Gameday in 5
Catch up on local sports. A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Nov. 15-21) — for London’s teams and athletes.
(Photo: Luke Durda).
The Mustangs were crowned 2021 Yates Cup champions Saturday after a dominant 29-0 win over the Queen’s Gaels in Kingston. Running back Keon Edwards led the Western offense once again, this time scoring three touchdowns on the ground. On the day, he ran for 158 yards on 21 carries. First-year quarterback Evan Hillock was 14-for-20 for 198 yards in the air. The Mustangs defense was stellar Saturday, holding the Gaels to just 111 passing yards and 82 yards on the ground.
Up next:
The Mustangs will host the AUS champion, St. FX, on Saturday at Western Alumni Stadium with a trip to the Vanier Cup on the line. The Mitchell Bowl, a national semi-final, will kick off at 1:00pm. Montreal will play the Saskatchewan Huskies in the other semi-final.
Sat. Nov. 27 (1:00pm vs. St. FX) (Mitchell Bowl)
The Knights got off to a rough start last this week before rebounding with a pair of wins over the weekend. A 4-2 loss to the Sarnia Sting Tuesday began the week. Down 1-0 after the first period, London allowed three goals in the second, which put the game out of reach. Cody Morgan scored both Knights goals, with Antonio Stranges assisting on both.
The Sting then handed the Knights their second loss in a row, beating them 4-2 at Budweiser Gardens Friday, thus sweeping the home-and-home series. London mounted a comeback in the third, scoring twice, but a Sting goal soon after all but closed the door. Ruslan Gazizov scored his first OHL goal, while Liam Gilmartin had the other for London.
The Knights got back on track Saturday, beating the Kitchener Rangers 4-0 at home. After allowing three goals the night before, goalie Brett Brochu stopped all 20 shots he faced to secure the win and collect his first shutout of the season. Knights Captain Luke Evangelista had two goals and two assists, while Colton Smith and Max McCue also found the back of the net.
The Knights finished their very busy week by sweeping their home-and-home against the Rangers Sunday, coming away with a 6-3 win. Backup goaltender Owen Flores earned his first OHL win, holding the Rangers to three goals on 30 shots. The Knights had six different goal scorers on the afternoon, including Connor Federkow, who scored his first OHL goal in the second period. Sean McGurn had a five-point game (a goal and four assists), while Luke Evangelista had a goal and three assists.
Up next:
The Knights (13-3-1-0) will look to build on their Midwest Division lead this week as they hit the road for three games.
Wed. Nov. 24 (7:30pm @ Windsor Spitfires)
Fri. Nov. 26 (7:30pm @ Guelph Storm)
Sun. Nov. 27 (7:30pm @ Owen Sound Attack)
The Nationals won on Wednesday, beating the St. Thomas Stars 4-2. With the game tied 2-2 heading into the third, the Nats took the lead late in the period on Zach Powers’ 14th goal of the season. Michael Elliston added an empty-netter to shut the door on the Stars. Elliston had two goals, while Jeff Burridge and Zach Power both had a goal and an assist.
The Nationals lost their second game of the week, 3-2, to the Chatham Maroons in overtime. Down 2-0 after two periods of play, the Nationals bounced back to force overtime — thanks to two goals by Jacob Julien. Both goals were assisted by Logan Pace-Roth, with Zach Power assisting on the second. The extra frame was short-lived, as the Maroons scored just over two minutes in to claim the win.
Up next:
The Nationals (13-3-1-1) will look to extend their division lead this week when they take on the 7th-place St. Thomas Stars and 9th-place Sarnia Legionnaires.
Wed. Nov. 24 (7:00 pm vs. St. Thomas Stars)
Thurs. Nov. 25 (7:10pm @ Sarnia Legionnaires)
The London Lightning announced six players on their ‘Protected Players List’ for the 2021-22 season: Xavier Moon, AJ Gaines, Marcus Capers, Cameron Forte, Jaylon Tate and Terry Thomas. The league’s Protected List allows for teams to retain the rights of players (if they choose) who were part of their 2019-20 rosters.
Stay tuned to Gameday London’s Lightning team page for updates and stories as the roster is built leading up to the Feb. 5 season tip-off.
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 …