Three Goal Second Period Sends London To Opening Second Half 3-1 Win
By Carl Chimenti
The London Knights (21-12-3-0) did all their scoring in the middle frame, with three goals to beat the Sarnia Sting (10-20-4-1) 3-1, to kick off the OHL second half, in front of the largest crowd of the season 4,401, Sunday evening, at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena. Just after the holiday trade freeze was lifted, both teams made a trade, sending a couple of former first round picks in the Ontario Hockey League, in a one for one trade, with centre Logan Hawery ( 20th overall) in the 2024 Priority draft, coming to the Sting in exchange for left winger Ryan Brown (17th overall) in the 2023 Priority selection, going to the London Knights. Both players made their debuts in tonight’s game, with neither team factoring in the outcome.
Alessandro Di lorio (8th) opened up the scoring in the first period with the lone Sting goal at 7:01 from Jack Van Volsen. Di lorio continued his hot scoring as he has points in five of his last six games (5-4-9) and he was awarded the third star. Van Volsen, has also been on a heater, as he extended his point streak to five games (3-3-6). Sarnia dominated the opening period out-shooting the Knights 13-6.
London quickly tied the game early on in the second frame as Mikhail Zakharov scored at 2:56 from Brody Cook and Max Crete. Cohen Bidgood would factor in the final two goals with a goal and an assist and was named the first star. Bidgood drew the primary assist on the go-ahead goal by Jared Woolley (Los Angeles Kings) at 17:21. Rene Van Bommel also assisted on the goal, the first of his two assists in the game.
Bidgood came right back with a an insurance goal 32 seconds later, at 17:53, to wrap up all the scoring from Van Bommel and Kaeden Hawkins. London goaltender Sebastian Gatto shut the door down the rest of the way finishing with 34 saves on 35 shots to garner the second star. Sarnia goaltender Patrick Quinlan was solid in net with 13 saves on 16 shots.
The Sting, who failed to score on three power-play chances, out-shot the Knights by a wide margin of 35-16 overall. Both teams went scoreless with the man-advantage as London went 0/2.
After a Tuesday night tilt in Saginaw, against the Spirit, Sarnia will travel to London for the back end of the annual home and home encounter on New Years’s Eve, Wednesday, late afternoon with puck drop set for 4pm, at Canada Life Place.
