlow left the game and did not return.
That hit led to McCue being instigated upon by Taos Jordan. That led to a London power play and Winterton scored his second goal of the playoffs to open the scoring.
Barlow had been ejected for hitting Isaiah George from behind in Game 3. Barlow left the game.
George did not play in Game 4 for the Knights and that led London to move back to a conventional lineup featuring six defencemen and 12 forwards.
That allowed Connor Federkow to make his OHL playoff debut for the Knights and he made it count. Federkow took a pass from Ryan Humphrey and scored with 14.5 seconds remaining in the first period and sent London to the dressing room ahead 2-0.
Overage goaltender Nick Chenard replaced Corbin Votary in the Owen Sound net to begin the second period.
The Knights limited the Attack to five shots in the second period and got a fantastic save from Brett Brochu in the final minute of the second when he robbed Ethan Burroughs of Owen Sound while the Attack were on a power play. That allowed London to take their 2-0 lead into the final 20 minutes.
Mailloux got the benefit of an own goal by the Attack just 1:58 into the thirds period as he pushed the puck toward the front of the Owen Sound net and defenceman James Petrovski inadvertently swept the puck into his own net to make it 3-0.
Winterton’s second of the game and third goal in two games came on another power play at 3:34 and then as the Attack began to take frustration-induced penalties Mailloux converted on another man advantage to finish the scoring and give the Knights a 5-0 lead.
Mailloux ended the game with two goals and two assists and Winterton had two goals and also added an assist for London.
Easton Cowan had three assists in the game for the Knights.
London outshot the Attack 36-23.
Knights earn series sweep
The Knights completed their fifth first round sweep in their past 10 seasons when they knocked out Owen Sound in four consecutive games on April 6. London is 8-2 overall in the first round going back to 2012. They have a record of 17-6 in all playoff series in that span and have won three OHL titles and a Memorial Cup championship over that time.
Waterloo takes Game 1 of U-16 Alliance final
OHL Priority Selection prospect Brady Martin scored twice as the Waterloo Wolves defeated the London Jr. Knights 4-1 to open the U16 Alliance final on Wednesday, April 5.
Ryan Roobroeck, London’s top OHL Priority Selection prospect, scored the Jr. Knights lone goal. The first team to get to six points will win the series and the title. Game 2 will be played Saturday, April 8 in Waterloo, Ont.
Up next
The Kitchener Rangers.
For the second year in a row the Knights and Rangers will meet in the playoffs.
This time it will happen in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Kitchener became the first 8th seed to sweep a top seed as they took care of the Windsor Spitfires in four straight games.
The Rangers edged London in overtime in seven games in 2022.
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