LIVE: Round 3, Game 4: London Knights vs. Saginaw Spirit

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SAGINAW, Mich. – Chris Lazary is playing the same card so many teams have in the past that trail the Knights in a big playoff series.

The Saginaw coach labeled Dale Hunter’s crew longtime “divers” after London’s hard-fought 7-3 Game 4 victory before 3,814 Wednesday at the Dow Event Centre. The Knights have a chance to eliminate the Memorial Cup hosts Friday on home ice, where they are 4-0 against the Spirit this season.

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“We’re just copying what London does,” Lazary, the Spirit coach, said. “They dive all over the ice and they have all year. Everyone in the league knows it. Now, the league has decided they’re going to call diving penalties and they’re evening up calls.”

The Spirit have been called three times for diving in the past two games, including Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck in the first period in Wednesday’s loss. That happened shortly after London forward Ruslan Gazizov was whistled for embellishment.

The Knights did not appreciate the blanket accusation and indicated the Spirit players are falling much too easily.

“They’ve got guys sprawling all over the ice,” London assistant coach Rick Steadman said. “They can say whatever they want about us. It’s going both ways. It is what it is.”

QUICK START: The Knights scored on their first two shots of the game and the Spirit could never draw even with them the rest of the way.

“It was good to get a good start,” London coach Dale Hunter said. “We executed some good plays off the rush and were rewarded for it.”

Defenseman Sam Dickinson scored just 28 seconds after the opening faceoff to finish some gorgeous passing and forward Sam O’Reilly added another to stun the Spirit bench and their faithful.

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It appears O’Reilly, who scored twice after being snakebit for a lot of the post-season, has his touch around the back of the net.

“I wanted to keep playing the right way and hopefully the bounces would come,” the rookie forward said. “They did and we came out well and it worked out.”

His line was incredible. Max McCue, showing big-time leadership, had three assists and was plus-6 Wednesday. Easton Cowan was plus-5 and O’Reilly a plus-4.

The Knights had lost their first three visits to the Dow and surrendered 19 goals, including six on Monday. But they stuck to their structure, killed a few key penalties and goaltender Michael Simpson was back in fine form after being pulled in Game 3.

“We need to get shots through traffic on him,” Beck, Simpson’s old Peterborough teammate, said. “We have to stay hungry and find rebounds. There are a lot of chances lying around near the crease.”

It was the Knights – on Oliver Bonk’s second-period winner – that found that loose puck in the scrum. Now, they have a chance to book a spot in the OHL final for the second straight year.

“We told our guys this becomes a mental battle,” Lazary said. “We’re certainly capable of winning one game. We’re capable of winning two and three. It’s between the ears. There’s character in that room. We will win (the next one) and I’m looking forward to that.

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EDWARD BACK: London defenseman Jackson Edward returned to the lineup after three missed games due to personal reasons. The 20-year-old alternate captain was his usual physical presence Wednesday, helped keep Saginaw at bay in the offensive end and finished with a plus-2 rating.

“We did (need him),” Dale Hunter said. “He’s one of our four big D and it means a lot to have him back. He played really well.”

Edward’s 25 minutes of hard hockey reduced the workload of Bonk, Isaiah George and Sam Dickinson. He has had a productive playoff by scoring once with six points, is plus-11 and registered 22 penalty minutes.

AROUND THE RINK: North Bay beat Oshawa in overtime Wednesday to extend the Eastern final to five games. . . Both of Sam Dickinson’s goals have come in the opening half-minute of games – Wednesday and Game 3 in Kitchener in the second round. . . The Knights improved to 15-3 all-time in playoff games against Saginaw. . . The OHL’s player of the year is expected to be announced Thursday. London’s Easton Cowan and Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh are the nominees for their respective teams. . . Parekh won the OHL’s defenseman of the year this week, following former teammate Pavel Mintyukov, who finished last season with Ottawa. . . Saginaw’s James Guo was originally suspended indefinitely for a slash to the head in the Sault Ste. Marie series. The league eventually decided on five games – the same London’s Kaleb Lawrence got for a head check against Kitchener. Both are eligible to return Friday for Game 5. . . Londoner Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm was named the OHL’s most sportsmanlike player. The Jr. The Knights grad had 20 goals and 74 points with just 36 penalty minutes in 68 games during his NHL draft season. . . Sawyer Boulton was handed a five-minute major and, after video review, a slew foot match penalty for taking down Lincoln Moore in the final half minute. The league will review it for a possible suspension.

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OHL PLAYOFFS

Knights 7, Spirit 3

(London leads best-of-seven Western conference final 3-1)

London goals: Sam O’Reilly (2) Sam Dickinson, Landon Sim, Oliver Bonk, Easton Cowan, Isaiah George

Saginaw goals: Calem Mangone, Jorian Donovan, Owen Beck

Next: Game 5 is Friday, 7 pm at Budweiser Gardens.

Wednesday

At the Dow Event Center

Knights 7, Spirit 3

First period

1. London, Dickinson 2 (O’Reilly, McCue) 0:28

2. London, O’Reilly 2 (Cowan, Bonk) 2:29

3. Saginaw, Mangone 7 (Beck, Sapovaliv) 5:13 (pp)

Penalties – Bonk, Ldn (cross-checking) 4:29, Gazizov, Ldn (diving), Hache, Sag (slashing) 8:39, Dickinson, Ldn (roughing), Beck, Sag (diving) 13:10, Halttunen, Ldn (slashing) 16:00, Halttunen, Ldn (cross-checking) 19:33.

Second period

4. London, Sim 4 (McCue, Gazizov) 4:04

5. Saginaw, Donovan 2 (Gervais, Willis) 5:44

6. London, Bonk 3 (Julien, Halttunen) 10:17 (pp)

7. Saginaw, Beck 4 (Parekh, Mangone) 13:26 (pp)

Penalties – Dionicio, Sag (tripping) 1:52, Mangone, Sag (roughing) 9:08, Gazizov, Ldn (slashing) 12:29, Nicholl, Ldn (cross-checking) 15:40.

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Third period

8. London, Cowan 4 (McCue, O’Reilly) 15:55

9. London, O’Reilly 3 (George) 17:09 (en)

10. London, George 4 (unassisted) 18:43 (en)

Penalties – Edward, Ldn (10-minute misconduct), O’Reilly, Ldn, Bloom, Sag (roughing) 18:04, R. Boulton, Ldn (10-minute misconduct), S. Boulton, Ldn (slew foot match penalty , game misconduct) 19:34.

Shots on goal by

London 9 8 11–28

Saginaw 14 12 11–37

Power plays: Ldn 1-2. Sag 2-6.

Goalies: Simpson, Ldn (W, 11-1). Lalonde, Sag (L, 4-6).

Referees – Darcy Burchell, Tyson Stewart. Linesmen – Adam Harris, Luke Pye.

Attendance – 3,814.

Three stars: 1. Oliver Bonk, Knights; 2. Sam O’Reilly, Knights; 3. Easton Cowan, Knights.

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