Sim Makes It Rain Bears in Knights Double Header
December 6, 2021 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
London Knights News Release
The London Knights returned to Budweiser Gardens this past Friday to take on the Erie Otters and Sarnia Sting in a doubleheader after returning home from a four-game road trip where they went 3-1.
Luke Evangelista earned himself three points, Ruslan Gazizov scored two goals, Bryce Montgomery scored his first career OHL goal and Brett Brochu made 32 saves to help the London Knights to a 4-1 win versus the Otters on Friday night.
Colton Smith opened the scoring on the power play with his 12th goal of the season halfway through the first. Gazizov followed up with three minutes remaining in the first period to bring the game to 2-0.
Brendan Hoffmann scored for the Otters early in the second with their lone goal, where Gazizov restored the Knights' two-goal lead. The Omsk, Russia, native stole the puck at his blue line, went down the ice on a partial breakaway and snapped a shot past Erie goalie Nolan Lalonde.
Gazizov is now averaging just over a point per game through his first 12 games in the OHL.
Montgomery sealed the deal with the only goal scored in the third period - Montgomery's first goal in the Ontario Hockey League. Montgomery carried the puck down the right side of the Erie zone and shot the puck from a sharp angle, where it found its way in the net.
The Otters, the first American team to play at Budweiser Gardens since 2020, outshot the Knights 33-27.
Tye McSorely, recently acquired in a trade from the Oshawa Generals, made his debut in a Knights uniform versus the Otters. The physical winger laid hits on the Otters and made his presence known on every shift he played.
Following the win against the Otters, the Knights suited up for a Saturday afternoon tilt against the Sarnia Sting for the 20th annual Teddy Bear Toss.
However, Sim's Teddy Bear Toss Goal wasn't the only thing fans talked about - Sarnia dressed three goalies in two periods.
Ben Gaudreau began the game in net. Following a collision with the Knights' Jackson Edward, Gaudreau was shaken up. He remained in net for the entirety of the first period before sitting out the remainder of the game.
Sting backup goalie Anson Thornton told Sting coaching staff that he was not feeling 100 per cent heading into the game but was ready and willing to play backup. Since the Sting had their third-string goalie, Dylan Grover, in attendance, he was called up to take over.
Midway through the third period, Thornton felt okay enough to enter the net, where he blocked all 25 shots taken on him.
Landon Sim scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal, sending 6,300 bears flying onto the ice and pulling his fourth goal of the season four minutes after Nolan Dann opened the scoring for the Sting on a two-man advantage.
Midway through the second, the Sting reclaimed the lead when Nolan DeGruse scored on another two-man advantage.
Luke Evangelista brought the puck up the ice short-handed and set up Isaiah George for George's first Ontario Hockey League goal, tying the game 2-2. Evangelista's assist on the play would also be recorded as his 100th career point in the OHL.
On that same penalty kill, Evangelista took a drop pass from Max McCue and appeared to score a second short-handed goal giving London its first lead. Upon review, the play was ruled offside, reversing the goal.
With five minutes left in the second period, the Sting's strong forecheck was shut down when Brochu raced out of his net and won a race to a puck with a big poke check to deny a Sarnia scoring chance and as he got back into his crease. DeGurse capitalized on a bouncing puck, took the shot that deflected off a body and popped over the head of Brochu and into the Knights net to score the Sting's game-winner.
London outshot the Sting 38-22 and will now head for Kitchener and a game against the Rangers on Dec. 7.
Following the game in Kitchener, the Knights will lose captain Luke Evangelista and Brett Brochu who will be attending Selection Camp for the upcoming World Junior Championships.
The Knights sit first place in the Western Conference and continue to cement themselves as an offensive powerhouse to be reckoned with.
The Knights return to Budweiser Gardens on Dec. 10., where they face off against the Windsor Spitfires kicking off a three-game homestand.
Tickets can be purchased over the phone at (519) 681-0800 ext. 1, in person at the Aluminum Associates London Knights Armoury, or online here: https://bit.ly/3yAZxc2.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 6, 2021
- San Jose Signs Coe - North Bay Battalion
- OHL Announces Hounds at Wolves this Weekend Postponed - Soo Greyhounds
- OHL Announces Additional Postponed Sudbury Wolves Home Games - Sudbury Wolves
- OHL Announces Additional Postponed Sudbury Wolves Home Games - OHL
- Sim Makes It Rain Bears in Knights Double Header - London Knights
- Spitfires' Wyatt Johnston Named OHL Player of the Week - Windsor Spitfires
- Johnston and Merilainen Named OHL Top Performers of the Week - OHL
- Frontenacs' Leevi Meriläinen Named OHL Goaltender of the Week - Kingston Frontenacs
- Game at Owen Sound Rescheduled - London Knights
- Hounds Get Older in the Crease; Tynan Acquired from Niagara - Soo Greyhounds
- OHL Mourns the Loss of Bob Kilger - Oshawa Generals
- Guindon Named Huron Tractor Player of the Week - Owen Sound Attack
- Ultimate Niagara Fan Pack Available - Niagara IceDogs
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