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Knights Dominate Otters with 4-0 Victory in OHL Playoffs

In a striking performance, the London Knights secured a commanding 4-0 shutout against the Erie Otters in Game 3 of their second-round OHL playoff series on April 15. Goaltender Austin Elliott contributed significantly with 23 saves, further solidifying the Knights’ strong position in the best-of-seven series, now leading 3-0.

As the game unfolded, the Knights were tantalizingly close to going into the first intermission without allowing a single goal. However, with just 46.3 seconds remaining in the first period, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan lit the lamp by skillfully backhanding a shot past Otters’ goalie Charlie Burns, putting London ahead 1-0.

Following Cowan’s opener, just 14.2 seconds later, Landon Sim redirected a shot from Sam Dickinson into the net, extending the Knights’ lead to 2-0. The scoring flurry didn’t stop there; with a mere 15.3 seconds left in the period, Jacob Julien netted his own rebound, concluding the first 20 minutes with London ahead 3-0.

This series of goals, remarkable for their timing, came in a whirlwind span of only 31.3 seconds.

Game Highlights

Kasper Halttunen further padded the Knights’ lead during a power play at the 11:29 mark of the second period, firing in his fourth goal of the playoffs. Heading into the final frame, the Knights were well positioned to maintain their dominance.

Defensively, London excelled, limiting the Otters to only six shots in the third period while launching 39 attempts of their own. The Knights managed to convert on 1 of their 2 power play opportunities, while Erie struggled without any goals on 5 attempts.

Historic Moment for Ivan Demidov

In an intriguing aside, Ivan Demidov made headlines on April 14 by scoring in his debut for the Montreal Canadiens. This achievement marked him as the first teenage rookie for the Canadiens to score in their initial NHL game since Mark Hunter accomplished the feat in 1981.

Hunter’s debut goal came just 2 minutes and 9 seconds into a game that ultimately ended in a tie against the Hartford Whalers. That season, he went on to score a total of 18 goals, leading the Canadiens into a playoff series against the Quebec Nordiques, which they lost in an overtime thriller of Game 5.

Denver Barkey’s Remarkable Run

In further recognition, Knights captain Denver Barkey has been on an impressive scoring streak, achieving better than a point-per-period average during the playoffs. On April 14, he was honored as the OHL Player of the Week after netting four goals and providing three assists across two games against the Otters.

Barkey commenced the series with a hat trick in Game 1, followed by another stellar performance in Game 2, where he scored once and assisted on three others. His efforts earned him the title of the game’s first star on both occasions.

Looking Ahead

The Knights and Otters are set to meet again for Game 4 on Thursday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at the Erie Insurance Arena, with coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. on 980 CFPL and available through online streaming on iHeart Radio and Radioplayer Canada apps.

Source
globalnews.ca