Gameday in 5
A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Feb. 14-21) — for London’s teams and athletes.
Kristen Bujnowski, from Mount Brydges, finished fifth in the two-person bobsled event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. (Photo: Todd Korol).
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The Knights won three out of four games last week (including a contest on Family Day Monday). They got things started off strong, beating the Guelph Storm, 4-2, on Wednesday night. Down 2-1 to start the second period, Landon Sim scored his 8th goal of the year to tie things at two. Antonio Stranges then scored the game-winner a minute and 23 seconds into the third period. Ethan MacKinnon added an empty netter in the final minute for his first OHL goal.
The Knights put on an offensive clinic on Friday, scoring eight times in beating the Soo Greyhounds, 8-5. Following a game-tying goal by Liam Gilmartin in the first, the Knights exploded offensively in the second. Stranges led the charge, scoring just past the two-minute mark. Brody Crane then scored his 6th of the year before Gilmartin scored twice in two minutes to complete a hat trick. The Greyhounds fought back, scoring twice, but the Knights answered with two of their own. The Greyhounds attempted another comeback, scoring two power-play goals late, but Luke Evangelista closed the door with an empty netter.
Saturday’s contest was a lot closer, with the Knights holding on for a 3-2 win over the Erie Otters on the road. Stranges got the Knights going in the first with his 16th of the year — and his third in as many games. After the Otters tied the game halfway through the second, Evangelista put the Knights ahead 2-1. The Otters answered back in the final minute of the period to tie the game at two. The game remained tied for most of the third period before Stranges played the hero, scoring yet another game-winner, this time on the power play with less than a minute to play.
On Family Day, the Knights weren’t so lucky. Playing in front 4,500 (50% capacity) at home, London fell short in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Kitchener Rangers. Isaiah George put the Knights on the board first, but two Kitchener goals had the home side down 2-1 after two periods. Two more scores in the third put Kitchener up 4-2. But London came back. Goals from Ruslan Gazizov and Sean McGurn tied things up and sent the game into overtime. There, the Rangers earned the win with a marker 4:08 into the frame.
Up next:
The Knights (28-12-2-0) hit the road this week with all three of their contests coming away from Budweiser Gardens. London, who enters the week with the best winning percentage (.690) in the Western Conference, will head to Owen Sound before a tough weekend road doubleheader against the Soo Greyhounds (27-15-4-1).
Wed. Feb. 23 (7:00pm @ Owen Sound Attack)
Fri. Feb. 25 (7:07pm @ Soo Greyhounds)
Sat. Feb. 26 (7:07pm @ Soo Greyhounds)
After 712 days, the London Lightning finally returned to the court for real games on Family Day Monday. And they returned with a win, downing the KW Titans, 110-108, in a back-and-forth season opener in Kitchener. Newcomer Chris Jones had a big game for the visiting Lightning, scoring 23 points (10-of-15 shooting) with six rebounds and a pair of steals.
Cameron Forte had a big double-double for London, racking up 26 points (12-of-16 from the field), a whopping 17 rebounds, and four assists. In a team-high 39 minutes, meanwhile, Jaylon Tate finished with 23 points, three rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Canadian Terry Thomas nearly double-doubled off the bench, posting 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes.
Up next:
The Lightning will play another road contest, Saturday in Windsor, before playing their first home game in nearly two years on March 5 at Budweiser Gardens. That will come against the KW Titans.
Sat. Feb. 26 (7:00pm @ Windsor Express)
London Devilettes alumna Ella Shelton became an Olympic gold medalist on Wednesday last week when Canada’s women’s hockey team beat the United States, 3-2, in the final in Beijing. The 24-year-old was one of seven defensemen selected to the Canada’s roster. In six games, she tallied three assists.
In the two-person bobsled, Mount Brydges native Kristen Bujnowski and her pilot, Christine de Bruin, finished 5th overall. With a combined four-heat time of 4:06:37 in the four-heat competition, they were 2.41s back of the gold medalist German squad.
The Nationals went a perfect 4-0 last week — including a shutout win on Family Day at home. They opened the week by beating the St. Thomas Stars 4-2 on Wednesday. Riley Wood scored the ice breaker just 1:53 in (assists to Ryan Nichols and Rylan Bowers). Jeff Burridge and Noah Arsenault added goals of their own to put London up 3-0 heading into the second. Following a Stars goal early in the period, Bowers answered back with what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
On Saturday, the Nationals shut out the Komoka Kings, 5-0, on the road. The Nats scored twice in the first, added another in the second, and then notched two more in the third. Ryan Nichols scored twice, with Daniel Torrealba, Jeff Burridge, and Bradyn Santavy scoring the other London goals. Both Noah Arsenault and Riley wood had two assists, while goalie Aiden Berry stopped all 32 shots he faced.
Sunday’s game was a tougher test for the Nationals, as they beat the Chatham Maroons 4-3 in overtime. Down 2-0 early in the third period, London answered back with two quick goals. Lucas Chard scored first with Nolan Griffiths following with his own. The two teams traded goals late in the third, with the Nats’ Bradyn Santavy scoring in the final minutes of play to force overtime. The extra frame was short-lived, as Burridge scored the game-winner 33 seconds in.
On Family Day Monday, the Nats completed their week-long sweep, winning their fourth in four tries — this time a 3-0 shutout win over the visiting Sarnia Legionnaires. Torrealba, Burridge and Ian Babenko scored London’s goals (with Babenko’s being his first with the Nationals).
Up next:
It’ll be another busy week for the Nationals (23-6-1-1), who enter the week leading the Western Conference with 48 points — their .774 winning percentage is third overall in the GOJHL, trailing only the Eastern Conference’s Hamilton Kilty B’s (.833) and St. Catharines Falcons (.786).
Wed. Feb. 23 (7:00pm vs. Chatham Maroons)
Thurs. Feb. 24 (7:10pm @ Sarnia Legionnaires)
Sat. Feb. 26 (7:00pm vs. St. Marys Lincolns)
Knight Watch: London back in familiar territory; Sam Dickinson OHL Player of the Week; Efficiency from goal-scoring Van Gorp; Powerplay clicking once again; Knights get Soo showdown Friday …