Knights Beat IceDogs in Overtime
December 15, 2018 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
London Knights News Release
Josh Nelson scored the overtime winner for the London Knights as they defeated the Niagara IceDogs 3-2 at Budweiser Gardens on Friday night.
In a game that saw the teams take turns acting as each other's shadow, the Knights hung tight despite being down five regulars and took advantage of opportunities when they came.
Jordan Kooy made 38 saves in net for London, with 17 of those stops in the second period alone.
Stephen Dhillon faced 28 shots in net for the IceDogs, who were without OHL leading scorer Jason Robertson. The IceDogs player is attending the final selection camp with Team USA ahead of the World Junior Hockey Championship.
London was missing Evan Bouchard, Alex Formenton, Liam Foudy and Adam Boqvist who are all away at World Junior selection camps, while Matvey Guskov is also with Russia at the World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta.
The win kept the Knights two points ahead of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for first place in the Western Conference. The Greyhounds beat Mississauga 3-2 in overtime on Friday. London has three games in hand on Sault Ste Marie.
How the goals were scored
Former Erie Otter Ivan Lodnia opened the scoring on a breakaway pass from Ben Jones to put Niagara ahead 1-0 at the 4:11 mark of the first period.
The Knights tied the game late in the period as Antonio Stranges forced a turnover just outside the blue line that created a two-on-one with Nathan Dunkley. Stranges fed Dunkley, and he slipped the puck through the legs of Dhillon for his 10th goal of the season.
Niagara went ahead on a power-play goal by Oliver Castleman at 5:07 of the second period, and then Londoner Will Lochead tied the game on a Knight power-play goal against his old team. The puck bounced to Lochead in the slot, and he ripped a wrist shot into the IceDogs' net with 3:28 to go in the middle period.
The score stayed that way until overtime, when Matthew Timms fed Nelson in the high slot, and Nelson wristed a low shot past Dhillon for the game winner.
Up next
The Knights will play their final game on Sunday before an extended break over the holidays. London will host the Erie Otters at 2 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens. The teams have met twice this year, and the Knights have won both games by scores of 6-3 and 8-1. After the game, London will be off until Dec. 28, when they return to Budweiser Gardens to host Windsor. The Knights will then play a game on Dec. 30 in Sarnia and Dec. 31 against the Sting in London. That will complete the season series between Sarnia and the Knights.
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