CREDIT: CLAUS ANDERSON/ GETTY IMAGES
Tyler Parsons has been a key player for the Knights this season; in his game against the Otters he shut the door and allowed for the offence to do their job with only one goal against.

Over the past two games, the Knights have defeated the Otters on both occasions, outscoring them 10 goals to two.

On March 3, the London Knights hosted their rivaled team to the south, the Erie Otters. Having defeated Erie in their last encounter 4–1, the Knights were determined to reignite the team spark that enabled them to triumph over the Otters.

As the Otters were above the Knights, it seemed as though the highly anticipated showdown would be a game fought right down to the last face off. However, the 6–1 defeat by the Knights proved otherwise, as the London team not only widely outplayed the Otters, but also outscored them in three consecutive periods. The game would be key in helping the Knights move two spots up in the standings to first place and move the Otters to third.

Although the Knights outscored the Otters by a large margin, the final score did not necessarily reflect the way in which the game unfolded. When boiled down, both teams proved to be right on par with each other. The Knights only put up two more shots on goal than the Otters, while on the defensive side the Otters were able to fight off five out of six power plays. Although the Knights were able to create more opportune chances in the long run, unparalleled goaltending proved to be the key factor in Thursday night’s contest.

It was the effort of Knight’s starting goaltender and first star of the game, Tyler Parsons, who played a fundamental role in the Otters defeat. Parsons was able to shut the door on 24 out the 25 shots against, putting on a defensive spectacle that allowed Knight’s offence to shift into gear.

The first goal of the game came about halfway though the first period of play, courtesy of Knights’ Matthew Tkachuk, assisted by Knight’s captain Christian Dvorak and assistant captain Mitchell Marner.

The second Knights’ goal was scored with 53 seconds remaining in the period. After the Otters received a roughing penalty, Knight’s assistant captain Aaron Berisha netted his 36th goal of the season on the ensuing power play.

Assisting the goal was Dvorak and Marner, who already had two points on the night after just one period of play.

In the second period, Marner showed off his skills on a shorthanded two-on-zero breakaway opportunity. Marner, who was recently named OHL Player of the Month for February, led the uncontested break with Dvorak trailing right behind him.

In a dazzling exhibition, Marner was able to flip the puck to his backhand, fooling the goalie into thinking he was about to shoot. With Otter’s goaltender Devin Williams drawn in, Marner craftily dropped the puck between his legs, freeing up Dvorak to slide his 47th goal of the season right into the open net.

Heading into the third period with a 4–0 lead, the Knights were still hungry for more. Adding to the deficit was Knights’ Max Jones with his 23rd goal on the season, and JJ Piccinich with an unassisted goal of his own, increasing the score to 6–0. Although the Otters managed to slip one by the Knights on a five on three power play, it is clear that the Knights rose to the occasion.

The victory over the Otters served as a stepping-stone for the Knights moving forward, with OHL playoffs on the rise and only a few games left in the season. Although the Otters swept the Knights in four straight games in the 2015 playoffs, it appears as though the Knights have regrouped, and are determined to continue their winning streak over their American rivals.