CREDIT: OHL IMAGES
Zach Bell had his final OHL season cut short by injury during the Knights’ series sweep over Windsor.

The Ontario Hockey League can be cruel at times.

Just ask Zach Bell.

The big London defenceman will play no further part this season after breaking his leg in game four against the Windsor Spitfires.

The London Knights were the hottest team in round one, effortlessly sweeping aside the Spitfires. But with that jubilation of their third successive first-round sweep, comes a price.

“You feel bad for the kid,” London head coach Dale Hunter said post-game. “He gets a chance to play in the playoffs and Memorial Cup and unfortunately, a dangerous play cost him that chance.”

Bell spent four years with the Brampton Battalion organization. He was playing for the East Coast Hockey League's (ECHL) Ontario Reign, saying he wanted his overage season to be with a contending team.

Bell was traded to the Knights in exchange for Miles Liberati. It was to be his last hurrah, a Memorial Cup berth in exchange for all his years of OHL experience on London's backend.

Windsor forward Josh Ho-Sang shoved Bell into the boards in the second period, causing Bell to land awkwardly. The results were disastrous.

“It was a dangerous hit,” Hunter said. “It was that push from behind five feet from the boards. That's how he broke his leg. You lose a guy like Bell. He's tough, a leader, top shut-down guy. It's one of those hits that's dangerous and people get hurt when you shove a guy in there like that.”

Ho-Sang spent two minutes in the box — a holding penalty.

“He went in awkwardly and with the series over, you never want to see a guy hurt himself,” Windsor head coach Bob Boughner told the London Free Press. “I think it was more the way he went in than the hit itself.”

But London's woes don't end there.

Anthony Stolarz will play no part in the Guelph series and possibly more, having to sit out seven more games following his actions in game three; hitting Windsor Spitfire Ho-Sang in the head with his stick.

“I apologize for my actions on Tuesday night,” Stolarz said in a statement. “It's an unfortunate situation and in no way did I intend to injure my opponent, Joshua Ho- Sang.”

Eight games in total, but it could have been more. Enter Jake Patterson; it's his time to silence his critics.

Patterson comes with a long list of hockey fans who doubt the Sault Ste. Marie natives resume. Here's the thing, don't.

It might not be as illustrious as other Knights goaltenders, but Patterson has delivered before, when called upon. He's never grabbed a permanent starting gig with the Knights — he was a backup to Michael Houser in 2012, shared time with Kevin Bailie in 2013 before serving as backup once again to Stolarz.

He won the last three games of the OHL final when London was down 3-1 in the series against Barrie. He kept alive the Knights winning streak when Stolarz was at the world juniors this season and when Stolarz was out six weeks with a nasty leg injury.

It's something Dakota Mermis, and I have talked about on a number of instances.

“It's weird that everyone's freaking out,” Mermis said. “[Patterson] is a good goalie; people don't give him enough credit.”

“Just like last year in the playoffs, we went through different goalies,” Tierney said. “We're confident in Patty. We ran with him this year and played well with him. I think all the guys are confident in front of him and we're ready to go.”

Whether London Knights fans are confident in Patterson's ability that remains to be seen. The Guelph Storm will be no pushovers, and without Bell on the blueline, the OHL regular season champions might find a few holes to exploit.

Adversity has been thrown upon the Knights before. How they respond will determine their championship pedigree moving into the Memorial Cup.