London Knights’ rookie Richard Whittaker entered Friday night with only 2 goals through 49 games played.
Something about the visiting Erie Otters must have fired him up. The 17 year old went off: scoring 3 goals and adding an assist for a 4 point night. Whittaker’s goal scoring party would make a huge difference as the Knights beat their division rival 6-3 at Budweiser Gardens.
He opened the scoring midway through the opening frame giving the Knights a 1-0 lead. Early in the 2nd period Whittaker would score again, doubling his goal output for the season and giving his team a 2-1 lead. “I don’t know how long it’s been but to get one back is good and then just fed off the energy of that first goal” said Whittaker while talking about how putting the Knights ahead helped his confidence.
Whittaker would pick up his assist on a goal by Sergey Popov at the 12:27 mark in the 2nd period, which helped break a 2-2 tie and put London ahead for good on the evening.
His assault on the game sheet wouldn’t only be in the scoring categories.
Whittaker dropped the gloves for a fight with Erie’s Kurtis Henry with less than 6 minutes to go in the 2nd period.
Knights' Richard Whittaker and Kurtis Henry of Erie drop the gloves for a spirited 2nd period tilt #OHL pic.twitter.com/QViJ0gIMuY
— XFM Sports (@SportsXFM) March 10, 2018
“That was the first fight I’ve been in” admitted Whittaker. He took a few more punches than he landed during the scrap. “It was pretty hard to reach him because he’s pretty tall, but the fight kind of just happened. It was at a point in the game where I think I just needed to get some energy back for our team.”
Whittaker would also collect penalties for tripping and instigating (which comes with a 10 minute misconduct) on the play. Totaling 19 minutes in exchange for the opportunity to throw – and catch- some knuckles.
In the 3rd period, Nathan Dunkley of the Knights would score a penalty shot marker to give London a 2 goal lead and a little insurance on their way to a Friday night victory.
Nathan Dunkley buries the penalty shot for his 21st goal of the year. Knights lead 5-3 pic.twitter.com/VhhytPiGUY
— XFM Sports (@SportsXFM) March 10, 2018
Whittaker would make his return to the game in time to bury an empty net goal, giving him the hat-trick and sending some head wear flying onto the ice.
The former 4th round pick would collect a sombrero and proudly wear it post game. A nice memento from a game he sure wont soon forget.
