KNIGHTS LOOK TO TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD VS SPIRIT
Knights looking to take 2-0 series lead vs Spirit
By Yannis Economopoulos
LONDON, Ont. – In Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, the London Knights took a 1-0 series lead after they exploded for three third-period goals in less than 10 minutes to defeat the Saginaw Spirit 3-1.
Scouting the Knights (9-0-0)
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 16 straight games.
After completing his first OHL season with 32 goals and 61 points, Kasper Halttunen has remained dominant in the playoffs. The 6-foot-3 sniper, who has four consecutive multi-point outings and nine points in his last four games, led the comeback in Game 1 with two goals. Halttunen has a team-leading eight markers and 13 points this postseason.
Denver Barkey (2A), Easton Cowan (1G, 1A), and Sam Dickinson (2A) all had two-point outings in the series opener, while Michael Simpson recorded his second 30-plus save win of the playoffs.
Postseason Special Teams (Remaining Teams)
- Power play: 29% (1st)
- Penalty kill: 83.8% (2nd)
Know the Foe – Saginaw Spirit (8-4-0)
The Saginaw Spirit swept the Owen Sound Attack in round one, then defeated the Soo Greyhounds in round two 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 five consecutive contests, Beck has a team-leading 10 points in 12 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, who scored the lone Spirit goal in Game 1, 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 defencemen league-wide.
Postseason Special Teams (Remaining Teams)
- Power play: 12.5% (4th)
- Penalty kill: 77.8% (4th)
Game 2 goes on Sunday afternoon from Budweiser Gardens. The puck drops at 2:00 p.m. EST.