Sportsnet CHL Saturday Showcase: Ottawa at London
This week’s edition of the Sportsnet CHL Saturday Showcase will see two conference leaders collide when the Ottawa 67’s (30-7-3-1) and London Knights (27-6-4-1) go head-to-head at 3:30pm ET/12:30pm PT on Sportsnet ONE.
Saturday’s affair marks the second of a three-game weekend for both squads, as the 67’s continue their western road swing following a 10-2 win over the Sarnia Sting and will wrap up the weekend on the road against the Guelph Storm. Meanwhile, the Knights stopped the streaking Saginaw Spirit in London on Friday by a 4-1 score, the first of two back-to-back home games before heading to Kitchener on Sunday for a date with the Rangers.
Ottawa is riding a three-game win streak following their season-high double-digit outburst and a pair of victories over the Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals. Eight different players recorded multi-point performances in Sarnia led by a second straight four-point effort by Tye Felhaber with two goals and two assists. The 7-4 win against Oshawa came thanks to four-point outings from Felhaber (1-3-4) and centre Austen Keating (2-2-4). A native of Pembroke, Ont., the 20-year-old Felhaber is the 67’s top scorer with 73 points, including a league-leading 46 goals in just 41 appearances.
In London, the Knights got back to their winning ways against Saginaw powered by a two-goal outing from Vegas Golden Knights prospect Paul Cotter following a regulation loss to the Storm and an overtime defeat versus the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Knights centre Connor McMichael, a top prospect for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and a participant in the upcoming 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game in Red Deer, Alta., sits second in London scoring and has picked up 20 points in his last 12 contests.
Saturday’s contest is the second of two meetups between Ottawa and London this season. The 67’s took the Oct. 26 match with a 2-1 overtime victory, as Keating and right-wing Jack Quinn provided the offense. Netminder Cedrick Andree made 18 saves for the win.
The game will also be a chance for 67’s fans to take in forwards Kyle Maksimovich, formerly of the Erie Otters, and Lucas Chiodo, previously with the Colts, both of whom were acquired in the lead up to the trade deadline. London supporters will also get another look at overage forward Kevin Hancock, who was added from the Owen Sound Attack.
Both squads are also happy with the returns of their 2019 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship participants, as the Knights loaned captain Evan Bouchard to Team Canada and fellow defenseman Adam Boqvist to Team Sweden, while Ottawa’s representatives included recently acquired netminder Michael DiPietro, plus forward Sasha Chmelevski, who was a part of the silver-medalist Americans.
Catch all the action between the 67’s and Knights on Saturday on Sportsnet ONE and in the United States on the NHL Network when the puck drops at 3:30pm ET/12:30 pm PT.
