Overtime Win in the Soo Pushes Win Streak to 7
Published on December 2, 2019 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
London Knights News Release
Call it retribution weekend for the London Knights.
Only Windsor and Flint had beaten London in regulation dating back to Oct. 18.
London beat the Spitfires on Friday, knocked off the Firebirds on Saturday and then dealt with something completely different as they edged the Soo Greyhounds 6-5 in overtime on Sunday afternoon in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
The win by the Knights was their first one over the Greyhounds since 2016.
"We haven't beaten the Sault in 12 [games]," said Knights co-captain Liam Foudy, who scored the game winner.
"We were just trying to rotate the three guys up top and I was acting more of a screen [in front]," added Foudy. "[Ryan] Merkley shot it and it crept through. I don't know whether it was going in or not but I was poking it in regardless and luckily enough it went [across the line]."
The last time London was able to celebrate a victory over the Greyhounds was March of 2016. Christian Dvorak scored the first goal of the game with assists from Matthew Tkachuk and Mitch Marner. Those three have now combined to play 715 games in the National Hockey League.
Max Jones had the winner that day. He's also in the NHL now with the Anaheim Ducks.
Sunday's game featured four lead changes and sat tied on five separate occasions.
"There were good times and bad times for both teams during the game," said Knights assistant coach Rick Steadman. "There were ups and downs for sure. We just kept battling and we got scoring from all over out lineup today and any time you do that it helps out."
London opened the scoring on a goal by Cole Tymkin early in the first period but the Greyhounds quickly tied it on a short-handed effort by Cole MacKay who went the length of the ice off a faceoff and managed to get a shot past Knights goalie Dylan Myskiw. That brought down a shower of Teddy Bears for the annual Teddy Bear Toss in Sault Ste. Marie. It also gave the Greyhounds a lift after an 8-3 loss to Sarnia the night before.
Zack Trott put the Sault ahead 2-1 with four minutes to go in the opening period and the Greyhounds took that lead into the second period.
After a first period in which the puck seemed to be bouncing in wrong directions for London, they settled things down and pushed hard offensively. The Knights outshot Sault Ste. Marie 25-5 in the middle period and got goals from Antonio Stranges, Luke Evangelista and Connor McMichael to lead 4-3 after 40 minutes.
Goals from Jaromir Pytlik and Jaden Peca within 58 seconds early in the third period put the Greyhounds back in front and prompted London head coach Dale Hunter to replace Myskiw with Brett Brochu in net.
Once again, the Knights tightened up and were rewarded as overage forward Josh Nelson snapped a shot between the legs of Bailey Brkin at 12:57 to tie the game again.
That set up overtime and a high-sticking penalty in the first minute gave London a power play chance and the number one unit in the OHL took advantage for the game winner.
Stranges had a goal and an assist for the Knights. London defencemen Gerard Keane and Hunter Skinner each had two assists.
The victory combined with a Guelph Storm loss to the Kitchener Rangers means the Knights are alone in first place in the Western Conference heading toward three games in four days beginning on Thursday in Peterborough.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2019
- Kari Piiroinen Named to Finnish National Team Camp - Windsor Spitfires
- Daws Named OHL Goaltender of the Month for November - Guelph Storm
- 12 OHL Players Invited to Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp - OHL
- Shane Wright Named OHL Rookie of the Month for November - Kingston Frontenacs
- OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for November - OHL
- Corcoran Named Defenceman of the Month - Windsor Spitfires
- 27 CHL Players Invited to Hockey Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp - OHL
- Drysdale Invited to Team Canada Selection Camp for 2020 World Junior Tournament - Erie Otters
- Struthers Dealt for Picks - North Bay Battalion
- Overtime Win in the Soo Pushes Win Streak to 7 - London Knights
- 67's' Marco Rossi Named OHL 'On the Run' Player of the Week - OHL
- Nico Daws Named to the Sport Chek National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp - Guelph Storm
- 67's Marco Rossi Named OHL's Player of the Week - Ottawa 67's
- Kolyachonok & Oksentyuk Named to Belarus Under-20 National Team Training Camp Roster - Flint Firebirds
- Perfetti Named to Canada National Junior Team Selection Camp - Saginaw Spirit
- Dellandrea Invited to Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp - Flint Firebirds
- Harley Invited to National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp - Brampton Steelheads
- Attack Acquire Matthew Struthers from North Bay Battalion - Owen Sound Attack
- Dudas Invited to Hockey Canada Junior Team Selection Camp - Owen Sound Attack
- 67's Kevin Bahl Invited to Team Canda's National Junior Team Selection Camp - Ottawa 67's
- Hunter Jones Invited to Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp - Peterborough Petes
- Kingston Canadians Return to the OHL to Honour Chris Clifford - Kingston Frontenacs
- Teddy Bear Toss Rescheduled for this Thursday December 5th at 7:05pm - Oshawa Generals
- OHL Announces Rescheduled Game Between Kingston and Oshawa - OHL
- Solovyov Named to Belarus Under-20 National Team Training Camp Roster - Saginaw Spirit
- Great Lakes Bay Region Set to Host OHL's 20/20's Vision Meetings - Saginaw Spirit
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