London Knights, without their captain, thump Kitchener for 2-0 series lead

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The London Knights’ roster depth is one thing to behold this season.

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With captain Denver Barkey out with an ankle damage, Dale Hunter leaned on overagers Jacob Julien and Landon Sim to hold some added duty in Sport 2 towards Kitchener. Julien scored twice, together with on the ability play, and had 4 factors within the Knights’ 6-2 victory earlier than 9,061 Sunday at Canada Life Place.

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“You simply must preserve rolling,” Julien, the Winnipeg Jets prospect, mentioned. “You’ll be able to’t change the scenario (of a key damage) and we’re simply figuring it out. Barkey was an enormous a part of the ability play and the workforce. Everybody has received to step up and maintain enterprise.”

Their enterprise is booming.

The Knights have began this postseason on a 10-0 run. They’ve outshot their opponent in each sport and have persistently constructed up early leads.

They’ve an 8-0 file when main after one interval and are actually 9-0 when up heading into the third. They’ve gained eight consecutive playoff video games towards the Rangers relationship again to 2023.

“We’ve actually been good at driving the highs and lows to date,” Julien mentioned. “We don’t need to be overconfident. We need to be humble and preserve working exhausting.”

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Kitchener, outshot 12-2 within the first interval, confirmed some promise by digging out of a two-goal gap within the second. However an enormous breakaway save by London goaltender Austin Elliott on sneaky Jack Pridham and a few sensational defence by Henry Brzustewicz on some harmful rushes purchased the Knights time earlier than a four-goal outburst.

“The sport was tight there and a few huge performs . . . that’s what we would like for our guys,” head coach Dale Hunter mentioned. “They got here up huge.”

The Knights misplaced Barkey to a shoulder situation for a couple of month late within the common season. They nonetheless went 8-1 with out him towards some high quality foes.

“We simply went again to the identical (as) what we had earlier than,” Hunter mentioned.

It’s a luxurious few groups have at this stage.

The Rangers have been with out ahead Christian Humphreys, who was injured on a Kasper Halttunen test within the opening minute of Sport 1. Defenceman Carson Campbell couldn’t reply the bell, both, after taking part in Friday.

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Aside from a stretch within the second interval, they’ve been chasing the Knights all sequence.

“It’s robust,” huge Rangers ahead Trent Swick mentioned. “We need to come out and get the lead early. We haven’t seen what it’s prefer to play towards them when we now have the lead.”

The Knights need to be certain they by no means do. As historical past suggests, it’s going to make for an additional quick sequence.

BARKEY UPDATE: The Knights captain has been listed as day-to-day with a lower-body damage after injuring his left ankle from a late third-period hit by Kitchener defenceman Max Dirracolo in Sport 1.

The Flyers prospect will probably be assessed once more Monday however the Knights determine it wasn’t as unhealthy as they feared. A sequence lead means they gained’t must attempt to rush him again.

“We need to play for him,” Brzustewicz mentioned. “He’s our chief and guys must step up when he’s gone.”

Halttunen referred to as Barkey’s absence an enormous loss, however he stays a vocal a part of the dressing room.

“You don’t need to see a (key) man out like that,” the Finnish ahead mentioned. “He’s an enormous a part of the entire workforce however we now have good guys arising behind him. We gained’t have any issues with that.”

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AROUND THE RINK: Julien positive likes dealing with the Rangers within the playoffs. He has 9 targets and 14 factors in six video games the previous two springs . . . Elliott is 42-1 within the Knights internet and 45-1 total this season. He isn’t as busy as Kitchener counterpart Jackson Parsons, however he’s holding his personal when it issues most . . . What occurred when the Rangers despatched in video of Halttunen’s hit on Humphreys to the league over the weekend? Nothing. It was hit and the league doubled down on their judgement this weekend. “I didn’t imply to harm the man,” the Sharks prospect mentioned. “Sadly, he received damage on that hit and the referees needed to look to see if there may be something. The refs mentioned there wasn’t in order that was it.” . . . Ought to the Knights ship in a third-period head butt by Rangers pest Matthew Hlacar on Jesse Nurmi Sunday? Dale Hunter mentioned he didn’t see it – nevertheless it was clear on the TV broadcast that it occurred. Hlacar fought London’s Rene Van Bommel whereas Ryder Boulton tangled with Andrew MacNiel. The Knights got instigators in each fights . . . Henry Brzustewicz mentioned his brother Hunter, who performed two years for Kitchener, will probably be fired up at his effort Sunday. “He needs me to be one of the best man within the sequence however he needs them (the Rangers) to win,” he quipped. Hunter’s Calgary Wranglers have been eradicated from the AHL playoffs so he ought to be again quickly to look at the top of this sequence . . . Did you see Knights grad Kyle Flemington of Parkhill, now a referee, breaking apart the wild bench battle between his former London teammate Josh Anderson and Washington’s Tom Wilson Friday? Flemington and Anderson have been a part of London’s 2012 OHL champs. That’s the identical season Dale Hunter left London briefly to educate the Capitals . . . Knights U18 draft prospect Parker Graham scored the lone aim for the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks in a 4-1 loss to the Moncton Flyers within the bronze medal sport on the Telus Cup U18 ‘AAA’ nationwide championships Sunday in Chilliwack, B.C. The Canucks completed 3-4 within the match.

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OHL HOCKEY

Knights 6, Rangers 2(London leads best-of-seven Western Convention closing 2-0)London targets: Jacob Julien (2), Jesse Nurmi, Cam Allen, Oliver Bonk, Blake MontgomeryKitchener targets: Trent Swick, Luca RomanoNext: Sport 3 is Monday, 7 p.m. at Canada Life Place.

Sunday at Canada Life Place

Knights 6, Rangers 2

First period1., London, Nurmi 1 (Julien, Dickinson) 4:112. London, Allen 3 (Woolley) 16:15Penalties – MacNiel, Equipment (preventing), Boulton, Ldn (battle instigator, 10-minute misconduct) 10:55, Reid, Equipment (hooking) 14:09, Woolley, Ldn (interference) 16:38.

Second period3. Kitchener, Swick 7 (Pridham, Vermeulen) 1:104. Kitchener, Romano 6 (Reid) 6:08 (pp)5. London, Bonk 2 (Learn, O’Reilly) 15:496. London, Julien 2 (Woolley, Cowan) 17:46Penalties – Ellis, Equipment (interference) 2:39, Hlacar, Equipment (preventing), Van Bommel, Ldn (battle instigator, 10-minute misconduct) 5:34, Swick, Equipment (high-sticking) 17:46.

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Third period7. London, Montgomery 3 (Julien, Brzustewicz) 4:538. London, Julien 3 (Brzustewicz, Montgomery) 10:22 (pp)Penalties – Pridham, Equipment (slashing) 8:45, Hlacar, Equipment (10-minute misconduct), Boulton, Ldn (charging, 10-minute misconduct) 15:57, Van Bommel, Ldn (hooking) 17:24, Bilecki, Equipment, Aboflan, Ldn (roughing) 19:39.

Photographs on aim byKit 2 14 9–25Ldn 12 14 15–41

Energy performs: Equipment 1-4. Ldn 1-4.

Goalies: Parsons, Equipment (L, 8-6). Elliott, Ldn (W, 10-0).

Referees – Darcy Burchell, Brendan Kane. Strains – Devon Driscoll, Justin Noble.

Attendance – 9,061 (9,061).

Three stars: 1. Jacob Julien, Knights; 2. Blake Montgomery, Knights; 3. Jared Woolley, Knights

Learn Extra

Coaches conflict over huge hits as London Knights beat Kitchener in Sport 1

Kitchener Rangers coach on London Knights showdown: ‘We’re prepared’

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