KNIGHTS AND SPIRIT SET TO CLASH IN WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

Knights and Spirit set to clash in Western Conference Final

By Yannis Economopoulos

LONDON, Ont. – After sweeping the Flint Firebirds in round one and the Kitchener Rangers in round two, the London Knights will face the 2024 Memorial Cup host, Saginaw Spirit, in the Western Conference Final.

Scouting the Knights (8-0-0)

The green and gold went into the playoffs on a seven-game win streak and a 16-3-1-0 record in their last 20 contests. Now, including the postseason, they have won 15 straight games.

Jacob Julien, who had 16 points in 40 outings last season, exploded for a 78-point campaign this year and has flourished into an excellent two-way centerman. The hometown forward, who notched back-to-back hat-tricks against Kitchener, has a team-leading seven goals and 12 points this postseason.

After completing his first OHL season with 32 goals and 61 points, Kasper Halttunen remains dominant in the playoffs. The 6-foot-3 sniper has three consecutive multi-point outings and seven points in his last three games. Through eight playoff appearances, Halttunen has 11 points (6G, 5A).

Denver Barkey had an exceptional breakout year for the Knights this season, potting 35 goals, 67 assists, and 102 points, good for fourth league-wide. When the postseason began, Barkey carried a nine-game, 16-point streak and found the back of the net in three consecutive contests. In eight playoff appearances this year, the Newmarket, Ont. native has 10 points (3G, 7A).

Max McCue’s nine points and Easton Cowan’s eight, round out the top five scorers for the Knights.

Postseason Special Teams

• Power play: 28.6% (4th)
• Penalty kill: 81.8% (2nd)

Know the Foe – Saginaw Spirit (8-3-0)

The Saginaw Spirit swept the Owen Sound Attack in round one, then defeated the Soo Greyhounds 3-1 in Game 7 on Tuesday night to advance to the Western Conference Final.

Owen Beck registered a career-high 81 points this season, split between Peterborough and Saginaw. In 32 outings with the Spirit, the Montreal Canadiens prospect potted 18 goals and 51 points. Despite being pointless for four consecutive contests, Beck has a team-leading 10 points in 11 playoff appearances.

Josh Bloom (3G, 6A) and Calem Mangone (5G, 4A) each have nine points this postseason. Bloom, a Vancouver Canucks prospect, only played in 34 contests but had a 40-point campaign, while Mangone had a career-high 63-point season in 62 appearances.

Michael Misa, Zayne Parekh, and Rodwin Dionicio have also been tremendous for Saginaw all year. In 2022, Misa became the sixth player to be granted exceptional status by the OHL. He is coming off a 75-point season and has 131 in 112 career games. Meanwhile, Parekh (96) and Dionicio (73) finished first and third in points among defensemen league-wide. All three players have eight points in the postseason.

Postseason Special Teams

• Power play: 13.6% (14th)
• Penalty kill: 78.8% (7th)

Between the Pipes

• London: Michael Simpson was outstanding in net for the Knights this year. The overage netminder had a 34-10-1-1 record, a .905 save percentage (T-3rd), 2.61 goals against average (1st), and four shutouts (T-1st). Last season, he led the Peterborough Petes to an OHL championship and was named the playoff MVP. Through eight postseason starts, Simpson has registered a .907 save percentage, 2.44 goals against average, and a shutout.
• Saginaw: In the regular season, Saginaw had Andrew Oke and Nolan Lalonde rotate starts.
  • Oke posted a 29-10-1-0 record, an .890 save percentage (12th), 2.89 goals against average (3rd), and two shutouts (T-3rd) through 41 games. This postseason, the Michigan native is a perfect 5-0-0, with a .938 save percentage, 1.83 goals against average, and a shutout.
  • Lalonde had a 21-8-1-1 record, an .869 save percentage (21st), and a 3.31 goals against average (T-12th) through 36 starts this year. After six playoff games, the Kingston, Ont. product is 3-3-0, with a .890 save percentage and 2.85 goals against average.

Game 1 goes tonight from Budweiser Gardens. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. EST.