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Kitchener Rangers Edge Out London Knights In Overtime Thriller

On February 23, the Kitchener Rangers managed to secure a narrow 5-4 victory over the London Knights at Canada Life Place, despite the Knights staging an impressive comeback from an initial 3-0 deficit. The game reached a critical point in overtime, where Adrian Miseljevic netted the winning goal just 1:02 into the extra period.

The Rangers wasted no time in asserting their dominance, forcing London goalie Aleksei Medvedev into action with three quick saves within the first half-minute of play. Kitchener capitalized on their early momentum, scoring three goals in rapid succession during the first period. Jack Pridham, Cameron Reid, and Matthew Hlacar contributed to a commanding 3-0 lead within just 15 minutes of gameplay.

London finally broke through the Rangers’ defense late in the first period when Noah Read shot his second goal in as many nights, finding the back of the net under the crossbar off Jackson Parsons. This narrowed the gap to 3-1 as the teams headed into the second period.

Despite an aggressive start from London, who outshot Kitchener 11-0 through the opening six and a half minutes of the second frame, the Rangers proved resilient. They restored their two-goal advantage shortly after, as Tanner Lam assisted Luca Romano on Kitchener’s first shot of the period, making it 4-2.

Knights Continue to Fight Back

Refusing to back down, the Knights maintained their offensive pressure. Evan Van Gorp managed to score on a rebound, bringing London closer at 4-3 as they moved into the third period.

In a tense final stretch, the Knights were able to capitalize on their offensive efforts. After two unsuccessful power play attempts, Jacob Julien and Blake Montgomery set up Landon Sim for his 25th goal of the season, tying the game at 4-4 and setting the stage for a dramatic overtime.

Julien’s assist marked his ongoing point streak, extending it to an impressive 14 games.

During the overtime, Miseljevic took full advantage of fresh legs after coming off the bench. With the Knights unable to make a change, he skillfully deked around the defense and sealed the victory for Kitchener with the game-winning goal.

Notably, London’s Sam Dickinson provided valuable support with two assists, while Noah Read contributed a goal and an assist for the Knights. However, London now holds a 3-2 record against Kitchener for this season.

Weekend Challenges for the Knights

The Knights faced a challenging set of games over the weekend, marking their third match within three days after securing victories against Brampton and Erie. Despite outshooting the Rangers 40-31, London struggled to convert their power plays, going 0-for-2, while Kitchener successfully netted 1-for-2 on their opportunities.

Robert Thomas Achieves Milestone

In other hockey news, Robert Thomas recently reached a milestone, scoring his 100th goal in the NHL. Known for his all-around contributions, Thomas used Jake Neighbours as a decoy before firing past Winnipeg Jets’ goalie Eric Comrie on February 22. His impressive career includes winning an OHL Championship and a Memorial Cup with the Knights in 2016, followed by a championship-winning goal for the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2018. He notably led the St. Louis Blues from the bottom of the OHL standings to a Stanley Cup victory the following year.

What’s Next for the Knights?

The Knights will face another demanding weekend as they prepare for three more games in three days. They will host Owen Sound at Canada Life Place on February 28, followed by away games against the Niagara IceDogs on March 1 and the Oshawa Generals on March 2.

Fans can listen to the games on 980 CFPL or through the iHeart Radio and Radioplayer Canada apps.

Source
globalnews.ca