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Knight Watch: London coming off split against first-place Windsor, but they’ve won just three of last eight; Sam O’Reilly (and Dale Hunter) away at Canada’s World Junior Camp; Two of three on the road this week, including the OHL’s best Bulldogs.
The London Knights will be without their captain for a stretch, as Sam O’Reilly will get an opportunity to make Canada’s World Junior Team.
He’s one of 15 forwards to receive an invite to selection camp, which gets underway in Niagara on Friday. The Knights happen to be in Niagara to play the IceDogs on Thursday, but it’s doubtful he’ll be in the lineup with Canada’s camp starting the next day. The national junior team, coached this year by Knights bench boss Dale Hunter, is expected to bring 14 forwards to the World Junior tournament in Minnesota.
Henry Brzustewicz is also going to compete for a chance to play in the tournament with the United States. He will likely dress for at least two of the games this weekend, but could miss Sunday’s game in Brantford, as the U.S. National Junior Team Selection Camp begins Monday in Duluth, Minnesota.
The Knights come into the weekend with just three wins over their last eight games, marking their worst eight-game stretch of the season. They’ll face a decent but underperforming Niagara team, a Saginaw squad battling for a playoff spot, and a Brantford bunch who’ve been the OHL’s most dominant.
The first-place Bulldogs will be without a handful of their top players, as Jake O’Brien, Jett Luchanko, and Ben Danford will all be at Canada’s World Junior camp as well.
London has played its fair share of close games this season. Fifteen of their 29 contests thus far have been decided by a single goal (they’ve won nine of those). The Knights have also played a league-high 10 games that required overtime, winning five of those in extra time and another two in a shootout.
Braidy Wassilyn and Jaxon Cover have both been selected for the Western Conference team for the second annual OHL Top Prospects Game. Brzustewicz and Aleksei Medvedev played in last year’s inaugural contest. The game will be played in Peterborough on Jan. 14.
Nine Knights prospects, the most among any OHL team, have been included in the GOHL Top Prospects Game: Eloan Le Gallic (St. Thomas), Michael Pope (Caledon), Jake Ritson (Strathroy), Cooper McAslan (London), Cody Wood (London), Alexandre Campeau (London), Parker Graham (Komoka), Owen Miniotas (Komoka), and Seth Ronan (Strathroy).
UPCOMING GAMEDAYS
Thursday (Dec. 11, 7:00pm) @ Niagara IceDogs (12-11-2-1, 6th in Eastern Conference)
The IceDogs are winners of two straight since snapping a nine-game losing skid. They’ve struggled mightily on the powerplay this year, with the second worst efficiency rate, and they’ve also allowed an OHL-high seven shorthanded goals. Riley Patterson has four goals and six points in his last three games. Patterson, along with Kevin He and Londoner Ryan Roobroeck are tied for the team lead with 14 goals. After an impressive 41-goal and 87-point season last year, Roobroeck’s production has slimmed this season with 27 points in 26 games. Former Knight Liam Spencer has two goals and eight points from the blueline, while another former Knight, Noah Read, hasn’t quite found his footing with his new team, as he’s been held pointless in six straight games since scoring in three straight. He’s poised for a breakout, and a game against his former team could be what he needs.
Friday (Dec. 12, 7:00pm) vs. Saginaw Spirit (9-14-3-3, 9th in Western Conference)
The Spirit, who are battling for a playoff spot at the moment, have lost four of their last five games. That lone win, though, came in London on Nov. 28. Saginaw is tied for 8th in the conference with Erie, but the tiebreaker has them on the outside looking in. Nikita Klepov is ninth in OHL scoring with 36 points. The Knights held him to just a single point over their recent home and home series. Sebastien Gervais, though, had three goals in those games. The Spirit have had a tough time keeping the puck out of their own net. They’ve allowed 30 powerplay goals against and 132 overall. Both marks are second most in the OHL. But hold off on blaming their goaltending, as no netminder has been busier than Stepan Shurygin this season. He’s faced 808 shots, 55 more than the next most. He’s started all but four games this season for the Spirit.
Sunday (Dec. 14, 2:00pm) @ Brantford Bulldogs (21-2-4-1, 1st in Eastern Conference)
The Bulldogs have been juggernauts this year. They’ve lost only two games in regulation all season — although both have come in the team’s last five games. As mentioned, they’ll be without some of their major firepower for this one, with Jake O’Brien, Jett Luchanko, and Ben Danford at Canada’s World Junior Camp. But they still have arguably the league’s deepest roster. In other words, even without their top-end guys, they’ll still be dangerous. Marek Vanacker leads the league with 24 goals in 25 games. He was left off Canada’s camp roster, so look for some added motivation from one of the OHL’s most dangerous forwards. The bottom line is Brantford can score — and they’re very stingy defensively. They lead the league in goals while allowing the fewest. They’ll also make you pay if you’re undisciplined. Their 39.8% success rate on the powerplay is 13 percentage points higher than the next best team in the league. Interestingly, London and Brantford have the fewest powerplay opportunities in the OHL, at 83 and 90, respectively.
KNIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS
4 – Ben Wilmott has two goals and three assists during his team-high four-game point streak.
5 – Saturday’s win in Windsor was London’s OHL-leading fifth overtime win of the season. They’ve had 10 games needing extra time, tied for most in the league.
1 – Captain Sam O’Reilly is the lone Knight to receive an invite to Canada’s World Junior Selection Camp.
11 – The Knights are 11-2-2-0 when they outshoot their opponents — and only 3-8-1-0 when they are outshot.
9 – Nine of London’s 16 wins have been decided by one goal.
A LOOK AT THE LOCALS
– Jett Luchanko and Cameron Reid are heading to World Junior Camp with Hockey Canada. Training camp is in Niagara starting Dec. 12, with pre-tournament games scheduled for Kitchener (Dec. 17) and London (Dec. 20).
– Luchanko scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal for the Brantford Bulldogs. As a result, the team’s ownership has donated $1,000 to a children’s charity in Luchanko’s hometown of London.
– Komoka’s Beckham Edwards has made the Western Conference roster for the upcoming OHL Top Prospects game. Londoner Ryan Roobroeck will play for the Eastern Conference.
– Oshawa’s Harrison Franssen has three goals and six points over his last four games.
– Sudbury’s Ethan Dean potted his first goal of the season in Sudbury’s 6-3 loss to Oshawa on Sunday.
– Flint’s Matthew Wang returned to the lineup after missing two months with an injury.
