UPDATE: FIRED UP FOR FLINT
UPDATE: Due to ice conditions, tonight’s game against the Flint Firebirds will take place at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan.
Sitting tied for first in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), in a race down to the wire, London must continue to battle their opponents with playoff like intensity in order to finish with the number one seed. Battling for their 7th Hamilton Spectator Trophy in team history, the annual award given to the team with the best overall record in the OHL, the Knights are neck and neck with the Erie Otters for this prestigious honor. With a 9-1-0-0 record in their last 10 games played, the Knights will look to continue their fire-hot play.
Next up, the Flint Firebirds on Wednesday night. The Knights will once again cross the boarder as they will travel to Flint, Michigan for the last matchup of the year against the Firebirds. London has won all three matchups against Flint, leading the Firebirds by a season score of 12-3.
Mitch Marner leads the season series in scoring, netting four goals and six assists for a total of 10 points in the three previous matchups between the teams. Tyler Parsons has tended the twine in all three contests, making a total of 63 saves on 66 total shots, for a season series save percentage of 0.955.
While Flint was officially eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday after their loss to the Kitchener Rangers, the team has no problem playing the role of spoiler when facing clubs at the top of the standings. In a matchup against the Erie Otters on March 9, the Firebirds defeated the OHL’s top club at the time, by a score of 5-3. This victory allowed the Knights to catch Erie atop the standings and keep in stride with the Otters squad ever since.
Though the Firebirds did the Knights a favour by defeating Erie, in no way will the green and gold look to thank the Flint squad during their matchup on Wednesday night. In the teams’ last meeting on February 20th, the two combined for a total of 52 penalty minutes as these franchises always combine for passionate bouts, regardless of the final score.
This fire hot Knights team will look to down the Firebirds before the potential regular season deciding series this weekend against the Erie Otters.
The Knights will return home on Friday, March 18th when they take on the Erie Otters. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30pm. Make sure to visit http://londonknights.com/page/tickets-i, the Aluminum Associates London Knights Armoury, OMAC Mortgages London Knights Box Office, or call 519-681-0800 ext. 1 for more information.
