Cowan leads Knights against Bulldogs on TSN+
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The London Knights take on the Brantford Bulldogs in a battle of red hot teams in Friday’s Ontario Hockey League action on TSN+.
Both teams have won four of their last five games after beginning the 2024-25 OHL campaign with lukewarm 2-2 records.
London currently sits third in the Midwest Division with a 5-4-0 record, six points behind the Kitchener Rangers for top spot.
The Knights’ hot play has coincided with the return of last year’s OHL Most Outstanding Player Easton Cowan, newly named team captain Denver Barkey, and standout defenceman Oliver Bonk, who have all returned from their NHL squads.
Cowan has continued the hot stretch from last year that saw him end the regular season on a 36-game point streak. The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has increased that streak to 41 games, recording three goals and six points in five games.
Bonk returned from Philadelphia Flyers’ training camp to record a goal and six points in his first five games, while fellow Flyers prospect Barkey has recorded two assists since his return.
London is coming off a 3-1 win over the Erie Otters on Oct. 20 that saw Cowan score the game-winner.
Newly acquired netminder Austin Elliott picked up his first OHL win by stopping 30 of 31 shots. Elliot was acquired from the Barrie Colts in exchange for two draft picks on Oct. 16.
He previously played parts of four seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades and had a 29-8-2 record last season with a .904 save percentage and 2.39 goals-against average.
The 6-foot-2 netminder made three appearances with the Blades this season before he was released and claimed by the Colts through the Canadian Hockey League’s waiver wire.
Brantford is tied at the top of the East Division with the Oshawa Generals, holding a 5-3-1 record so far this season.
They are coming off a 4-3 overtime victory over the Kingston Frontenacs on Oct. 19 that saw Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis score the game-tying and winning goals.
Lardis was drafted 67th overall by the Blackhawks in 2023 and is tied for second in the Ontario Hockey League with 10 goals in eight games this season.
Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Protz recorded a goal and an assist in the victory while Washington Capitals prospect Patrick Thomas added two assists.
Thomas leads the team in scoring this season with two goals and 14 points in nine games, followed closely by Lardis with 13 points.
Buffalo Sabres prospect Ryerson Leenders made 23 of 26 stops for the victory. He has a 3-2-0 record this season with a 3.37 goals-against average and .892 save percentage.
The CHL on TSN returns on Tuesday when the defending Ed Chynoweth Cup champion Moose Jaw Warriors battle the Prince George Cougars in a WHL matchup, which can be seen LIVE at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with a subscription to TSN+.