Friday Knight
By RYAN PYETTE, FREE PRESS SPORTS REPORTER
LONDON KNIGHTS (2-1) VS. WINDSOR SPITFIRES (3-0)
WHEN: Tonight, 7:30 p.m. at the John Labatt Centre.
THE MATCHUP: These two teams are expected to battle for the top seed in the OHL’s Western Conference. The Spits are ranked No. 1 in the Canadian Hockey League; the Knights are fifth.
WHO TO WATCH: London – No one looked quicker than smooth-skating F Kale Kerbashian in a home opening win over Erie last week. If the boy from Thunder Bay finishes a small portion of his scoring chances, he’s got 20-plus goal potential . . . Windsor – F Taylor Hall and D Ryan Ellis. Hall, the 2007-08 CHL rookie of the year, and Ellis are offensive superheroes.
WELCOME BACK: London F Justin Taylor, fresh from Washington Capitals training camp, plays in his 100th OHL regular season game tonight. The 19-year-old has 73 career points, more than any active Knight.
WELCOME, SERGEI: The Knights finally received approval from International Ice Hockey Federation for their top import pick, Russian forward Sergei Korostin, to skate in the OHL. The Dallas Stars third-rounder is expected to play his first game tonight. The 19-year-old from Prokopievsk played in the North American Hockey League last year with the Frisco-based Texas Tornado, a club owned by sports businessperson Kirby Schlegel, who is related to former Knights defenceman Brad Schlegel.
WELCOME, BIG GUY: London just got bigger after GM Mark Hunter acquired six-foot-seven winger Mike Yovanic from the Plymouth Whalers for an eighth-round pick in 2010. The 19-year-old from Highland, Mich., has played 23 OHL games, no points and 35 penalty minutes. This is his second year in the league. Few of his fights last season were with Windsor.
FAREWELL, NO. 18: At their final home opener at the Barn last night against Sarnia, Windsor retired the jersey of former captain Mickey Renaud, who died of heart complications on Feb. 18. The banner was raised to the rafters of the Windsor Arena in front of Renaud’s family. The Spits, who move into new digs later this season, wanted to make the jersey gesture while they were still in the old rink because that’s where Renaud played.
KNIGHTS AT NHL CAMP: F Akim Aliu survived Chicago trimming its roster down this week but didn’t play in the ‘Hawks’ 4-3 win over Columbus on Tuesday. Pat Kane and David Bolland were in the lineup. For Washington, D John Carlson picked up an assist in his preseason debut in the Capitals’ 4-1 victory over Carolina on Wednesday. The first-rounder even saw time on the power play, though it was limited since Washington only had the man advantage for 1:02.
SPITS BACK: After winning with just 15 skaters in two road games, Windsor reinforcements have arrived from NHL camps: LW Eric Wellwood (Toronto), RW Dale Mitchell (Toronto), RW Richard Greenop (Chicago), D Mark Cundari (St. Louis), C Adam Henrique (New Jersey) and D Harry Young (New Jersey).
CAPTAIN BAILEY: Windsor F Josh Bailey, the Islanders first-rounder who made his NHL exhibition debut against Philly last night at the JLC, got the nod as Spits captain this year. Assistants are Adam Henrique, big Greg Nemisz and veteran D Harry Young. Team leaders were hand-picked by Boughner, GM Warren Rychel, associate coach Bob Jones and assistant D.J. Smith.
ALUMNI UPDATE: Ex-London F Jadran Beljo, who popped 33 goals with the Knights, was released from his amateur tryout with the Toronto Maple Leafs this week. Guess the Buds figure they don’t need any young scoring in their system.
AFTER THE BUZZER: London heads to Guelph Sunday to face the Drew Doughty-less Storm and their new head coach Jason Brooks, a former Knight. Faceoff is 2 p.m.
