Knights finish second; Lightning keep pace with Five
Gameday in 5: A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (March 20-26) — for London’s teams and athletes.
The crowd at Budweiser Gardens honours Knights head coach Dale Hunter for reaching 900 OHL wins (achieved Saturday in Windsor). He got No. 901 vs. Kitchener on Sunday. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).
* * *
They were unable to catch the Windsor Spitfires, but the Knights finished off the 2022-23 regular season in strong fashion by winning two of their final three games, thus clinching second place in the Western Conference heading into the OHL playoffs.
The final weekend started on a down note, as the Knights lost 6-3 to Windsor on home ice Friday, ending their chances of finishing atop the conference. Down 4-0 halfway through the second period, Easton Cowan scored a powerplay goal to put London on the board, and George Diaco followed with a power-play goal of his own shortly after. Unfortunately for the Knights, that’s as close as they’d get, as they were outscored 2-1 in the third period for the loss.
London flipped the script on Saturday, beating Windsor 6-3 in the second game of their home-and-home series. Down 1-0 after the first, the Knights scored four unanswered goals in the second. Jackson Edward got the team on the board, with Easton Cowan, Brody Crane, and Isaiah George joining the scoring spree. The Spitfires fought back in the third but came up short. Goals by Jacob Julien and Easton Cowan put it away for the Knights.
London’s final game of the season was a good one, as the team beat the Kitchener Rangers, 5-1, on Sunday at Budweiser Gardens. Easton Cowan opened the scoring and George Diaco scored the eventual game-winner. The Rangers notched their lone goal in the second period, but the Knights’ Logan Mailloux and Landon Sim both scored to keep the team ahead. Denver Barkey added a goal in the third to secure the win.
Up next:
The Knights (45-21-2-0 in regular season, 2nd in Western Conference) now embark on their 2023 playoff journey. They’ll take on the seventh-place Owen Sound Attack in a first-round playoff series beginning Friday at home. Game 2 happens Sunday, also at Budweiser Gardens.
OHL Playoffs (1st Round) - London Knights (2) vs. Owen Sound Attack (7) (best-of-7 series)
Game 1: Fri. March 31 (7:00pm vs. Owen Sound Attack)
Game 2: Sun. Apr. 2 (2:00pm vs. Owen Sound Attack)
Game 3: Tues. Apr. 4 (7:00pm @ Owen Sound Attack)
Game 4: Thurs. Apr. 6 (7:00pm @ Owen Sound Attack)
Game 5: Fri. Apr. 7 (7:00pm vs. Owen Sound Attack) (if necessary)
Game 6: Sun. Apr. 9 (7:00pm @ Owen Sound Attack) (if necessary)
Game 7: Tues. Apr. 11 (7:00pm vs. Owen Sound Attack) (if necessary)
The Nationals’ season came to an end last week, as they were swept by the St. Marys Lincolns in their second round GOJHL playoff series. Down 3-0 in the series, London faced elimination in Game 4 last Tuesday, and the Lincolns came out firing on all cylinders, clinching the series with an 8-4 win on home ice.
London’s Sam O’Reilly scored the icebreaker just before the 5-minute mark of the first period, but St. Marys responded with two goals of their own. Talan Palmer tied the game for the Nats, but a late St. Marys goal put them ahead again. Tying the game was as close as the London would get, as they were outscored 5-2 over the final two periods. Bradyn Santavy scored the team’s only goal in the second period, while Riley Wood tallied a goal in the third.
GOJHL Playoffs (2nd Round) - London Nationals (2) vs. St. Marys Lincolns (3) (St. Marys wins 4-0)
Game 1: London 1 vs. St. Marys 3
Game 2: London 2 @ St. Marys 3
Game 3: London 1 vs. St. Marys 2
Game 4: London 4 @ St. Marys 8
The Lightning won both their games last week as they took on their first two American opponents of the season. First up it was the Kokomo Bobkats on Thursday, and the Lightning won handily, 103-85. Ahead just by six, 51-45, at halftime, London outscored Kokomo 32-17 in the final quarter to run away with the win. Amir Williams racked up 18 points, 8 rebounds, and an impressive 8 blocks in his 2023 home debut. Jordan Burns had a 17-point, 14-assist double-double, while Elijah Lufile posted a double-double of his own (13 points, 11 rebounds). Terry Thomas scored 17 with 6 rebounds.
Ahead of Sunday’s game against the Jamestown Jackals, the Lightning announced the signings of Jermaine Haley Jr. and Kur Jongkuch. Haley Jr. rejoins the team after helping the Lightning win it all last season (he’d been playing this year in the G League). Jongkuch, meanwhile, joins his hometown team, as the youngster grew up in the Forest City after spending his early years in a Kenyan refugee camp (following his parents fleeing the Second Sudanese Civil War).
And it didn’t take either long to show off their skills. In Sunday’s 98-85 win over the Jackals, Haley Jr., who ran the point, compiled 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Jungkuch, meanwhile, notched a double-double (15 points and 12 rebounds, plus three blocks) in his debut game in a Lightning uniform.
London rode a strong first half to victory, holding the Jackals to a meagre six points in the second quarter while scoring 28 of their own. Trailing 49-23 at halftime, the Jackals made a run in the third quarter, outscoring the home side 35-22 in the frame, but the Lightning, who rested Terry Thomas for most of the game, coasted to a win anyway. Jordan Burns had 22 points, 7 assists, and 4 steals.
Up next:
The Lightning (16-5) are back in action Wednesday against the Windsor Express at Budweiser Gardens. Then they’ll take on the Albany Patroons on the road Friday (regularly scheduled to be the Syracuse Stallions, the game is now against the TBL’s Patroons). London enters the week a half-game back of the Sudbury Five for top spot in the NBLC standings.
Wed. March 29 (7:00pm vs. Windsor Express)
Fri. March 31 (7:00pm @ Albany Patroons)
London Jr. Knights
The 16U AAA London Jr. Knights clinched their semi-final series against the Sun County Panthers with a convincing 6-0 win last Wednesday on the road. They’ll now advance to the ALLIANCE final against the Waterloo Wolves. But first …
This week, the Jr. Knights are off to the OHL Cup to compete against the best minor midget teams in the province. The 20-team tournament gets underway Wednesday after five play-in games Tuesday. London, who are in the Subban Division, will play four round robin games with the hopes of then advancing to the playoff round and, ultimately, winning it all.
The team posted an impressive 27-2-4 during this year’s regular season while boasting the top three scorers in the league (Ryan Roobroeck, Ethan Weir and Aiden Young).
They’re looking to peak this week at the OHL Cup.
* * *
Gameday in 5: Lightning win season opener in Sudbury, long layoff ahead; Knights move into first place in OHL; FC London players win end-of-season awards; And more …