Knights Close out 2018 with a Win
January 1, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
London Knights News Release
The London Knights completed the 2018 portion of the 2018-19 Ontario Hockey League season with a 7-1 victory at Budweiser Gardens on New Year's Eve.
Connor McMichael and Nathan Dunkley scored twice and Josh Nelson had a goal and two assists for the Knights to take them into the New Year with the best winning percentage OHL.
London also reached 25 victories, which puts them on pace for 50 this year.
Special teams made a massive difference in the game as the Knights killed off eight Sting power plays and went 2-for-5 on the man advantage themselves.
They outshot Sarnia 46-28 and captured the season series against the Sting with a 4-1-1 record.
London will have two days to rev up for 2019. They will be in St. Catharines to face the Niagara Ice Dogs on Thursday before returning home to take on the Soo Greyhounds at Budweiser Gardens on Friday night.
How the goals were scored
The first goal of the game came on a London power play as Connor McMichael banged in a rebound for his 24th goal of the season at 17:02 of the first period.
The second period saw Nathan Dunkley score twice in a span of 4:22. Matthew Timms fed a slick pass to Dunkley, cutting to the net on another Knights power play, and then Cole Tymkin found Dunkley in front and lifted the puck over Sarnia goalie Cameron Lamour. London then led 3-0.
The Sting got a goal on a power play of their own at 11:39 of the second period when a puck bounced to defenceman Nick Grima and he slid it past Joseph Raaymakers and into the London net to cut the Knights lead to 3-1.
Josh Nelson got that back for London just 1:11 later. With the Knights killing a penalty, Will Lochead came up with a puck in his own zone and fed it off the boards to Nelson in behind the Sarnia defence. Nelson raced in alone and scored his fifth goal in his past six games and London had their three-goal lead back.
McMichael scored his second of the game and 25th of the year at 4:48 of the third period. It put the Knights ahead 5-1 and it ended up being the first of three goals by London in the final 20 minutes.
Joey Keane's second goal as a Knight and Cole Tymkin's 15th of the year closed out a six-goal win for London.
Still kicking in Germany
A great deal gets made about the number of former London Knights playing in the National Hockey League.
It's hard to find a team without one. Now that they have acquired Michael Hutchinson, the Toronto Maple Leafs have four. But Kyle Piwowarczyk, who last wore a Knights uniform in 2003, and Ron Newhook, who played in 1996-97, are still going in the game of hockey. Both are in Germany. Piwowarczyk completed four years at Western playing for the Mustangs and then moved to Germany to play in the country's third division and he has been there for 11 straight seasons. Right now, the Londoner is playing for ECC Preussen Berlin.
Newhook is 42 years old and this would be his 18th season in Germany's second, third or fourth division. Newhook is from North Bay and played most of his OHL career with the Sudbury Wolves. He hasn't played a game to this point in the season but remains on the roster of EV Fussen.
Up next
The first game of 2019 for the Knights will take place in St. Catharines against the Niagara Ice Dogs on January 3. The teams will be meeting for the second time in less than a month and both will still be missing key contributors away at the World Junior Hockey Championship. Evan Bouchard of the Knights is with Team Canada, while Adam Boqvist is with Team Sweden. Jason Robertson of the Ice Dogs is a member of Team USA.
London will host the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Friday, January 4. London has not seen the Sault since the second game of the regular season, a 5-3 victory by the Greyhounds.
The Knights will play a rare Tuesday home game against Guelph on January 8 at 7 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 1, 2019
- Petes Fall to Rangers in First Game of 2019 - Peterborough Petes
- Steelheads Complete Trade with Firebirds - Brampton Steelheads
- Morgan Traded to Flint, Kutkevicius Waived - Windsor Spitfires
- Firebirds Acquire Morgan in Trade with Windsor - Flint Firebirds
- Gens Open 2019 with 5-2 Win - Oshawa Generals
- Rangers Win-Streak Extended to 3 Games in Win over Petes - Kitchener Rangers
- Firebirds Host Saginaw for Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup Game Wednesday - Flint Firebirds
- Game Preview: Gens Ring in the New Year at Home this Afternoon against Frontenacs at 2:05pm - Oshawa Generals
- IceDogs Games this Week - January 1st - 7th - Niagara IceDogs
- New Year, New Slate of Games for Week 16 - Owen Sound Attack
- Knights Close out 2018 with a Win - London Knights
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