Bad blood simmers between Hounds, Knights
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
If there was any question about hostility being a part of the Soo Greyhounds – London Knights rivalry, Sunday’s game cleared it up.
“We don’t like them,” said Hounds winger Julian Fantino, minutes after his club held on for a drama-soaked 5-4 victory over the Knights in front of 3,842 at GFL Memorial Gardens. “I’m proud of how we stuck up for each other.”
“They had a clear game plan of trying to draw the game into the gutter,” said head coach John Dean, whose team rode a two-goal, one-assist effort by Jack Beck to its fourth straight victory. “The refs mismanaged the game a little bit by not clamping down early.”
London was physical throughout – and dirty, according to the Greyhounds – in what was a chippy affair from the get-go.
When pressed, Beck admitted there’s “a big rivalry” between the Western Conference contenders. “They’re always one of the top teams. They kind of walk around like they’re bigger and better than everyone. It’s kind of their persona.”
But Beck, whose club improved to 20-8-2-0, went on to explain how an opponent’s approach is meaningless to him, noting how the Knights “can do whatever they want. At the end of the day, it’s who comes out on top.”
With the game tied 3-3 and the outcome very much in doubt, Beck notched his second goal of the afternoon and 11th of the season at 16:21 of the middle period. On the rush, Beck beat his man to the front of the net, took a feed from Spencer Evans and tapped the puck past Michael Simpson for a 4-3 lead.
Bryce McConnell-Barker added some insurance at 10:45 of the final frame. Matthew Virgilio fed the Soo captain, who unleashed a shot from the right circle. He beat Simpson high to the glove side to give the home team a two-goal advantage.
Just after releasing the shot, McConnell-Barker took an elbow to the head and went down to the ice. He left the game and didn’t return.
Sawyer Boulton was hit with a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking to the head.
After the game, Dean said McConnell-Barker was still being evaluated and the Hounds had no information about the extent of any possible injury.
The coach also added this: “The league has an opportunity to protect one of its best players.”
That’s in reference to any supplemental discipline Boulton will face following a league review of the hit.
“There’s no place for dirty plays like that in hockey,” said an obviously angry Fantino.
The Soo’s first of two visits to London is slated for Feb. 16.
On Sunday, the Knights trimmed their deficit to 5-4 with 1:25 left in regulation and Simpson on the bench for a sixth attacker. Landon Sim redirected a Sam Dickinson shot through traffic past Charlie Schenkel.
That capped the scoring on a day when both clubs recorded 26 shots and both were without key players.
London’s Denver Barkey, Easton Cowan and Oliver Bonk are in Oakville, Ont., competing at the Team Canada Junior Selection Camp.
Kasper Halttunen was also absent as he prepares to attend the Team Finland Camp.
The Hounds were minus Owen Allard (Team Canada camp) and Jordan D’Intino (upper body injury).
While admitting his club wasn’t at its best, Dean spoke of how the Greyhounds found a way to win.
“It’s a great two points, a really-gutty win. We’ll take those two all day.”
“We’re obviously a pretty relentless team,” added Virgilio, who impressed with a goal and an assist. “We work hard, we have skill and high character.”
Among the highlights for the Hounds was a Schenkel save with 40 seconds left in the second period and the home team protecting a 4-3 lead.
On a 3-on-2, the Ottawa native leapt across the crease to rob the Knights Sam O’Reilly.
“He looked like a soccer goalie. He’s unreal,” said Beck.
Like Virgilio, McConnell-Barker finished with a goal and an assist for the Hounds, who led 3-2 after a first period that saw the clubs combine for four goals in a span of 1:28.
Andrew Gibson had the other Hounds marker.
Dickinson was a standout in defeat with a goal and two assists. Max McCue had a power-play goal and an assist for the Knights, who fell to 17-11-0-1. Isaiah George had the other goal while O’Reilly and Ruslan Gazizov notched a pair of assists each.
Knights heads coach Dale Hunter and his assistants left the arena shortly after the end of the game and were unavailable for comment.
The Hounds are slated to play their final three games before the Christmas break on the road this week. They’re set to visit North Bay on Wednesday (7 p.m.), Kitchener on Friday (7 p.m.) and Guelph on Saturday (2 p.m.).
Notes:
Defenceman Arttu Karki is slated to leave Monday for Team Finland tryouts.
“I look forward to hopefully making the team,” Karki said following Sunday’s Hounds win. “Obviously it would be nice to be a part of the team and play against the best players from every country.”
Asked what he hopes to show Team Finland brass, Karki spoke of displaying “my pucks skills and skating and also, I’ll have to play a good defensive game. That’s probably the biggest thing for me.”
Allard left the Sault at 6 a.m. Sunday morning, determined to win a spot on Team Canada.
“I was a bit surprised to be selected, but I’m super honoured to compete against some of the best guys in the country in my age group and younger,” the speedy centre added.
Asked about his approach to making the team, Allard said it’s a simple one.
“Play my game, that 200-foot game, dog-on-a-bone style and use my speed,” he added. “The Olympic ice sheet is to my advantage. I want to be the most-competitive guy at camp.”
Dean also said D’Intino wouldn’t return until the Christmas break was complete.
