London Knights Are Victorious Once Again Capturing the 2024 OHL Championship

London defeated the Oshawa Generals 7-1 in Game 4 to complete the sweep and win the 2023-24 OHL Championship

"The London Knights, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2016. And now London are OHL Champions in 2024." Those were the words of TSN's commentator Victor Findlay as the final buzzer rang on the OHL season. And the crowning of a new champion. The London Knights. 

The Knights came into Wednesday having taken a miraculous comeback in Game 3 scoring five unanswered goals and winning in double overtime. One win away from an OHL title and nerves starting to sink in, the players on London looked far from nervous to start Game 4 as they got off to an early 3-0 lead in the first period and cruised from then on.

London won by a score of 7-1 and scored seven or more goals in every game of the OHL Finals. They outscored Oshawa 31-9 in the series, the most goals scored by a team in the OHL Championship since 1999, and their powerplay was unstoppable. London went 3-for-4 on the powerplay in Game 4, bringing their powerplay to a staggering final 57% (12-for-21) against the Generals. 

This was the first sweep in the OHL Championship Series since London did it back in 2016 against the Niagara IceDogs. The Knights went on to win the Memorial Cup that season. 

London suffered the heartbreak of getting all the way to finals last season just to lose in six games to the Peterborough Petes. This year they used that motivation to avoid a similar fate and were determined from game one of the season to hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup. 

"It's the feeling of losing, nobody wants to go through it again. That's not a good feeling to have in the pit of your stomach, so the kids wanted to win really bad to redeem ourselves from last year," said London Head Coach Dale Hunter who has now won his fourth OHL title. 

"We got talent and we got character. The one thing I got to say is we got a bunch of character guys that play hard and want to win," Hunter continued. 

San Jose Sharks first-rounder Kasper Halttunen recorded back-to-back hat tricks in Games 2 & 3, and almost completed the trifecta last night adding two more goals. He led the OHL playoffs with 17 snipes and set a new record for most playoff goals by an import player.

"Can't describe this feeling. It was an unbelievable year and to finish it off like this is unreal. One of my greatest years so far in my life. I've enjoyed every day here, every single guy, staff members. I've been loving it," said Halttunen after the win. 

Halttunen may have been the runner-up for OHL Playoffs MVP, but it was a no-brainer to award it to Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan who led the OHL in scoring in the playoffs with 34 points in 18 games, put up another four points in Game 4, and finished the series with an absurd 15 points.

Cowan is the first player to win the regular season and playoffs MVP in the same season since former London Knight Mitch Marner did it in 2016. 

When asked how proud he is of his season, Cowan responded, "It's a great feeling but I couldn't have done it without my teammates and my family and friends who are all here right now. I'm kind of speechless right now."

Cowan's linemate and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Denver Barkey was also terrific in the OHL Finals collecting 11 points in the series and finishing the playoffs with 21 assists and 27 points. 

Cowan, Barkey, and Oliver Bonk all were drafted by London in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. Now the three are OHL Champions. "It's super cool, we were drafted here when we were 16 years old and to get to know them really well and then we got through the draft (NHL) together. To see Easton win the MVP of the league and then the MVP of the playoffs and see Oliver go in the first round (22nd overall by Philadelphia in 2023), they deserve it, and it's been cool to grow up together," said Barkey on how special it is to experience this winning moment with them. 

London, Ontario native Michael Simpson is no stranger to this winning feeling as he becomes the first goalie in OHL history to win back-to-back OHL Championships while starting in every single playoff game for his team.

How special is it for Simpson to win the title with his hometown London Knights team? "It's super special, going to a lot of playoff games like I've said over my childhood growing up and seeing a lot of London Knights teams win it's pretty special to be a part of a group that won," Simpson said.

The night was capped off with a special moment where the leadership group for the Knights brought London defenceman Ethan MacKinnon over to be the first to raise the J. Ross Robertson Cup. MacKinnon had to retire from playing hockey earlier this season due to concussion-related injuries. 

The season isn't over for London just yet as they now prepare for the Memorial Cup which starts on May 24. "Job's not finished," said Easton Cowan who has his sights set on collecting some more hardware.

The Knights will face off against the host Saginaw Spirit, QMJHL champion Drummondville Voltigeurs, and the WHL champion Moose Jaw Warriors.