It’s the Canada Vs Russia Series, and Russia is now 1-2 after a 3-1 loss against team OHL. The game was fast from the first drop of the puck, both teams trying to get off to a good start, and the OHL did just that. Isaac Ratclife from the Guelph Storm put the OHL on the board 5 minutes into the game with a wicked wrister. The momentum was on the OHL’s side for most of the first period, the OHL would go put another one on the board thanks to a penalty shot goal from Hamilton Bulldogs forward Mackenzie Entwistle. With about 40 seconds left in the first Russia’s Pavel Shen would bury one to bring the Russians within one, after one.
The Second period ended with only one goal added to the scoreboard, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds forward and first round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, Barret Hayton was the lone goal scorer in the period.
The third period is where things got interesting. The Russians are looking for back to back wins after beating team WHL on the previous night. They came out flying into the third and team OHL had to be on their game to shut them down. Things got a little chippy, and the Russians were impatient looking for a sign of life so, what did they do? They started playing a more physical game, but it didn’t work. Team OHL was having none of it. Late in the third, team Russia began to add more pressure. Pulling their goalie with under a minute to go team OHL had to make sure nothing was given to the Russians.
London Knights defencemen Evan Bouchard decides to kill the next 30 seconds off of the clock by pinning the puck up against the boards. It eventually worked, the puck remained in the right corner of team OHL’s zone.
Bouchard will be back in London for tomorrow nights homecoming game for him and Alex Formenton, since returning from the NHL. The London Knights get set to battle the hungry Sudbury Wolves and the Kitchener Rangers on Sunday. Then Evan Bouchard and Knights backup goalie Jordan Kooy will be off to Oshawa on Monday for game 2 against team Russia.
