What a game. Just not the finish the Attack deserved.
Jacob Julien scored the decisive goal in the fifth round of the shootout as the London Knights completed a comeback from two goals down late in the third period to beat the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday evening at Canada Life Place.
London (17-4) extended its winning streak to 13 games. The Attack (6-11-2-3) lost their third straight.
Sam McCue had a pair of goals for Owen Sound. And Bruce McDonald added a goal and an assist, turning in a strong performance after being a healthy scratch for the Attack in his hometown game in Ottawa this past Sunday.
Logan Hawery, Kasper Halttunen and Oliver Bonk scored for London.
It was 3-1 Attack inside the final two minutes of the third period. Then the Knights scored twice with the net empty to tie the game.
Halttunen took a shot from the faceoff dot on the left side that found a way past Carter George high with 1:22 remaining to cut Owen Sound’s lead to 3-2.
Then fortune favoured the Knights. Bonk fired the puck towards the net from the right side, and it took not one, but two bounces towards the net and somehow bounce its way in like a pinball. First the puck deflected off Elliott Arnett, and then looked to be heading wide but hit off David Bedkowski at the side of the goal and fell in.
Two goals in 38 seconds for London. Tie game 3-3.
There wasn’t a dull moment in overtime.
George made the first big save, perhaps the biggest save of the season on Halttunen. The Knights sniper and San Jose Sharks prospect had the puck come to him right in the slot, and looked up to a near empty net. He ripped a shot and George swung to his right and clubbed the puck out of midair with his stick to make a save and keep the Attack in it.
It was another stellar performance for the Attack goaltender, who made 35 saves and was named the game’s first star.
It was Owen Sound’s turn next as overtime continued. Pierce Mbuyi was sprung on a breakaway and tried a low shot, but Austin Elliott made the stop and he slid back towards the goal line.
McDonald had another contest breakaway for the Attack late in the 3-on-3 overtime. He went from the right side across the front of the net, and tried to pull the puck forehand and tuck it low. But it slid away. McDonald looked up and appeared to want a penalty call on the play, presumably believing he was hooked as he deked.
Easton Cowan scored on the first attempt of the shootout. Then the goalies took over. It came down to Owen Sound’s third shooter, McCue, to extend things. He managed to get one five-hole, that just got past Elliott, who got his stick on it but couldn’t keep the puck out.
A miss at the other end and Mbuyi had a chance to win for the Attack. He deked forehand and tried to go five-hole, but the puck caught enough of Elliott’s pad to stay out.
Julien then scored with a shot off the far post and in. And Antonio Tersigni was stopped, as the Attack fell to 0-3 in the shootout this season.
After a scoreless first period, Hawery gave the Knights a 1-0 lead just 1:03 into the second. The rookie took a pass in the slot and put a high shot over the glove of George, scoring his first career OHL goal.
But the Attack would respond five minutes later on the power play. McDonald started some nice puck movement from the right board, zipping a pass across to Landen Hookey, who then put it low towards the net right to McCue at the post. He tapped the puck in to tie it 1-1.
Three-and-a-half minutes later it was McCue again. Hookey had it on the right-wing and then put a pass to McCue in the high slot. The brother of former London Knight Max McCue then quieted the crowd at Canada Life Place with a high shot into the net to give the Attack their first lead of the game, 2-1.
They held that into the third. Then a controversial call. Landon Sim threw a hit to the head of Jake Crawford just inside the Attack blueline, and then engaged in a fight with James Petrovski. Video replay appears to show Sim dropping his gloves and going at Petrovski, but it was the Attack defenceman given an instigator call. That sidelined him for the next 17 minutes, because of the misconduct penalty assessed.
It was the Attack who would find the next goal. McDonald streaked up the left-wing side and cut towards then net, then fired a shot over the glove of Elliott to give the Attack their third unanswered goal and a 3-1 lead.
Penalty trouble would follow immediately after. Both calls, flukey plays during battles along the boards. First Tristan Delisle was called for high-sticking as he tried to get a puck free from Julien in the defensive zone. Then 43 seconds later it was Cowan flopping to the ice and grabbing his face on a similar play along the board up ice, this time Tersigni’s stick the culprit.
The Knights ended up with 1:17 of 5-on-3 power play time. But George and the Attack locked it down, as London cycled through different looks in the offensive zone but couldn’t find a way to put the puck in.
Elliott made 21 saves in the win, while George stopped 35 taking the loss. London outshot Owen Sound 39-24 while going 0 for 5 on the power play; the Attack finished 1 for 3.
Next up for the Attack is a big home game Saturday evening at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre against their former Captain Colby Barlow and the Oshawa Generals (13-8-1-1). It’s the lone trip back to the Bayshore for Barlow this season.
Game time is 7 p.m. Saturday evening. Word is it will be a sellout crowd.
THIS DARN BUILDING
Owen Sound’s loss to the Knights Friday was their eighth straight in London – including regular season and playoff games. The last time an Attack team won in London was Sept. 30, 2022. That 5-3 win was the season opener for the Attack in the 2022-23 campaign.
ANOTHER CLOSE ONE
Friday’s game was the third meeting between the Attack and Knights this season. All three games have needed extra time. London won 5-4 in overtime at the Bayshore on Oct. 9. Then on Nov. 3, a 2-1 win for the Knights in OT in Owen Sound. Three points in three games against London this season for the Attack. They just haven’t found a way yet to get over the hump and secure the extra point.