Memorial Cup: London Knights edge Moncton Wildcats 3-2 in overtime

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RIMOUSKI, Que. – For years, Easton Cowan and Denver Barkey had a cosmic connection on the ice. Recently, Sam O’Reilly has tapped into that sensational chemistry.

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The London centre scored two enormous targets, together with the 3-on-3 winner arrange by Cowan 4:23 into additional time, to guide the Knights to a 3-2 victory over Moncton of their Memorial Cup opener earlier than 4,512 Saturday at Solar Life Monetary Coliseum.

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“I simply attempt to get to the online and he (Cowan) does all his artistic stuff up high,” the Oilers first rounder mentioned. “It’s at all times the perfect place to go – to the online – and (he) throws pucks there loads. I used to be lucky sufficient to be open for him.”

The Knights badly outshot the Quebec league champs – particularly by a 16-3 margin in a scoreless third interval when Wildcats star Mathis Rousseau stored his crew in it. A stumble right here would have been a second straight London heartbreaker after the ultimate in Saginaw final 12 months.

However O’Reilly squashed that narrative.

“It’s a brand new match and we wish a distinct end result,” mentioned the 19-year-old from Toronto, who had a purpose and 4 factors in a breakout 2024 Cup. “We talked about all of it 12 months and that’s what we’re making an attempt to do now.”

O’Reilly additionally confirmed off his 200-foot sport by dominating within the defensive zone. Moncton star Caleb Desnoyers didn’t register a shot in regulation and completed minus-1.

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“He’s been nice for us all 12 months on either side of the puck,” London captain Denver Barkey mentioned. “He has labored tremendous onerous all 12 months and to look at him develop as a participant, I’m not shocked. He takes all of the highlight and scores two huge targets for us.”

There may be at all times a combined response to deciding massive video games with 3-on-3 additional time as a substitute of 5-on-5, as has been the rule on the Cup since 2022.

“Both means would’ve been superb,” O’Reilly shrugged.

Moncton coach Gardiner MacDougall wouldn’t go as far as to criticize the format.

“Yeah, it’s above my rating,” he mentioned. “We simply coach. It’s what it’s. Three-on-three can be a giant half (for London). They’d in all probability be excited.”

London improved to 3-1 all-time in additional time on the Cup following victories in opposition to Rimouski in 2005 (Marc Methot) and Purple Deer (Matthew Tkachuk) within the 2016 ultimate.

The Knights misplaced the 2012 ultimate in additional time to host Shawinigan.

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ANOTHER TALLY: You thought Kasper Halttunen was a fantastic OHL playoff scorer? You need to see him on the Memorial Cup.

The massive Finn wired residence a second-period power-play purpose to present the Knights a 2-1 lead. The tally gave the OHL playoff MVP a purpose in 5 consecutive Cup video games and a share of the match report with Ty Rattie (who had six targets in 5 tilts) with Portland in 2013 at Saskatoon.

Rattie scored in each of the Winterhawks’ wins in opposition to London at that match. Halttunen has scored 9 targets in his previous 4 video games, however wasn’t overly impressed by his milestones.

“It actually doesn’t matter to me,” he mentioned. “I’m simply making an attempt to assist the crew win and do the perfect I can. These massive video games are one thing that get me going and that’s what I’ve to do.”

That’s what they often do on this stage and that’s why the Knights are often in place to win.

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“They’re good gamers they usually need to win actual dangerous,” London coach Dale Hunter mentioned of Halttunen and O’Reilly. “They play onerous and when the large video games are on the road, they arrive via.”

BARKEY BACK: London captain Denver Barkey was instructed by the Knights brass he can be slowly labored into the Moncton sport after lacking all however the clinching Recreation 5 of the OHL championship collection on account of an ankle damage.

That restricted function lasted all of 1 interval. As the sport wore on, he was again to his common shift and particular groups responsibility, together with penalty killing.

“Good to get again into it and be again on the bench with the fellows (for) a win,” the Flyers prospect mentioned. “I felt actually assured coming in and knew we’d ease into it a bit. By the second interval, I used to be getting some PK and energy play.”

With Barkey again, it was onerous for Moncton to select aside any of London’s ahead models.

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“Their high 9 (forwards) are unbelievable,” MacDougall mentioned of the Knights. “Generally, you search for matchups and a few groups may have one actually good line. They’ve three actually good strains. I don’t suppose we needed to fear about (modifications).”

AROUND THE RINK: London barely trailed within the OHL playoffs and by no means trailed within the Cup opener . . . Jacob Julien got here up limping close to the tip of the second interval after expertly breaking apart a Moncton rush. He was again out for the opening faceoff of the third . . . What was mentioned on the finish of regulation within the Knights room? “Nothing particular,” Barkey admitted. “They gave us a tough struggle. We received higher and higher and in OT, we have been actually good.” . . . Elliott made two good stops on Desnoyers in sudden dying and was usually strong when wanted. The Knights goalie is as much as a 52-2 report on the season . . . The Knights had a scare when the officers fumbled an apparent too many males name in opposition to Moncton in additional time. “It occurs,” Barkey mentioned. “There’s missed calls everywhere in the ice. Us as a gaggle, we’re simply centered on the sport. We caught with it in OT after they missed the decision.” . . . The Knights at the moment are 6-1 in Cup openers. They beat Rimouski 4-3 in OT in 2005, topped Saint John 5-3 in Shawinigan in 2012, bested host Saskatoon 3-2 in 2013, pounded host Purple Deer 6-2 in 2016 and shut out Drummondville 4-0 final 12 months. Their solely loss was 1-0 to Val d’Or at residence in 2014 . . . Oliver Bonk has in all probability been the perfect to this point at summing up the Knights’ motivation and mission after shedding within the Cup ultimate a 12 months in the past. “We received three video games final 12 months (on the match),” the Flyers prospect mentioned. “We weren’t prepared for the final one. They (Saginaw) sort of took us by storm. I’m not saying that’s the rationale we misplaced. We received again to 3-3 however they took us by storm. We weren’t prepared. We sort of received comfy after profitable all three video games. That’s one thing we received’t do that 12 months.” . . . The Quebec Maritime league has extra strict guidelines on preventing than the Ontario league does in that they mechanically eject combatants from the sport – like within the Junior B ranks. The OHL nonetheless points a five-minute main penalty for a scrap. A compromise has been met for this occasion. This week, a 10-minute misconduct will probably be assessed to gamers who obtain a routine preventing main (with out instigator, and so forth.).

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one hundred and fifth MEMORIAL CUP

Knights 3, Wildcats 2 (OT)London targets: Sam O’Reilly (2), Kasper HalttunenMoncton targets: Etienne Morin, Dyllan Gill

Subsequent: The Knights face host Rimouski Sunday, 6 p.m. at Solar Life Monetary Coliseum.

Saturday at Solar Life Monetary Coliseum

Knights 3, Wildcats 2 (OT)

First period1., London, O’Reilly 1 (Dickinson, Montgomery) 1:312. Moncton, Morin 1 (Mercier, MacKinnon) 6:59Penalties – Dickinson, Ldn (tripping) 15:47, Moncton, bench (too many males) 18:02.

Second period3. London, Halttunen 1 (Cowan, Barkey) 5:11 (pp)4. Moncton, Gill 1 (Mercier, Grenier) 12:22 (pp)Penalties – Desnoyers, Mon (tripping) 4:19, Brzustewicz, Ldn (hooking) 10:32.

Third periodNo scoring.Penalties – Sim, Ldn (high-sticking) 7:13, Smith, Mon (interference) 9:30, MacKinnon, Mon (hooking), Cowan, Ldn (diving) 11:30.

Overtime5. London, O’Reilly 2 (Cowan, Bonk) 4:23Penalties – None.

Photographs on purpose byMon 15 8 3 3–29Ldn 14 15 16 3–48

Energy performs: Mon 1-3. Ldn 1-3.

Goalies: Rousseau, Mon (L, 0-1). Elliott, Ldn (W, 1-0)

Referees – Samuel Bernier, Taylor Burzminski. Traces – Mitchell Gibbs, Mat Hicks.

Attendance – 4,512.

Star of the sport: Sam O’Reilly, Knights

Learn Extra

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Can’t get to Rimouski? Watch the London Knights on a giant display downtown

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