London Knights 4 vs. Belleville Bulls 2

Friday, October 23, 2009

Knights' grit corrals Bulls

By MORRIS DALLA COSTA, FREE PRESS SPORTS COLUMNIST

It was the kind of lunch-bucket win the London Knights needed.

A solid, complete team effort with everyone contributing.

They didn't score a goal but the trio of Leigh Salters, Dominic DeSando and Zac Rinaldo led the Knights to a 4-2 win over the Belleville Bulls at the John Labatt Centre last night.

It was reminiscent of a game of carnival Whack-a-Mole. Whenever the three of them were on the ice and a Belleville player popped his head up, one of them would whack him. It allowed them to control the puck and the flow of the game, softening up the Bulls for their offensive-minded teammates.

Completing the effort was the steady goaltending by Michael Houser. He made 44 saves and was especially sharp late in the third period when the Knights took five penalties in succession.

He got plenty of help from his defence and penalty-killing unit, which killed off 10 of the 11 penalties they received.

"It was a little stressful at the end but that's why you play. You play to make the big save at the right time," said Houser, who ran his record to 5-0. "The boys helped out blocking a lot of shots. It's especially hard on the 6-3 (the Knights were two-men short and Belleville pulled goalie Phillip Grubauer) to get your body in front with so many players. But it's two points and we'll take them."

The Knights played a lot more intense, involved game than in a horrible effort in Windsor on Thursday.

"Everyone knew after (Windsor), no one had to say anything, that it was a tough game," Houser said. "We rebounded strong and played our game tonight. We had more than 30 shots and that's our game, getting shots on net and we were rewarded."

Hard work has a way of paying off.

The Knights used a strong forechecking game to prevent the Bulls from getting any kind of momentum.

"It's something the coaches expect of our line," DeSando said. "We're big boys. We like to get in there and finish our checks and scare the other (defence.) We want to keep it down low, cycle and wear them out. That's our style of hockey and then capitalize on our chances."

Even Houser from the other end of the rink noticed how effective that line was.

"Belleville is a really hard-working team and we knew we had to match their intensity," Houser said. "We forechecked hard and tired them out and that was a key in the game."

Up until the penalty problems, the Knights defence did a good job of allowing Houser to see just about everything. Houser several outstanding saves late in the game.

One of the most effective players on the night was Swedish import Kalle Ekelund. The Knights' second pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft has gotten better the more he gets used to the bigger ice and physical play in the OHL.

He put on a good show for his parents who have been here more than a week from Nybro, Sweden watching him play.

Ekelund has the size, skating and puck handling ability to make the jump to the OHL. He's been getting more ice and he often is on special teams.

He isn't shy about giving or taking a check, which is often the biggest adjustment an import player has to make.

"I'm gaining confidence with him on a weekly basis," Beaulieu said. "I'm playing him more the last few weeks than I did at the beginning. It's the trust factor and it's growing on me."

Ekelund has adjusted to life in Canada, not that he was ever worried about it. There was no question that once he was drafted, he would come to play in London.

"I always wanted to come over and play hockey," he said. "When the Knights drafted me I was really happy. I was 100 per cent sure I wanted to come over here.

"There was no problem adjusting. A few small things but everything has been good."

Ekelund had two assists going into the game but was a plus-6. His parents, dad is a salesman of construction equipment and mother is a school principal, have been here since last Saturday from Nybro, Sweden. They'll stay until Sunday.

Against the Bulls last night, Ekelund was active, especially offensively. He had a couple of good chances to score.

"The small rink is hard to adjust to," Ekelund said. "Back home we have much bigger rinks so here it is more intense and more physical. It took some time to get used to it but the last couple of weeks it's been really good so hopefully it will get better and better.

"The much wider ice back home, at first here when I took a wide pass I almost skated into the boards."

Ekelund is learning the North American game quickly.

"I'm getting more used to the defensive game and system now and what to do out there," he said. "The hockey is different more intense. Back home everyone holds on to the puck a little bit longer. It's more high speed here."

The Knights are in the middle of a three-game in three night stint, losing in Windsor on Thursday to Windsor and playing Guelph at home tonight.

SHOTS
Belleville Bulls - 44
London Knights - 35

SCORING
1. LDN Erlich, (4) (D'Orazio, Varone), 3:37 (PP)
1. BELV Eden, (1) (Taylor, Krupp), 7:18
1. LDN Knight, (4) , 7:49
1. LDN McRae, (4) (Erlich, Hunter), 13:55
2. BELV Basso, (1) (Johnston, Tipoff), 3:00 (PP)
3. LDN Kadri, (4) (Harrington, Knight), 1:43

PENALTIES
1 - BELV Taylor, 1:43 - Check to the Head , 2 min (PP)
1 - BELV Silas, 2:45 - Cross Checking , 2 min (PP)
1 - BELV Mackie, 7:50 - Slashing , 2 min
1 - LDN Erlich, 7:50 - Slashing , 2 min
1 - BELV Krupp, 9:30 - Check from Behind , 2 min (PP)
1 - LDN D'Orazio, 9:37 - Interference , 2 min (PP)
1 - LDN DeSando, 10:40 - Hooking , 2 min (PP)
1 - LDN McRae, 17:24 - Roughing , 2 min (PP)
2 - LDN Knight, 1:31 - Slashing , 2 min (PP)
2 - BELV Mackie, 8:48 - Roughing , 2 min (PP)
2 - LDN D'Orazio, 13:29 - Delay of Game , 2 min (PP)
2 - LDN Kadri, 17:28 - Roughing , 2 min (PP)
3 - BELV Judson, 1:00 - Roughing , 2 min
3 - LDN Salters, 1:00 - Roughing , 2 min
3 - LDN McRae, 3:01 - Hooking , 2 min (PP)
3 - LDN Kadri, 14:01 - Check to the Head , 2 min (PP)
3 - LDN Hunter, 15:53 - Roughing , 2 min (PP)
3 - LDN Ashman, 17:56 - Cross Checking , 2 min (PP)
3 - LDN Ekelund, 18:56 - Cross Checking , 2 min (PP)

BELLEVILLE BULLS GOALIES
20 Teichmann, Tyson Goals Against: - Mins: - Shots: - Saves: - PIM: -
33 Grubauer, Philipp Goals Against: 4 Mins: 57:04 Shots: 35 Saves: 31 PIM: 0

LONDON KNIGHTS GOALIES
29 Houser, Michael GA: 2 MIN: 60:00 SH: 44 SV: 42 PIM: 0
41 Hutchinson, Michael GA: - MIN: - SH: - SV: - PIM: -

THREE STARS
1. LDN - 97 Jared Knight
2. BELV - 33 Philipp Grubauer
3. LDN - 29 Michael Houser

ICE OFFICIALS
Sean McQuigge (18), Referee
Chris Hodgins (24), Referee
Ryan Park (67), Linesman
Glenn Anderson (97), Linesman

OFF-ICE OFFICIALS
Dean Johnson, Score Keeper
Josh Sweetland, Online Scorekeeper
Dave Longfield, Goal Judge 1
John McInerney, Goal Judge 2
Dave Whaley, Video Goal Judge

ARENA
John Labatt Centre
Attendance: 9039
Start: 7:35 PM
End: 9:47 PM
Length: 2:12