Sam Dickinson scored the game winner 21 seconds into overtime as the London Knights edged the Brantford Bulldogs 4-3 to end a five-game homestand at Canada Life Place on Oct. 25.
Dickinson had a goal and an assist and found a rare hole in Ryerson Leenders who faced 42 London shots in the game.
Landon Sim’s first goal of the year opened the scoring at 7:22 of the first period.
Sim tipped in a Henry Brzustewicz point shot. Brzustewicz has started the year with nine assists in nine games.
Easton Cowan’s fourth goal of the year made it 2-0 Knights at the end of a lengthy delayed penalty call. The goal came at 17:12 of the first period.
Before the horn sounded, Brantford cut the London lead in half on a wrist shot from the right side of the Knights end by New Jersey Devils prospect Cole Brown.
The Bulldogs tied the game 4:22 into the second period on Parker Holmes’ first Ontario Hockey League goal after killing off a London two-man advantage and the game sat at 2-2.
Sam O’Reilly put the Knights back in front with four and a half minutes to go as he started a play coming through centre ice, then found himself in front of the Brantford net to finish it for his third goal of the year and a 3-2 London lead.
The Bulldogs evened the score for the second time as Brown banged in a rebound to the left of the Knights crease with 33.5 seconds to go in the middle period.
Leenders made himself the story of the third period. He turned aside 14 London shots and held strong through some relentless pressure by the Knights.
London outshot the Bulldogs 14-3.
The Knights wasted no time in OT as Dickinson and William Nicholl raced into the Bulldogs zone. They play they wanted to make didn’t happen but Dickinson stayed on the puck, scooped up a loose puck and turned and wired a shot behind Leenders.
Austin Elliott made 17 saves to earn his second consecutive win in net for London. His final two stops
Both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play.
NHL Central Scouting releases ‘Players to watch’ list
Three London Knights, a potential future Knight and three area players were all listed as “Players to watch” for the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft by National Hockey League Central Scouting.
Goaltender Alexei Medvedev, defenceman Henry Brzustewicz and forward Blake Arrowsmith of the Knights all had their names appear.
Londoners Parker Snelgrove (Guelph) and Aiden Young (Peterborough) and Aylmer, Ont., native Cameron Reid also made the list.
Gleb Semenov was also recognized. He is an import pick of London’s in 2024. Semenov is currently playing in the USHL.
Up next
Next up, London will return to the Dow Events Center in Michigan for the first time since the 2024 Memorial Cup tournament.
The Knights visit the Saginaw Spirit on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.
Coverage will start aty 6:30 p.m., on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca and on the iHeart Radio and Radioplayer Canada apps.
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