2024 NHL Draft prospect, Sam O'Reilly, and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, Easton Cowan, lead in London's victory over the WHL champs. London improves to 2-0 at the Memorial Cup.
The Moose Jaw Warriors started this game hot and their loaded-up top line of NHL-drafted prospects — Matthew Savoie, Jagger Firkus, and Brayden Yager — put the pressure on the London Knights. Moose Jaw captain Denton Mateychuk was not happy with his team’s performance in their tournament opener, a 5-4 loss to the Saginaw Spirit. He got his team on the board first with a rocket wrister placed perfectly over the shoulder of Simpson.
London’s goaltender Michael Simpson came out with a statement game in London’s 4-0 tournament opener posting a 31-save shutout. No more than 40 seconds in, Simpson was tasked to make a breakaway stop on Moose Jaw’s best player, Jagger Firkus. Now that’s one way to get you into the game.
Later in the first, Simpson came up with a miraculous save while in full desperation mode, somehow stopping the puck from crossing the goal line with the butt-end of his stick.
The Knights survived the Warriors’ pressure, only allowing them to score in the first, and adding two of their own. The violin made another appearance as Ruslan Gazizov scored his third of the tournament to tie the game before top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft, Sam Dickinson, rifled the puck over the glove of Jackson Unger to give the Knights a 2-1 lead near the end of the first.
Dickinson proved all year long to NHL scouts that he has the potential to become a top-pairing defenseman, and through two games at the Memorial Cup, he’s enforcing his bid to be a top five pick come June.
Jackson Unger made a few high-danger saves in the first five minutes of the second period and kept his team in it. Aiden Ziprick’s point shot hit Knights defenseman Jackson Edward in front of the net and the puck fell on the lap of Ethan Semeniuk to knot the game up at deuces.
However, the OHL champs scored three unanswered goals from Sam O’Reilly, Landon Sim, and Kasper Halttunen.
Another top prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft, Sam O’Reilly, showcased his one-on-one skill for the NHL scouts taking in the action. He danced around his defender and opened up the blade of his stick to chip the puck in farside on Unger. O’Reilly later in the period flashed his playmaking skills and set up Landon Sim on a two-on-one to make it 4-2 for the boys in white and green.
Right off the ensuing faceoff, Semeniuk scored his second of the game after he fired a fluttering puck from the neutral zone toward Simpson, which took a bounce right before getting to him and hopped over his glove to cut the deficit to 5-3 heading into the third period.
Some old-fashioned Junior hockey fisticuffs broke out late in the frame after Max McCue took exception to a pretty nasty slash he received to the back of his leg by Moose Jaw defenseman, Kalem Parker.
London was able to shut down and defend most of the third period until Moose Jaw made it a one-goal game with less than four minutes left.
Jagger Firkus carried the puck out from behind the net to the near post trying to jam the puck home in tight for a greasy goal. His tactic paid off as the puck trickled to Martin Rysavy who poked it home.
With the goalie pulled and London just hanging on, Oliver Bonk came up with a massive block on a Firkus one-timer that was headed for the net if he hadn't been in the lane. The Knights held on to defeat the Warriors by a score of 5-4.
After being held off the scoresheet for just the seventh time this season, Easton Cowan looked like the MVP from the regular season and playoffs with a two-assist performance and a commanding presence every time the puck was on his stick.
Sam O’Reilly was voted Player of the Game for his performance, which included a goal, a primary assist, and winning 8 out of 13 faceoffs. He also won crucial defensive zone faceoffs in the last few minutes of the game. His standout performance in big games is increasing his draft stock, similar to how his teammate Easton Cowan did in the previous season.
With a five-goal game, the London Knights have now scored four or more goals in their last seven games dating back to Game 6 of the Western Conference final against Saginaw — the team they will be facing next.
The Knights are now tied with the Saginaw Spirit at 2-0 in the Memorial Cup as they’ve taken down the WHL and QMJHL Champions.
London will play Saginaw on Wednesday, May 29th, in the last game of the Memorial Cup round-robin. Both teams have a guaranteed birth to the semifinals and the winner of their game will get a spot in the Memorial Cup Final.