Flint Firebirds hold off the London Knights to close regular season schedule for both teams – London

The London Knights will be rooting for the Windsor Spitfires on Sunday, the final day of the OHL’s regular season, after falling just short of a four-goal comeback in Flint at the Dort Financial Center on Saturday.

The Knights will need the Spitfires to beat the Soo Greyhounds  in either regulation time, overtime or a shootout. That would secure home ice advantage for London against Sault Ste. Marie in the first round of the post-season.

In Saturday’s game, London fell behind the Flint Firebirds 4-0, then fought back to make it 4-3 and 5-4 only to have Flint hang on in the end.

The Firebirds came out flying, connecting three times in the opening period on even-strength goals by Ihnat Pazii and Kevin He and a power play goal from Jimmy Lombardi. Flint took that 3-0 lead to the dressing room after 20 minutes.

The Firebirds added to their lead at 7:21 of the second period after surviving a Knights power play that had created chances for London. Lombardi skated down the ice and found Nathan Aspinall in front as the pair connected for a second time, putting Flint up 4-0.

At that point. Aleksei Medvedev entered the game in goal for the London Knights.

The Knights continued to push offensively and were rewarded on another man advantage when Henry Brzustewicz wristed in his 19th goal of the year at the 13:59 mark of the second period. With no goals in the remaining six minutes, the score stood at 4-1 heading into the third period.

Will Nicholl scored his second goal in as many games to cut the deficit to two goals when he fired home a Linus Funck rebound at 5:17.

Knights forward Braidy Wassilyn got London to within one when he roofed a backhand over Mason Vaccari with 10:02 remaining at 4-3.

The Firebirds stretched their lead to a pair once again when Kevin He got behind the London defence. He scored and gave Flint a 5-3 advantage with 5:36 to go in the game.

The Knights made it interesting once again as Andoni Fimis sent a puck through a maze of players and into the Firebirds net with 3:21 left on the clock but that’s as close as London would get.

London forward Jesse Nurmi left the game in the first period and did not return.

The Firebirds outshot the Knights 24-21.

Knights hit 40 wins again

There are 68 games in every OHL regular season. To get to 40 wins, you have to win nearly 60 per cent of the time.

The OHL is also a very cyclical league. A player will usually play three or four years. Consistency is a challenge, yet consistency has been a trademark of the Knights since Mark and Dale Hunter took ownership in 2000.

Here are the number of 40-win seasons by each OHL team and franchise since 2000:

17: London Knights

13: Barrie Colts

11: Kitchener Rangers

8: Ottawa 67’s, Windsor Spitfires

7: Erie Otters, Flint/Plymouth, Soo Greyhounds, Oshawa Gereals

6: Brantford/Hamilton/Belleville

5: Saginaw/North Bay, Guelph Storm, Niagara/Mississauga IceDogs, North Bay/Brampton

4: Sarnia Sting

3: Owen Sound Attack

2: Mississauga/St. Mike’s, Peterborough Petes

Up next

The London Knights will face the Soo Greyhounds in the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Where the series will begin is still to be decided.

The Greyhounds must beat the Windsor Spitfires in their final regular season game on March 22 in Sault Ste. Marie to clinch home ice against London.

If the Greyhounds lose in regulation or in overtime or a shootout, then the Knights will get home ice advantage in their best-of-7 series.

Here are the two scenarios:

Scenario #1
(4) London Knights vs. (5) Soo Greyhounds
Game 1 – Friday, March 27 at London, 7:00 p.m.
Game 2 – Sunday, March 29 at London, 6:00 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday, March 31 at Sault Ste. Marie, 8:07 p.m.
Game 4 – Wednesday, April 1 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07 p.m.
Game 5 – Friday, April 3 at London, 7:00 p.m*
Game 6 – Sunday, April 5 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07 p.m.*
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 7 at London, 7:00 p.m.*

Scenario #2
(4) Soo Greyhounds vs. (5) London Knights
Game 1 – Thursday, March 26 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07 p.m.
Game 2 – Saturday, March 28 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07 p.m.
Game 3 – Monday, March 30 at London, 7:00 p.m.
Game 4 – Wednesday, April 1 at London, 7:00 p.m.
Game 5 – Friday, April 3 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07 p.m.*
Game 6 – Sunday, April 5 at London, 6:00 p.m.*
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 7 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07 p.m.*

London season ticket holders have until Monday, March 23 at 3 p.m., to purchase their playoff tickets.

Game coverage can be heard on 980 CFPL, http://www.980cfpl.ca and on the iHeart Radio and Radioplayer Canada apps.

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