It was another busy weekend of hockey for the London Knights, but when all was said and done, they remained tied for first place in the Ontario Hockey League.
On Friday night, they welcomed the Erie Otters to Budweiser Gardens, in a battle for league supremacy. On a goal from Dylan Strome with less than 30 seconds left in regulation, the Otters edged the Knights 5-3 (empty net goal).
After the heartbreaking loss, the London Knights headed to Owen Sound missing 8 regulars, to play a team that had won 15 games in a row. Things weren’t looking good. And they especially weren’t promising midway through the second period, when they found themselves down 5-1 to the Attack.
But the Knights didn’t go away. They came back to tie the game 6-6, and won a shootout for the first time in over 2 years. Mitchell Stephens was the undisputed first star, scoring a hat trick, and two assists to go with it. He also scored the shootout winner.
After the epic comeback, London completed their three games in three nights in Oshawa, to play the Eastern Conference leading Generals. After giving up 11 goals in 2 games, they tightened up defensively, blanking the Generals 4-0. Mitchell Stephens scored twice, while Tyler Parsons made 37 saves for the shutout.
The win gives London 71 points, which keeps them tied with Erie for first place in the Ontario Hockey League.
After a long, emotionally charged, and successful weekend, the Knights will have a few days off before they welcome the Kitchener Rangers on Wednesday night.
They play host to Owen Sound on Friday, and head to Saginaw to play the Spirit on Satuday. It’s another busy weekend.
Playing Erie, Owen Sound and Oshawa in three consecutive nights is likely the hardest set of games the London Knights have had all season. But the way they handled it is proof they are well deserving of being at the top of the league.
