Gameday in 5
A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Feb. 7-13) — for London’s teams and athletes.
Cameron Forte is back with the London Lightning for 2022. (Photo: Bill Boswell / London Lightning).
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It was a tough week for the Knights, who lost two of three — including both of their weekend games. Things did get started on the right foot, though, as London, playing with a short bench, earned a come-from-behind 5-3 win on the road over the Saginaw Spirit. Down 3-1 to start the third, the Knights scored four unanswered goals for the win. Luke Evangelista led the charge, scoring a short-handed goal just before the 3-minute mark of the period. Cody Morgan scored the game-tying goal on the power play, and Antonio Stranges notched the game-winner just past the 12-minute mark. Evangelista had two goals and two assists in the game, while Stranges had a goal and two assists.
The Knights had their four-game win streak snapped on Friday, losing 6-4 to the Kitchener Rangers on the road. Down 2-0 after the first, Cody Morgan scored a power play goal early in the second to bring the team within a goal to start the third. Morgan scored again to tie things at two, but after trading goals again, the Rangers scored twice to take a 5-3 lead. The Knights added a goal shortly after, but were unable to come back. Tye McSorley and Camaryn Baber were the other Knights’ goal scorers.
The Knights had another rough game on Saturday, losing 5-2 to the Windsor Spitfires — again on the road. Down 1-0 in the first, Liam Gilmart tied the game at the halfway mark. He added another early in the second before the Spitfires scored four unanswered goals to earn the win.
Up next:
The Knights (25-12-1-0) will look to bounce back this week when they take on the Guelph Storm (second in Midwest Division), as well as the Soo Greyhounds and Erie Otters. London enters the week with a narrow hold on top spot (by winning percentage) in the Western Conference over the Flint Firebirds. Friday’s game against the Greyhounds will be the first with 50% capacity allowed at Budweiser Gardens since the recent lifting of COVID-19 restrictions within the province.
Wed. Feb. 16 (7:00pm vs. Guelph Storm)
Fri. Feb. 18 (7:00pm vs. Soo Greyhounds)
Sat. Feb. 19 (7:00pm @ Erie Otters)
The Lightning, well into their training camp, are just about ready for tip-off on the 2022 NBL of Canada season. The team recently announced a few more signings, including the returns of Cameron Forte and Abednego Lufile, as well as the addition of Chris Jones, who was acquired from the Windsor Express and then signed for the 2022 season. Forte played the final five pre-pandemic games for the Lightning, and he was on fire.
Jones earned Third Team All-NBLC honours in the pre-pandemic 2019-20 season, averaging 22 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists for the Express in his second year in the league. The 6-foot guard, who played his college ball at the University of Louisville, has also made professional stops in Turkey, France, Greece, Mexico, Qatar, and Iceland.
The Lightning also announced their full coaching staff, which is led by head coach Doug Plumb. Joining Plumb will be lead assistant Michael Provenzano, a former pro player and local London high school star. Meanwhile, Steve Marcus, a former St. John’s Edge head coach and general manager, will be the Lightning’s Director of Player Personnel. Long-time Fanshawe College Falcons basketball assistant, Dave Sewell, will return to the team (he was on the staff in 2017-18) as a special assistant.
The Lightning will open the season on Family Day, February 21, against the Kitchener Waterloo Titans on the road. The team is scheduled to play its home opener against that same Titans squad on Saturday, March 5.
The Nationals split their two games on the week — with a convincing win against the Strathroy Rockets and a tough loss against the first-place Leamington Flyers. In their first home game since Dec. 15, London beat the Rockets 4-0 on Wednesday at the Western Fair District. Rylan Bowers got the team on the board in the first — with his first of the season. After a goalless second period, the Nationals scored three unanswered in the third to close out the game. Ryan Nichols led the charge, scoring less than two minutes into the third, while Nicholas Beaupre and Daniel Torrealba also scored goals.
The Nationals took a tough loss on Thursday, losing 3-1 to the first-place Leamington Flyers (22-8-0-0, 44 points). Down 2-0 to start the third period, Torrealba got the Nats on the board with less than two minutes remaining. But the Flyers scored an empty-net goal with less than 30 seconds left to close out the game.
Up next:
The Nationals (19-6-1-1, 40 points) will look to hold their ground in the tight Western Conference standings and break a tie with the St. Marys Lincolns and Chatham Maroons with a busy three-game week ahead.
Wed. Feb. 16 (7:00pm vs. St. Thomas Stars)
Thurs. Feb. 19 (7:15pm @ Komoka Kings)
Sun. Feb. 20 (3:30pm @ Chatham Maroons)
Ella Shelton, who played three years for the London Devilettes during her hockey formative years, has reached the gold-medal game at the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Canadians will face the United States Wednesday night at 11:10 p.m. EST. Check out more on Shelton’s journey to Beijing.
Kristen Bujnowski will compete this weekend in the two-person bobsled event with Chrstine de Bruin, who captured a bronze medal in the women’s monobob event. It’s been quite the ride — or slide — for Bujnowski to reach this point in her athletic career. Western University grad Sara Villani, who trained with Londoner and former gold medalist Alex Kopacz, will also compete in the event.
There are some familiar faces, but there’s a sense of renewal in London as the Lightning embark on a new season. With a new coach and several new players, is a new era upon us? What to expect in 2024-25 …