Last look at East for Knights before playoffs

Knight Watch: It was a hat-trick weekend, with Cowan, O’Reilly achieving the feat; Two strong East opponents ahead, including Brantford on the road and Kingston at home (Friday); Could one be an OHL Final preview? …

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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For the second straight Sunday, the London Knights needed overtime to settle the score against one of the league’s best teams — but this time, they came out on the winning end.

Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs) capped off a big game against Oshawa by completing his first career OHL hat trick with an overtime winner against the Generals. The win gave London at least one victory over all 19 teams in the OHL this season.

In fitting fashion, a weekend that was wrapped up by a hat trick was also started by one.

Sam O’Reilly (Edmonton Oilers) scored three goals in Friday’s lopsided 9-1 win over Owen Sound, which kicked off a seven-point weekend for the forward. All nine of London’s goals came at even strength, and it was the fourth time the Knights have scored nine or more goals this season.

The Knights then, unfortunately, helped Niagara snap a 12-game losing streak on Saturday by falling to the IceDogs, 6-4, despite having a 44-32 shot advantage in the contest.

It’s three more games this week for the Knights, starting Wednesday night in Brantford. They’ll return home to face Kingston Friday night, which will wrap up their games against Eastern Conference competition this season. And then they’ll travel to Sarnia Sunday for their final meeting with the Sting, in what could be a potential playoff preview if Sarnia is able to secure the West’s final playoff spot.

The Knights announced some new commitments late last week, officially signing fourth-round pick Jaxon Cover, who has been playing at St. Andrew’s College. He made his Knights debut Jan. 17 against Guelph.

London also signed Eddie Hickson, who’s been playing with the GOJHL’s London Nationals, as well as Brody Cook from the OJHL’s Leamington Flyers.

Sam O’Reilly, who had a hat trick in last Friday’s 9-1 win over Owen Sound, has tallied 60 points in 56 games this season with the Knights. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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UPCOMING GAMEDAYS

Wednesday (March 5, 7:00pm) @ Brantford Bulldogs (38-17-5-0, 1st in Eastern Conference)

The Bulldogs sit atop a crowded Eastern Conference. Nick Lardis (Chicago Blackhawks) has been on a ridiculous tear lately, and he leads the OHL with 66 goals. He’s scored 34 times in his last 21 games. That includes four hat tricks (one of which was a four-goal game). Eight of Lardis’ goals have been game winners, including the last three Bulldogs wins. He gets his fair share of opportunities as well, leading the OHL with 334 shots on goal, 74 more than the next guy. Lardis is part of the big three for Brantford, along with captain Patrick Thomas and NHL draft-eligible forward Jake O’Brien. Thomas leads the OHL in assists and is two points shy of the century mark this season. O’Brien has followed up his OHL Rookie of the Year season quite nicely with 88 points in 60 games.

Friday (March 7, 7:00pm) vs. Kingston Frontenacs (35-16-5-3, 4th in Eastern Conference)

London won the first and only meeting of the season between these two teams — a shootout victory back in late November. Since then, Kingston has made some significant additions. Thomas Uronen (Vegas Golden Knights) and Jacob Battaglia (Calgary Flames) lead the Fronts with 80 points apiece. In 23 games since returning from the World Juniors with Finland, Uronen has 19 goals. Joey Willis recently signed his entry level contract with the Nashville Predators. Willis is one of three current Fronts who won a Memorial Cup with Saginaw last year. Ethan Hay and London’s Will Bishop also came over at the trade deadline. Kingston has a fairly solid goaltending duo with Mason Vaccari and Charlie Schenkel.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

Sunday (March 9, 2:05pm) @ Sarnia Sting (20-27-5-7, 7th in Western Conference)

This is the sixth and final meeting between these two teams this season. London has claimed four of the five so far, with Sarnia’s lone win coming in overtime in their latest meeting January 1. The Sting are one of three teams battling for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference. They have three players leading the team with 39 points — Ryan Brown, Easton Wainwright and Mitch Young — and five others have more than 33 points. That list includes first-year forwards Beckham Edwards and Alessandro Di Iorio. Edwards, who hails from nearby Komoka, has 22 goals this season. Liam Beamish and Matthew Manza are two other rookies who have NCAA commitments and joined Sarnia midseason.

KNIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS

200 - Easton Cowan is the latest Knight to join the 200-point club, and he did so in style. The star forward scored three goals, including the overtime winner Sunday, giving him 202 points in 168 regular season games.

5 - With Sam O’Reilly and Cowan both scoring hat tricks on the weekend, that makes it five times this season a Knight has scored three goals in a game. Sam Dickinson has done it twice, and Landon Sim has also accomplished the feat.

76 - Dickinson’s 76 points this season is the sixth most by a defenseman in Knights history. The single season record for a rearguard is 114 from Chris McCauley in the 1981-82 season. Evan Bouchard had 87 in 2017-18.

9 - Friday’s 9-1 win over Owen Sound was the fourth time London has scored nine or more goals in a game this season. 

A LOOK AT THE LOCALS

- Ryan Roobroeck scored in Niagara’s win over London on Saturday, ending a stretch of six games without a goal and also helping the IceDogs snap a 12-game losing skid.

- Komoka’s Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting) scored his 22nd goal of the season in Sunday’s win over Guelph.

- Ilderton’s Owen Van Steensel had goals in all three of Barrie’s games last weekend. That gives him 80 goals in his OHL career. He’s 10 points shy of the 200-point plateau.

- Carson Harmer leads all rookies with 48 points this season. His 22 goals is second most among first year skaters.

AROUND THE OHL

- Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh (Calgary Flames) became the first defenseman since Bobby Orr to post two 30-goal seasons.

- It’s getting crowded atop the Eastern Conference, as just three points separate the top four teams. Brantford holds the edge with 81 points, followed by Barrie, Oshawa, and Kingston with 78 points apiece after action Monday (March 3).

- The logjam in the Western Conference is towards the bottom of the standings, as three teams are jostling for the final two playoff spots. Sarnia has a slight edge with 52 points, followed closely by Owen Sound and the Soo, who have 51 points. One of these three teams will miss out on the playoffs.