Knights will be tested: The question is when
The Knights are off to a perfect start in the win-loss column. But a true test of their talent still lies ahead, amidst a host of new opponents coming soon …
(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).
It won’t always be this easy.
Not to say the London Knights haven’t been challenged at times during their first eight games (three went to overtime and two of those to shootout), but, by all accounts, it’s been a dream start to the season for the green and gold. Three and a half weeks in, the Knights are a perfect 8-0, good for first overall in the OHL through action Monday.
Their plus-15 goal differential leads the entire league, they’ve won four games at home and four on the road, and seven different players have scored at least two goals in the early going.
“Obviously we’re happy with the start we’ve had to the season, and how our team has played so far,” said Rob Simpson, the Knights’ associate general manager. “But the games have been tight, some of them could have gone either way. As (the schedule) opens up here in November, and everybody starts playing each other, it’ll be interesting – for the entire league – to see where the standings go.”
Indeed, the early part of the year has featured a lot of games against a lot of the same teams. Including this Friday’s matchup against the Owen Sound Attack, the Knights will have played just three different opponents in their first nine games (five against the Attack, and two each against Windsor and Sarnia).
“Once the whole league starts to play each other, you’ll really see which teams are the top teams in the league and which are going to have to battle their way through,” said Simpson.
In other words, the Knights will be tested. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Will it be against Flint on Saturday? Guelph next Tuesday? Or how about the Soo Greyhounds next weekend? They’re in first in the West Division.
“You look at the standings and the teams we have coming up … they’ve all played well at times, and they’ve struggled at times,” Simpson said. “I don’t think there’s a way to know who’s going to be the toughest matchup.”
(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).
One thing Knights coaches are certainly preaching to their players is that the work never stops. Yes, the team may be 8-0, but the majority of those games have been close. Such a start could lead a team to become overconfident. Simpson says the focus is on the players ‘not getting too far ahead’ of themselves.
“It’s good for your team to have confidence, but I think the coaching staff are consistently talking to them about what they need to improve,” he said. “Even though we’re winning, we feel like we have a lot of work to do.
“At times in games, I think some of our mistakes or mental lapses have been covered up by some really good goaltending by Brett Brochu. It’s always nice to have the foundation back there that you can rely on, but we still have holes to try to improve.”
Of all the bright spots thus far, Brochu might be the brightest. On Tuesday, the 19-year-old was named OHL Goaltender of the Month for October, earning the honour for the third straight month (dating back to the 2019-20 season prior to the COVID-19 shutdown). He entered November with a perfect 8-0 record to go with a league-best 2.07 goals against average and .935 save percentage.
But the Knights’ talent on display hasn’t been limited to their star goaltender. Luke Evangelista, the team’s captain this year, has surged out of the gates, tallying a team-best 15 points in his first eight games – including 10 goals, which tied him for tops in the league entering November. Coming off a breakout season in 2019-20, the Nashville Predators prospect has earned at least a point in every game this season.
Sean McGurn, who has been a real pleasant surprise for the Knights’ coaching staff, has 11 points in eight games, while rookie Colton Smith has six goals and nine points, Cody Morgan (currently, the team’s lone overage player) has eight points, and Max McCue has tallied seven.
All are working hard at practice, with the rest of their teammates, Simpson says, to continue improving and preparing for the long grind that is an OHL hockey season. Simpson believes that the many close games early this year, where the result has come down to the wire, have been good for the team – particularly for the rookies.
“It can be stressful for the players, but it really solidifies your team and brings them together,” Simpson said. “It gives them the sense of confidence that when it gets tight, we’ll be able to get the job done and win games.
“Sometimes, if you’re winning games by three or four goals, you can get a relaxed sense, a feeling of, ‘okay, we’re just going to win by a couple of goals and it’ll be pretty easy.’ Whereas when you’re in these stressful games that go down to the last minute, and you have to adjust and play a certain style of game to get the win, it definitely helps your team build character.”
There will be more character-building in the coming weeks as the Knights’ schedule expands and they begin playing new opponents – beginning as soon as this Saturday against Flint.
The Knights will be tested, there’s no doubt about that. For now, though, they’re sitting pretty atop the league standings – and with plenty to be excited about heading into the season’s second month.
Knight Watch: London back in familiar territory; Sam Dickinson OHL Player of the Week; Efficiency from goal-scoring Van Gorp; Powerplay clicking once again; Knights get Soo showdown Friday …