KNIGHT TIME

By LONDON FREE PRESS STAFF

London Knights (2-2) vs. Belleville Bulls (1-4) Friday night, 7:30 p.m. at the John Labatt Centre. For tickets, visit www.londonknights.com or call (519) 681-0800.

THE MATCHUP: The Knights, with their front-loaded home schedule, badly need a win and to start proving they can score. Maybe facing the one-win Bulls, who’ve struggled to keep the puck out of the net, will help. Plus London has dominated the head-to-head series, going 9-1 the last five years against Belleville.

WHO TO WATCH: London — Vladislav Namestnikov. The Russian rookie is the Knights top scoring threat right now. He shows the odd flash of brilliance but more importantly, he’s been a consistent point producer. Rare on this club; Belleville — F Andy Bathgate (grandson of the Hockey Hall of Famer of the same name) isn’t easy to contain. He has five goals and eight points in five games and, along with former Windsor Spitfire Richard Panik, gives the Bulls some older scoring punch.

KNIGHTS NET: Big Russian Igor Bobkov is still adjusting to the OHL game, but he might look to get it going soon if he wants the important minutes. Michael Houser has been strong in his first three starts. If he plays like he did against Owen Sound on Friday, he’ll be hard to rip from the crease. “He’s been very good,” London assistant Jacques Beaulieu said. “It’s game-to-game but he’s earned the right to keep the net (right now).”

OPPOSING CREASE: The Bulls are really young in net. Tyson Teichmann, gold-medal goalie for Canada at the world under-18 championship, is still only 17 and Malcolm Subban (Montreal Canadiens D and former Bull P.K.’s brother) doesn’t turn 17 until Dec. 21.

OLD NEMESIS: Former Kitchener forward Mike Mascioli, who attacked John Tavares when the sniper was a Knight, is a Bulls over-ager and fresh off a two-game suspension for verbal abuse of an official. He always brings energy and intensity — something the Knights will have to match.

INJURY UPDATE: Phil Varone is out 2-4 weeks with a sprained knee so Stephen Sanza, who sat last weekend as the extra over-ager, is back in the lineup. He’s an important penalty killer and proven at shut-down duty, but right now, a goal or two would help his cause to stay in after Varone returns.

ROOKIE COOKING: Bulls first-year F Brendan Gaunce has six points already. He was the second overall selection in last spring’s draft. London’s top 16-year-old scorer? Fast fourth-rounder Andreas Athanasiou, who buried a goal in Erie — the only game he’s played. London’s top pick Chris Tierney, who felt under the weather last week, is expected to return this week. “We’re rotating guys in and out right now,” London coach Dale Hunter said.

AFTER THE BUZZER: The Knights head to Windsor Saturday to play the Spitfires. They’ve only won once at the WFCU Centre the last two years. Game time is 7:05 p.m.