Friday Knight
HE MATCHUP: Last January, the clubs hooked up in the biggest junior trade in 20 years. The Knights acquired star F John Tavares, D Michael Del Zotto and G Daryl Borden for F Christian Thomas, D Scott Valentine, G Michael Zador and six draft picks. Oshawa has already used one of those picks, taking mammoth forward Tyler Biggs with London’s second-round selection (39th overall) last May. Biggs is currently playing for the United States national development program’s under-17 squad.
WHO TO WATCH: Knights — Michael MacDonald. He scored his first OHL goal Saturday in a win over Guelph and is the latest in a hearty lineage of hard-working Knights forwards from Thunder Bay. That list includes Joel Scherban, Danny Bois, Trevor Kell and Kale Kerbashian. Generals — F Boone Jenner. Oshawa’s fourth overall pick, a Dorchester native and former Elgin-Middlesex Chief standout, popped eight goals in his first 14 OHL games.
DARK KNIGHTS: London goalie coach Bill Dark left Windsor this summer to join the Knights but his influence will still be felt at the WFCU Centre when the Canada-Russia Subway Super Series rolls into the border city. The two goalies for the OHL team in the Nov. 23 tilt are Michael Hutchinson of the Knights and Plymouth’s Matt Hackett, a Londoner who studied under Dark when both were with the Spitfires. Hutchinson, the big Boston Bruins prospect, will also dress for the OHL when the Series stops in Barrie, his hometown and original OHL base before the Colts dealt him to London in the offseason. Peter DiSalvo, now the Colts’ No. 1 keeper, is the other half of that OHL tandem.
At 5-4, Hutchinson’s record isn’t that eye-popping but he’s getting a good look from the Canadian world junior bird-dogs in this particular series.
PARNHAM OUT: Oshawa forward Brett Parnham and his former teammate Tavares were the only OHLers to score 50 goals last season. Parnham, now an overager, has yet to appear with the Generals this season after dealing with a bum shoulder. “Brett’s getting closer and he’s been skating with us,” Gens GM Chris DePiero said. “The timetable is about two weeks right now.”
RINALDO IN SERIES: When Hockey Canada scout Al Murray, Peterborough GM Jeff Twohey and London GM Mark Hunter put together the OHL roster for the Subway Series, a extra grit was needed. Who’s grittier than Knights forward and Philly prospect Zac Rinaldo, the hard-hitter who has been sensational while short-handed so far this season? He made the roster for the Windsor game.
“He deserved it,” Hunter said. “They wanted some toughness and he’s been very good this year. He can skate and he’s been in control. He’s played well for us.”
AFTER THE BUZZER: London heads to Guelph to play the Storm on Sunday at 2 p.m. Later that day, the Generals face the Belleville Bulls in Oshawa.
