Photo credit: globalnews.ca

Knights Overcome Firebirds in Third Period Surge

In a thrilling Family Day matchup at Canada Life Place, the London Knights rallied from a goal down to secure a decisive 4-1 win against the Flint Firebirds. The Knights showcased their resilience by scoring four unanswered goals in the final period, effectively turning the game in their favor.

London’s captain, Denver Barkey, was the standout performer, netting two short-handed goals, which further solidified his legacy within the franchise. Barkey’s impressive achievement now includes a record-setting total of 13 short-handed goals during his time with the Knights, leading the Ontario Hockey League with the team’s 14 short-handed scores this season.

The action intensified in the third period, with Barkey’s first goal coming just 23 seconds in. Sam O’Reilly demonstrated quick thinking by seizing the puck during a penalty kill. He charged ahead to create a two-on-one situation, setting up Barkey for an easy tap-in that leveled the game at 1-1.

Approximately five minutes later, a face-off victory by Jacob Julien set the stage for Kasper Halttunen, who unleashed a shot that found its way through Flint goalie Nathan Day, granting the Knights a 2-1 lead.

Knights’ Defense Shines

As the clock wound down, Will Nicholl extended the Knights’ lead to 3-1 by skillfully maneuvering through traffic to score his 15th goal of the season with just under five minutes left in the game. Barkey capped the night off with an empty-net goal, marking his 21st goal of the season and bringing his points tally to 70.

The opening goal of the game didn’t come until the latter half of the second period when Kaden Pitre, a draft prospect for the Tampa Bay Lightning, netted one for the Firebirds. Despite London outshooting Flint, they found themselves trailing 1-0 until their dramatic comeback.

Goaltender Austin Elliott made a significant contribution to the Knights’ defense, securing his 23rd win by stopping 21 of the 22 shots he faced. In contrast, Flint’s Nathan Day recorded 33 saves during the match, displaying commendable effort despite the final score.

The Knights faced some challenges during the game, going 0-for-3 on the power play while successfully killing all four penalties handed to them. This highlighted their effectiveness in special teams, especially their penalty killing unit.

Jacob Julien’s Streak

Another highlight for the Knights has been the performance of Jacob Julien, a forward and Winnipeg Jets prospect. Julien has been on a scoring spree, managing to earn at least one point in 12 consecutive games, the longest active streak for the Knights. This reflects Julien’s strong showing in the second half of the season, where he has tallied 10 goals and 39 points overall, with a significant 18 points coming in just the first 16 games of the year.

Looking Ahead

The Knights now prepare for a busy schedule, with three games in as many days beginning on February 21. They will host the Brampton Steelheads at 7 p.m., seeking revenge after their earlier loss to the Steelheads earlier in the season. Coverage for the game will begin at 6:30 p.m. on 980 CFPL and various streaming platforms. Following this clash, the Knights will travel to Erie, Pennsylvania, before returning home for a matchup against the Kitchener Rangers on February 23.

Source
globalnews.ca