Almost our Knight
London, ON – The Brampton Steelheads gave the CHL-leading London Knights a run for their money, but ultimately they fell in overtime.
Just over a minute into the action, Brampton was given an early opportunity when Sam Dickinson sent a puck into the crowd. The Steelheads’ power play did not let the opportunity go to waste, as they opened the scoring on the ensuing man advantage. When the puck was played to the line, Finn Harding found Luke Misa on the boards. Misa slid the puck to the goal line for Porter Martone. The captain appeared to be looking for Carson Rehkopf across the crease before changing his mind, and roofing it upstairs to give Brampton the icebreaker.
The Knights came flying back in an attempt to tie the game. Blake Montgomery burst up the right wing side before spearing a shot on Brayden Gillespie, but the Steelheads netminder stood strong.
The Trout put the pressure back on London with a breakaway opportunity for Gabe Chiarot. After a quick clear, Chiarot snuck behind the Knights’ defence where Kieran Witkowski lofted a saucer pass for him to skate into. Chiarot had plenty of time to deke forehand to backhand, before lifting it to the top shelf to double the Brampton lead.
London controlled the play with a handful of chances on Brayden Gillespie, but the momentum was cut short when Landon Sim was assessed a five-minute major for checking to the head. The Trout pushed hard on the extended man advantage. First, when a Spencer Sova shot was blocked in traffic, the puck squirted into the slot for Finn Harding. The mobile defender blasted a one-timer on goal, but Aleksei Medvedev snared it with the glove. Then, a puck made its way to Angus MacDonell on the goal line, but he was unable to find the net.
With just under two minutes to play, the Knights got on the board. After forcing a turnover in the London zone, the Knights flew back up the ice on a three-on-one. At the Brampton line, Henry Brzustewicz sauced a feed for Denver Barkey. The Knights’ captain reached back with one hand to corral the puck before dropping it back for Sam Dickinson. The San Jose Sharks prospect wasted no time, rifling it past Gillespie.
In the final seconds of the first period, Kasper Halttunen was called for a slash to the wrist of Porter Martone, so the Trout started the second on the man advantage. Both units of the power play got set up, but neither was able to capitalize.
Five minutes into the second period, London struck to tie the game at two. Sam Dickinson soared up the ice with a head of steam before dancing past a Steelheads defender at the blue line. The puck bounced off his stick which drew the Brampton skater towards the puck. Before they could get there, Dickinson tapped the puck to the net front where Easton Cowan jammed it home.
Midway through the period, the Knights went to their first man advantage of the night. The London top unit looked deadly as just a minute into the penalty they came inches from the tiebreaker. Last season’s OHL leader in power-play goals, Kasper Halttunen fired a shot pass to Jacob Julien on the back door. Julien got a piece, but Brayden Gillespie reached over with the glove to deny a sure goal.
With six minutes to play in the frame, the Knights pressed again. Easton Cowan found a wide-open Denver Barkey in front of the Brampton net. Barley tried to bring the puck to a shooting position, but Gillespie reached out with a poke check negating the opportunity.
The Knights went back to the power play for a second time where they looked just as sharp as the first. After a battle on the boards, Sam O’Reilly snuck behind the Brampton defenders before receiving a pass from Easton Cowan. O’Reilly was stopped not once, but twice by Brayden Gillespie.
The Steelheads came out flying to start the final frame. Spencer Sova started the play in his own zone with a breakout pass to Gabe Chiarot. The Hamilton native picked up his feed in stride flying down the left wing. Chiarot ripped a shot through the five-hole of Medvedev to put Brampton back in front.
It took just twenty-three seconds for the Knights to answer back. After an odd-man rush, Jacob Julien threw a shot on goal from the point. His bounced off traffic in front before making its way to Kasper Halttunen on the backdoor. Halttunen blasted the rebound into the empty cage to tie the game at three a piece.
At the ten-minute mark, London pushed for their first lead of the night. After forcing a turnover in their own zone, the Knights burst up the ice in an odd-man rush. Jesse Nurmi dropped for Denver Barkey, who found the trailer in Sam O’Reilly. The Edmonton Oilers prospect one-timed a shot toward the goal, but it was blocked by Stevie Leskovar.
Both sides exchanged chances in the final ten minutes, but neither side was able to break through. With the game tied at three, we were sent to extra time.
The Trout and Knights exchanged chances in the opening minutes of the extra frame. The most dangerous two came off the stick of Sam Dickinson, but both of his shots were gobbled up by Gillespie.
The action picked up in the final minute of the overtime. First, Angus MacDonell cut down the right wing and chipped a shot off the mask of Medvedev. Then, Carson Rehkopf found Porter Martone in front, but he was denied by a sprawling Medvedev. The Knights picked up the rebound and flew down the ice on a three-on-one. Denver Barkey played catch with Sam Dickinson who appeared to run out of room before cutting back from the goal line and jamming the puck past Gillespie.
The Steelheads are back in action tomorrow when they return home for their Pucks N’ Paws game against the Wolves. Make sure to grab your tickets here!
