Knights head North looking for consistency

Knight Watch: Games in three straight for the Knights, beginning Thursday in North Bay; London looking to have better starts; Julien heating up; Columnist Jake Jeffrey has the latest Knights news and notes …

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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The London Knights head north as they look to bounce back from a pair of losses last weekend.

A trio of Central Division matchups are on tap, as the Knights will be in North Bay Thursday, Sudbury Friday, and then Barrie on Saturday. London is looking to erase last weekend’s losses from their memory — particularly Friday’s 7-4 home defeat against Flint.

“We basically missed the whole first period. It took us time to get going, and by the time we did it was too late,” Knights assistant coach Rick Steadman said after the game. “We’d have one shift that was stellar and we’d be in their end the whole time, and then the next two or three shifts we’d be stuck in our end.”

Flint has been fairly successful in London over the last three seasons, as they’re now 3-2 over their last five trips to Budweiser Gardens. Steadman believes that visiting teams tend to have some added motivation when coming to the Forest City.

“Everybody just gets jacked to come in here. We have the best fans in the league in this arena, they’re always cheering, and any time you can come in here and silence them, I think teams really enjoy it,” he said. “Teams get hyped up to come in here, and we have to be ready for it.”

The Knights were not ready for it Friday. They were outshot 16-9 in the first period — and didn’t look much better to start the second. Michael Simpson was pulled — for the second time in his last four starts — after allowing three goals on 22 shots.

Steadman says it wasn’t a knock on the goaltender’s play, but rather an effort to turn the tide.

“It was a change of momentum, a change of scenery, just to see if we could get any kind of spark,” the assistant coach said. “We weren’t giving him any help, so it’s not on him.”

After Simpson was pulled the first time in Windsor Nov. 9, he followed that up with a shutout win over Guelph two nights later (it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back, likely Thursday in North Bay, after his second removal).

Against Flint, Owen Willmore was solid in relief, but the goalie swap did little to change momentum in the Knights’ favour. Although the penalty kill surrendered a season-high three goals against, the Knights did score their own league-leading eighth shorthanded goal.

It was Jacob Julien’s second shorthanded marker of the season. With four goals and seven points over his last four games, the Winnipeg Jets prospect is starting to find his offensive groove.

“I’m just feeling things out and getting more comfortable, more confident,” said Julien.

The forward scored again in Erie on Saturday. Ruslan Gazizov also found the back of the net in a 4-2 loss to the Otters, which left London with a record of 13-7-0-1 heading into action this week. It was another slow start for London in that game, as they surrendered a pair of goals and were outshot 13-5 in the opening period.

Getting a better start will be a focal point for the team going into its three-game road trip.

“If we don’t start on time,” Steadman said, “other teams in this league are good, and they’ll put you behind.”

William Nicholl will miss this weekend’s road trip, as he’s been suspended three games for a fight late in Saturday’s game against Erie. He’s eligible to return December 1 against Mississauga.

The Knights were bumped from the CHL Top Ten Rankings following a winless weekend. Kitchener has moved up to fourth, and Peterborough makes an appearance in the 8th spot. London slid three spots in the OHL Power Rankings, as well, where they now sit in 8th.

Jacob Julien’s offensive game is heating up, as the forward has four goals and seven points over his last four games. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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UPCOMING GAMEDAYS

Thursday (Nov. 23, 7:00pm) @ North Bay Battalion (10-6-4-1, 1st in Central Division)

The Battalion already have a win over London this season, a 4-1 triumph back in early October. Anthony Romani has been on a tear lately, scoring six goals over his last three games. He’s tallied the second most goals in the OHL this season with 17, and he’s fourth in points with 32. Goaltender Dom DiVincentiis, a potential candidate for Canada’s crease at the World Juniors, returned to the lineup last Thursday, but he didn’t dress for the Battalion’s other two games last weekend. 

Friday (Nov. 24, 7:05pm) @ Sudbury Wolves (10-9-1-0, 3rd in Central Division)

Things haven’t gone as planned in Sudbury this year — at least not yet. Expected to be a top dog in the conference, the Wolves have been inconsistent through the first two months of the season. Seattle Kraken prospect David Goyette leads the team with 26 points, and he’s coming off a 41-goal, 92-point season last year. Former Knight Nick Yearwood has four goals this season, two of which have come shorthanded. Quentin Musty will be eligible to return from his suspension this weekend. He’s a first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks.

Saturday (Nov. 25, 7:30pm) @ Barrie Colts (10-9-0-0, 4th in Central Division)

Coming into the weekend, the Colts have won four of their last five games. Beau Jelsma leads the team in scoring and has four points in his last three games. The Colts have a pair of NHL picks on their roster, including Eduard Sale, a first-round pick of the Seattle Kraken in 2023, and defenseman Beau Akey, a second rounder of the Edmonton Oilers in the same draft. Akey, though, is unfortunately out for the season after suffering a shoulder injury.

A LOOK AT THE LOCALS

Ryan Roobroeck has five goals in his last seven games for the Niagara IceDogs.

Brennan Faulkner picked up his first OHL point with the Peterborough Petes. It also looks like Liam Ladds will be a full-time member of the Petes after dealing with an injury earlier in the season. He’s now played in seven games with the Petes.

St. Marys product and Owen Sound Attack defenseman Sam Sedley leads the entire OHL with 11 power play assists.

Strathroy’s Hunter Haight has 10 points over his last eight games for the Saginaw Spirit.

KNIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS

7 - Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien has four goals and seven points over his last four games, while San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen has six goals and 10 points during his current seven-game point streak.

0 - The Knights are winless in four games against American clubs this season.

5 - London’s penalty kill has struggled over the last week, giving up five power play goals over their last three contests.

KNIGHTS PROSPECT PIPELINE

Cohen Bidgood (7th round pick in 2023) has a new junior hockey home. The forward was traded from the Chatham Maroons to the St. Marys Lincolns this week. He has a pair of assists in his first two games with his new team. Fellow Knights prospect Colton Henderson (2nd round in 2023 U18 draft), meanwhile, went to Chatham in the trade.

James Hagens (6th round in 2022) has 16 goals and 43 points in 23 games with the US National Development Program. Hagens is currently committed to play for Boston College.

AROUND THE OHL

The Windsor Spitfires have parted ways with head coach Jerrod Smith, who was hired prior to this season. The rebuilding Spitfires have struggled, and they’re currently on an eight-game losing streak. Smith is already the fifth head coach to be fired so far this season, as Flint, Kingston, Owen Sound and Niagara have also made changes behind the bench. Casey Torres has been announced as the Spits’ interim head coach.

The Sarnia Sting have added Former NHLer Dustin Jeffrey to the coaching staff. Jeffrey is a Lambton Junior Sting grad and spent his OHL years with the Mississauga IceDogs and Soo Greyhounds.

In other Sting news, the club traded the rights to overage forward Luca Del Bel Belluz to the Saginaw Spirit for a conditional 15th round pick. Del Bel Belluz is currently playing with the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Sting also added overager Kai Schwindt from Mississauga.

The Kitchener Rangers beat Erie 10-3 this week, the second time this season the team has scored in double digits. Their 116 goals are 23 more than the next highest team.