Knight Watch: Comeback win has London riding high for road trip

Riding a four-game win streak, the Knights face two familiar foes this weekend — both on the road. Columnist Jake Jeffrey catches you up on all the latest news, notes and numbers.

Gerard Keane was named to the CHL Team of the Week (along with teammate Luke Evangelista) for his play during the Knights’ four-game winning streak. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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An impressive return to the ice last weekend for the London Knights has them back among the CHL elite in the weekly rankings.

Following Wednesday’s 5-3 comeback win in Saginaw, the Knights have rattled off four straight wins, outscoring opponents 24-10 along the way. That has been impressive enough to catch national attention as they returned to the CHL’s Top Ten Rankings this week in the ninth position.

With two road games this weekend (in Kitchener and Windsor), London is set to face a pair of teams they beat just last weekend.

The Rangers can’t seem to find an answer for Luke Evangelista. In their defense, few have this season, as the Nashville Predators prospect leads the league with 34 goals in 32 games. He’s on pace to be the Knights’ first 60-goal scorer since Patrick Kane (2006-07), and unless teams find a way to slow him down, he could even have a shot  at Dino Ciccarelli's franchise record of 72.

A couple of Knights were honoured by the CHL following big weekends, and one of them was very clearly Evangelista. Along with OHL Player of the Week honours, he was also named to the CHL Team of the Week — along with teammate Gerard Keane.

In some other OHL news, there will be a Top Prospects game after all. Originally scheduled for earlier this month, the game featuring the CHL’s top prospects for the NHL draft will now be played March 23 in Kitchener.

And it’s in Kitchener where the Knights will kick off their two-game weekend ...

Ben Bujold scored his first OHL goal last Sunday during the Knights’ 8-3 win over the Owen Sound Attack. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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UPCOMING GAMEDAYS

Friday (Feb. 11, 7:30pm) @ Kitchener Rangers (16-19-2-1)

Last weekend, Dorchester’s Marcus Vandenburg did everything he could to keep the Rangers in the game as the Knights eventually pulled away in the third period to continue their dominance over their divisional rivals this season. Speaking of dominance, Luke Evangelista had three goals and two assists in the win, giving him six goals and 16 points in five games against Kitchener this year. Keep an eye out for the Rangers’ Mike Petizian, who has seven goals in his last five games. Kitchener is currently clinging to the last playoff spot, with Sarnia and Saginaw both nipping at their heels.

Saturday (Feb. 12, 7:05pm) @ Windsor Spitfires (22-13-2-2)

The Spitfires are coming off a 4-1 win over Saginaw Thursday that saw Matthew Maggion pot a hat trick. It was another relative quiet net, as Xavier Medina needed to make just 18 saves, something he is more than used to. In 15 games since the start of the new year, Windsor has allowed more than 25 shots on just three occasions — one of which was last weekend’s loss to London.

A LOOK AT THE LOCALS

The OHL’s Under-16 Top Ten Rankings returned, and the London Junior Knights sit in seventh spot as the top team from Alliance.

Soo Greyhounds rookie forward Bryce McConnell-Barker, a graduate of the Junior Knights program, had a career-high three points in a 6-3 win over Sudbury — including his 12th goal of the season.

Strathroy’s Hunter Haight had goals in five straight games for the Barrie Colts. The ninth overall pick in the 2020 OHL draft now has 13 goals during his rookie season.

KNIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS

It’s no coincidence that in the Knights’ last four wins, captain Luke Evangelista has eight goals and 14 points (with six of those goals coming in the third period).

Brett Brochu picked up his fifth assist of the season, and he has a shot at breaking Steve Mason’s franchise record of eight assists during the 2006-07 season.

Ben Bujold tallied his first OHL goal in London’s win over Owen Sound Sunday, and it certainly was a memorable one. He scored into the empty net moments before crashing into the end boards. He got up with a big smile on his face, though, and even picked up an assist in the victory over Saginaw a few days later.

FORMER KNIGHTS

Seth Griffith was named the AHL’s Player of the Month with six goals and 18 points in nine January games with the Bakersfield Condors.