Joel Vanderlaan @jovanderlaan
In a rematch of last year’s OHL Championship Series, the Oshawa Generals opened the finals with a 4–2 win over the London Knights on Thursday night at Canada Life Place, handing the defending champions their first loss of the postseason.
After a scoreless opening frame, London tallied early in the second period. Rene Van Bommel buried his first goal of the playoffs, finishing a pass from Noah Read.
Oshawa would respond on the power play, with Nashville Predators prospect and trade deadline acquisition Andrew Gibson notching the equalizer.
The Knights regained the lead late in the period, capitalizing on a man advantage of their own. Kasper Halttunen beat Jacob Oster low on the glove side to send London into the third with a 2–1 lead.
After a double minor was assessed to Flyers first-rounder Oliver Bonk. Oshawa appeared to tie it when Matthew Buckley redirected a shot into the net, but the goal was immediately waved off for a high stick.
Moments later, Gibson struck again, going short-side finish past Austin Elliott to even the score.
Later in the third period, the Knights thought they had retaken the lead.
London head coach Dale Hunter would challenge the play for goaltender interference, but after review, officials ruled no goal due to Easton Cowan’s contact in the crease.
Oshawa kept pressing and was rewarded with another power play late in regulation. With 3:25 to play, Calum Ritchie stepped into the high slot putting home the game-winner.
Buckley sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final minute as the Generals completed the comeback.
Oster made 30 saves and was named the game’s first star. At the other end, Elliott stopped 22 of 25 shots for the Knights. Oshawa finished 3-for-9 on the man advantage.
The Knights were once again without captain and star forward Denver Barkey, who remains out due to a lower-body injury.
