Knights capitalize on chances in win over Greyhounds (video)

The Soo Greyhounds gave the London Knights some opportunities offensively on Friday night.

Those opportunities turned into a difference-maker Friday as the Knights scored four times in the second period in a 7-4 Ontario Hockey League win over the Greyhounds at Budweiser Gardens in London.

It was the second consecutive night that a second period outburst offensively cost the Greyhounds after the team surrendered five goals in the second period of a 6-5 loss to Guelph last weekend.

“We actually generated a lot, but while we were generating, we were giving up a little bit on the wrong side and London capitalized on their opportunities,” said Greyhounds coach John Dean of the second period.

Overage forward Cole MacKay echoed the sentiments of Dean.

“They pushed hard, and we didn’t respond very well, and they capitalized on their chances,” said overage forward Cole MacKay. “That’s something we have to cut out. It’s happened to us a couple times here, in the last two games. Credit to them, they played hard and were very persistent in their play and their systems.”

With just a pair of power plays in the game, Dean was asked about the discipline of the Knights in the game.

“I have a player in the hospital checking his eye after a high stick to his eyeball, so I’m not sure how disciplined that is,” Dean responded.

Early in the game, the Greyhounds lost defenceman Jacob Holmes to an eye injury.

Dean said the 18-year-old blueliner was in the hospital having tests done and details on the severity of the injury wasn’t known.

While no penalty was called on the play, Dean said there was no question that a penalty was warranted on the play.

“He took a high stick to the eye, and he was bleeding, there’s really no discussion,” Dean said.

Brody Crane got London on the board 6:28 into the game when he drove the net and scored on a rebound after Samuel Ivanov initially stopped him on a redirection of a pass by Denver Barkey.

After having a goal waved off following a review in the opening period, Colton Smith made it 2-0 London 45 seconds into the second period as he took a feed in the slot from Ruslan Gazizov before beating Ivanov 5-hole on the power play.

Cody Morgan extended the lead for the Knights at 6:11 when he went to the net and redirected a pass from Max McCue past Ivanov.

Greyhounds captain Ryan O’Rourke got the visitors on the board moments after the Sault killed off the first part of a two-man advantage for the Knights.

O’Rourke beat a London defender near the Greyhounds blueline and proceeded to beat Knights starter Brett Brochu high glove side to make it 3-1.

Landon Sim restored the three-goal lead for London at 14:07 of the second period when he took a feed from Liam Gilmartin and beat Ivanov in tight to make it 4-1.

The Knights took a 5-1 lead thanks to a goal by McCue at 17:40. McCue skated down the right wing and beat Ivanov high short side with a shot from the right faceoff circle.

The game would head into the third with the Knights leading 5-2 after Kirill Kudryavtsev picked up his first OHL goal at 19:27 of the second period. The rookie blueliner took a pass in the slot from Rory Kerins before beating Brochu 5-hole.

The Greyhounds cut the lead to one with a pair of goals early in the third period.

Tye Kartye made it 5-3 49 seconds in as he jumped on a loose puck in close after Tanner Dickinson lost the handle on it in the slot.

Dickinson then cut the London lead to 5-4 as he poked in a loose pick at 2:42. After Jordan D’Intino lost the puck while cutting to the net, Dickinson and Cole MacKay each got a piece of the loose puck before it found its way over the goalline.

Liam Gilmartin gave the Knights a 6-4 lead when he batted in a rebound at 16:10 before McCue capped off the scoring with an empty net goal at 17:51.

McCue finished the night with two goals and an assist while Gazizov assisted on three goals.

Gilmartin and had a goal and an assist and Antonio Stranges assisted on a pair of goals for the Knights.

Brochu made 28 saves.

Dickinson finished the night with a goal and an assist for the Greyhounds while Ivanov made 20 saves.

MacKay said following the loss that the team didn’t have the swagger it’s become used to this season.

“I don’t think we carried the same swagger coming into this barn and that’s something that we’re still learning,” MacKay said. “It’s fair to say we didn’t have the same swagger and we gave them a bit too much respect.”

Kalvyn Watson remains out of the Greyhounds lineup due to a broken wrist suffered on Oct. 20 against the Sudbury Wolves.

Dean said following Friday’s game that the 19-year-old forward remains out week-to-week.

Dean also confirmed that rookie forward Tyler Savard, who was injured in a game against the Guelph Storm last weekend, is also out week-to-week.

The Greyhounds record falls to 9-6-0-0 with the loss while London improves to 10-1-1-0.

The Greyhounds wrap up the weekend road trip on Saturday night at the WFCU Arena against the Windsor Spitfires.