Game Recap: Knights Take Game Two 5-1
Game Summary: The Knights took game two 5-1, winning the first two games of the series at home. The series comes back to Kitchener on Tuesday and Thursday as the Rangers attempt to climb back in the series. Kaleb Lawrence scored 40 seconds into the contest before Carson Rehkopf tied it up. This would be the last time the Rangers would score, as London scored four unanswered goals to close out the game.
Filip Mešár continued his point streak in the contest extending it to five games. He has recorded at least one point in seven of eight playoff games. Eduard Šalé recorded an assist to hop on a three-game point streak.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
LDN 1, KIT 0
0:40 Kaleb Lawrence (5) – Jackson Edward, Max McCue
A series of backhanded passes led to Kaleb Lawrence’s goal. Lawrence sent a backhanded pass from behind the net to Max McCue in the slot. McCue followed suit sending a backhand pass to the point to Jackson Edward, who took a slapshot towards the goal. It hit the traffic in front and was found by Lawrence, who took a hack at it and was able to get it past a recovering Jackson Parsons.
LDN 1, KIT 1
6:57 Carson Rehkopf (5) – Eduard Šalé, Filip Mešár
Carson Rehkopf banked in a rebound to even the game at one apiece. Matthew Andonovski started the play as he attempted to center the puck to Rehkopf near the crease. The puck hit a skate and diverted paths, landing on the stick of Filip Mešár. He sent the puck to the slot to Eduard Šalé who put the puck off the crossbar and down, sitting in the crease. Rehkopf, who was parked on the top of the crease, skated in, and tapped it in to even the game up.
LDN 2, KIT 1
11:31 Kasper Halttunen (4) – Isaiah George, William Nicholl
Kasper Halttunen put London back in the lead, scoring from the edge of the crease. Isaiah George sent a shot wide to begin the play as Parsons came out above his crease to attempt to stop the puck. William Nicholl picked up the puck and sent it back on top to Isaiah George who got a piece of it before Halttunen put the puck into the net.
2nd Period
LDN 3, KIT 1
2:36 Henry Brzustewicz (1) – Kasper Halttunen, Michael Simpson
Henry Brzustewicz completed a nice passing play to extend the lead for the Knights. Brzustewicz brought the puck down into the Rangers zone. He completed a give-and-go with Kasper Halttunen before tapping it into the empty net after Parsons could not make it across.
LDN 4, KIT 1
6:16 Jacob Julien (1) – Kasper Halttunen, Easton Cowan – PPG
Jacob Julien scored London’s third unanswered goal on the power play. Cameron Mercer was assessed a two-minute penalty for interference which led to the goal. Easton Cowan started the play by skating up and around the blueline before sending the puck down to Kasper Halttunen on the blocker side faceoff circle. Halttunen sent a shot on goal that was saved by Parsons, but Julien found the rebound and shoveled it in from within the blue paint.
3rd Period
LDN 5, KIT 1
7:43 Jackson Edward (1) – Kaleb Lawrence, Landon Sim
Jackson Edward scored the final goal of the game off a hard slap shot from the point. Kaleb Lawrence snuck the puck out of a scrum before losing control and causing it to roll back to Edward at the point. Edward sent a rocket of a slap shot through a screen that beat Parsons over his blocker side shoulder.
The Stars:
First Star: Kaleb Lawrence (1G, 1A)
Second Star: Kasper Halttunen (1G, 2A)
Third Star: Jackson Edward (1G, 1A)
The Goalies:
Michael Simpson’s record remains perfect in the playoffs, winning all six games he’s played in. He made 23 saves on 24 shots in today’s contest. Jackson Parsons made his eighth appearance of the playoffs in today’s game. His record moved to 4-4 as he made 20 saves on 25 shots.
The Numbers Game:
Shots: LDN 25, KIT 24
Powerplay: LDN 1-6, KIT 0-6
FO%: LDN 52.1%, KIT 47.9%
Up Next: The two teams will come to Kitchener for a pair of games. Game three will take place Tuesday and game four Thursday, with both games starting at 7 pm. Secure your seats to the best rivalry in junior hockey at kwtickets.ca or at The Aud Box Office Sponsored by White Way Plumbing.
For inquiries, contact:
Lindsay Eastwood
Manager of Communications and Team Services
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
613-793-0168
[email protected]
Photo Credit: Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers