Knights, in mini skid, look to tighten up play

Knight Watch: They’ve lost three of their last four and face a tough Ottawa 67’s club Friday. But London needs just a few tweaks to get back on track. Columnist Jake Jeffrey has the latest Knights news — plus notes from around the OHL …

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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It’s a rare one-game weekend for the London Knights.

They enter action having lost three of their last four — and now they’ll face a tough Eastern Conference opponent with the Ottawa 67’s in town.

It hasn’t been the best of weeks, but assistant coach Rick Steadman says the players are eager to get back into the win column.

“This is a great group of guys. There’s lots of character in that room, and they’re talking to each other about how we can get better for the next game,” the coach said.

Ottawa is a team that doesn't give up much offensively, averaging just 2.5 goals against through their first eight games. The Knights are averaging 2.8 goals against, so it could be a recipe for a low scoring defensive joust Friday at Bud Gardens.

Although the Knights have done a good job at keeping their opponents in check, offensively, it’s the timing of goals against that has been a concern.

In their recent losses to Saginaw, Erie, and Sarnia, London has given up goals shortly after scoring. It’s something Steadman says will be a focal point for the group as they try to avoid those post-goal letdowns in the future.

“Every time you score, you’re always on such a high. And you really want the next shift to continue that momentum going forward,” he said. “So, any time they score right away it now gives them the momentum right back, so you always want a good shift right after a goal.”

In the losses to Erie (home) and Saginaw (road) last weekend, both were decided in the third period. In Saginaw, the Knights had a lengthy powerplay late in the game that they couldn’t capitalize on. Steadman says the team needs to do a better job at taking advantage of those opportunities — especially in close games.

“We gotta execute and get those pucks to the net in those situations,” he said.

Oliver Bonk had three assists in Friday's loss. Although he’s yet to score his first goal of the year, he has 10 assists in 11 games. And he’s quick to credit his teammates for those offensive numbers.

“Guys are just burying shots right now,” the defenceman said. “Sometimes you can make all the right passes but get no assists, so it’s all on the guys finishing off the play.”

Oliver Bonk battles for a puck against the boards vs. Erie on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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London’s next win will be a historic one. Dale Hunter is tied with Bert Templeton for the second most coaching wins in OHL history. His next victory will be his 907th and move him into sole possession of second. Friday would be a fitting victory, since the number one man on that all-time win list, Brian Kilrea, coached the Ottawa 67’s for 32 seasons.

Knights defenseman Jackson Edward signed his entry level contract with the Boston Bruins this week. Edward was a seventh round pick of the Bruins in 2022, and he has two goals and six points this season.

For the second straight week, the Knights slid two positions in the OHL Power Rankings, as they now sit in 5th spot. Mississauga moved into first, followed by Ottawa, North Bay, and Saginaw.

Meanwhile, the Knights remained the top OHL team in the CHL’s Top Ten Rankings — although they moved down to 5th position on that list.

Sam Dickinson and Sam O’Reilly are listed in NHL Central Scouting’s players to watch list ahead of this year’s NHL draft. Dickinson was listed as an ‘A’ prospect, while O’Reilly received a ‘C’ rating. Both have had strong starts to the season. Dickinson is among the top scoring defensemen in the OHL, with three goals and 10 points, while O’Reilly has four goals and seven points.

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UPCOMING GAMEDAYS

Friday (Oct. 27, 7:00pm) vs. Ottawa 67’s (6-3-0-0, 2nd in East Division)

The 67’s boast another strong squad this year, although they have struggled to score early on. Their 30 goals are tied for fifth-fewest in the OHL. However, their 24 goals against is best in the Eastern Conference and second overall. In other words, they haven’t been playing high-scoring games. The 67’s have strong goaltending with Collin MacKenzie, while defenseman Henry Mews is one of the top OHLers available in next spring’s NHL draft. Captain Luca Pinelli leads the way offensively, and he has seven goals in nine games. Blenheim’s Brady Stonehouse is coming off a 37-goal season that helped him earn a free agent contract with the Edmonton Oilers. The 67’s are coming off a game in Windsor Thursday night (a 6-4 win), so London should be well rested in comparison.

A LOOK AT THE LOCALS

Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara IceDogs) and Aylmer’s Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers) were named to Hockey Canada’s U17 teams for the upcoming World U-17 Hockey Challenge. Roobroeck will play for Team Canada Red, Reid for Team Canada White.

Aiden Young had a pair of assists in Saginaw’s 6-4 win over London on Sunday.

Some London-area talent made the cut for the NHL Central Scouting’s Players To Watch List for the upcoming draft. Guelph’s Jett Luchanko is ranked to go in the 2nd or 3rd round, while Flint’s Matthew Jenken and North Bay goaltender Charlie Robertson are candidates to be 6th or 7th round picks.

It should be noted that the list tends to have some movement throughout the season as scouts get to see more of the players. So, where someone is listed now is no guarantee where they’ll ultimately be selected.

KNIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS

4 - San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halltunen picked up his 8th and 9th goals of the season in Sunday’s loss to Saginaw. That marked the fourth two-goal game for the Finnish forward this season.

8 - Defencemen Sam Dickinson (3), Isaiah George (3), and Jackson Edward (2) have combined for eight goals so far from the blueline.

2 - He's only played in six games this season, but Easton Cowan already has a pair of shorthanded goals, making him the only OHLer with multiple shorthanded markers thus far.

PROSPECT PIPELINE

PJ Fagan (3rd round, 2023) has three goals in his last three games for the London Nationals.

Cohen Bidgood (7th round, 2023) has caught fire with the Chatham Maroons, scoring four goals over his last three games.

AROUND THE OHL

Troy Man takes over behind the bench for the Kingston Frontenacs after the team parted ways with head coach Luca Caputi following the team’s 4-7-0-0 start to the season. The Fronts have allowed the second most goals in the OHL this year.

North Bay’s Anthony Romani is the OHL Player of the Week after scoring five goals and adding an assist in a pair of games, while Guelph’s Brayden Gillespie is the Goaltender of the Week after backstopping the Storm to a pair of wins. Gillespie is the first Western Conference netminder to earn the distinction this season. 

The Saginaw Spirit have made their first major acquisition of the season, picking up Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Ethan Hay from the Flint Firebirds. The Spirit sent six draft picks to the Firebirds, including two second rounders and two third-round picks. 

The Mississauga Steelheads traded Justin DeZoete to Guelph for a seventh round pick in 2026.