Falcons make roost at Budweiser Gardens

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: CLAUS ANDERSON / GETTY IMAGES / LONDON KNIGHTS
Veteran goalie Tyler Parsons will be manning the crease this year for the London Knights. Parsons is boasting a larger frame than last year's season, which will help his gameplay tremendously.

For the fifth year in a row, students at Fanshawe College will have access to press box level seats for the London Knights Friday night home games.

The Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) provides students with the opportunity to purchase tickets to eight individual London Knights games, at a subsidized price, throughout the semester.

This program gives students who may not otherwise have a chance to see the London Knights in action.

“Now that the Knights are downtown, tickets are always sold out, so it’s good that the students get to go to the game so that they can actually get in to see it,” said Kevin Masterson, FSU events and activities manager. “It’s a cool experience for students, and the Knights have been really great.”

After posting a 4–0 record in pre-season, the London Knights head into the 2015–2016 OHL season looking to build upon their recent success. However, they will have to begin doing so without star forwards Max Domi and Mitchell Marner who are currently participating in their respective NHL training camps.

Veteran forwards Christian Dvorak and Owen MacDonald lead the way down the middle for a retooled roster, which includes American standout, Matthew Tkachuk.

Tkachuk, whose father became an NHL fan-favourite with the St. Louis Blues, was a fourth round pick for the London Knights in 2013 and is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2016 NHL draft.

A young, but towering blue line is led by 6’2”, 185-pound Finnish defenseman, Olli Juolevi. Juolevi, a first round pick for the London Knights in the CHL Import Draft, is eligible for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Juolevi will be joined by 6’3”, 230-pound defenseman Nicolas Mattinen from Ottawa, Ontario. Mattinen is also NHL draft eligible in 2016.

A reinvented Tyler Parsons prepares to man the crease for the Knights throughout the season. Parsons, who already boasts a larger frame than last season, is ready to move past the fatigue that hindered his play towards the end of the year and become the number one goaltender for the London Knights.

The Knights will look to qualify for their third Memorial Cup Championship in the last four years.

Students can purchase tickets to the upcoming London Knights games by visiting the Biz Booth in the Student Union Building, but must act quickly as only 30 tickets will be made available for each game.

The first game made available for Fanshawe College Students is on Sept. 25, when the Knights take on the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens.

Other games to keep an eye on include Oct. 23, when the Knights take on the divisional opponent Owen Sound Attack and Nov. 20 as the rival Kitchener Rangers seek revenge after being ousted by the Knights in the first round of the 2015 OHL playoffs.

On Dec. 5, students are invited to take part in the annual London Knights Teddy Bear Toss when they take on the Ottawa 67’s.

Tickets can be purchased from the Biz Booth at any time and cost $18 for students and $20 for guests.