Knights roar back with a win over 67’s
The London Knights are in the midst of a rebuild of sorts in 201415, not that any of their Ontario Hockey League opponents would really notice.
As it stands with just five regular season games remaining, the current edition of a still very star-studded Knights lineup stands to post either its second- or third-lowest points total in the past decade and also a third-worst wins total since 2005-06.
Now before anyone goes writing off the Knights in the playoffs, consider the club is virtually assured of surpassing the 40-win plateau for the eighth time and 80-point mark for the ninth time in those 10 seasons, and on Friday night at TD Place the Ottawa 67’s learned a tough lesson about just how a dynasty “rebuilds,” or should it be retools?
The Knights spotted the 67’s a 3-0 lead, then roared back and decided things with a pair of goals by Christian Dvorak, including the game-winner at 3:22 of overtime, to turn back the 67’s 6-5 in a playoff-type thriller before a crowd of 3,980.
Captain Travis Konecny scored 57 seconds into the game and again at 3:56 while Brendan Bell made it 3-0 67’s after 20 minutes, only to see London mount their comeback and take command in the second.
Matt Rupert, Max Domi and Jack Hidi scored for the Knights in the second against a goal by 67 Evan de Haan.
When OHL leading scorer Mitchell Marner scored his 44th of the year 2:42 into the third on a power play, the 3-0 lead was but a distant memory.
Still, Jeremiah Addison sent the 67’s up 5-4 at 16:18 only to have Dvorak break their hearts for the first time with 39.2 seconds remaining in regulation.
The 67’s found out no lead is safe against a Knights squad that sits third in the Western Conference with three of the top eight scorers in the league. Marner leads the way with 120 points and is about to become (this June) the 10th Knight selected in the first round on the NHL draft in the past 10 years.
Not far behind Marner in the scoring race are a pair of future Arizona Coyotes in Dvorak with 107 points and world juniors star Domi with 95 points in just 52 games.
“The plan is to give your team a chance to win every year,” said 67’s head coach Jeff Brown. “The Knights do that.
“And it was Killer’s (Brian Kilrea) goal every year ... never to blow things up and do a complete rebuild, but be there in the top five in your conference every year with a chance to win.
“That kind of thinking carries over to your room, too, where the players know that every year they have a chance to do something special. The kids know.
“And what (Hunter) has done and what Killer did is truly amazing. It’s incredible, really. Amazing … incredible …. whatever.”
Right after the 67’s left the ice, they were packing for a bus trip for an overnight stay in Kingston before trekking to St. Catharines to play the red-hot Niagara IceDogs Saturday night in yet another contest with playoff position implications.
After an 0-10 start to the season, the IceDogs have climbed the ladder to where they are just four points back of the 67’s for fourth overall in the Eastern Conference, each with seven games to play.
The 67’s then play Sunday afternoon in Mississauga, and down the stretch they could finish anywhere from third to fifth.
As for the Knights, there’s just no letup in a Dale Hunter-coached team, especially after a loss the previous night in Peterborough, and it’s been that way every year.
“There’s so many variables in junior,” said Brown. “Players leaving early. Injuries. Players that don’t pan out. And there’s so many good coaches and GMs in this league ... every night you look over and it’s another good coach you’re facing. ... (Hunter) has left for the NHL and come back, and just kept it going.
“What the Knights have done ... that’s what every team wants to do.”