London Knights storm into October

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Expectations have been much higher for the London Knights going into the 2011/12 season. During the summer, they acquired a number of key players, and they also managed to bring back most of last season's squad intact and a year more experienced.

Going into a three game weekend, London thus far has met these high expectations as they've been undefeated in their first four games. Early season games can make a big difference when you're battling for a spot down the stretch, whether that spot is first in the division or the final playoff berth (hey, ask the Toronto Maple Leafs). Tacking on those extra wins early helps alleviate the pressure late season.

One of the key reasons for the Knights' early-season resurgence has been right wing Seth Griffith. Griffith, with four goals and nine points in four games, was named the OHL's Player of the Week for the week ending October 2. Griffith is in his third season with London. Of course, it's only been four games, but Griffith is an undrafted 19 year old who attended the Tampa Bay Lightning's training camp this year. If he can produce at a much higher clip than his 62 points from last season, he could easily end up as an inexpensive talent for an NHL team's roster down the road.

Another key player for the Knights this season has been goaltender Michael Houser. So far, he's already posted a shutout and is sitting on a .962 save percentage in his first four games. Houser's numbers will go down as the season wears on, but he's another example of an excellent Knights player who, like Griffith, went undrafted, but has potential. Houser is also in his third season with London.

In reality, whether players like Houser or Griffith go on to star in the NHL or wherever else is beside the point. They may or may not go on to great careers in the NHL, but whether that happens, they are definitely playing well right now in London. If the Knights can maintain some consistency and build on strong play from underrated players — not to mention the rest of their core — they should be back to challenging for first in the division. And if someone like Houser or Griffith goes on to a stellar NHL career, we know we were the ones who saw them play before they got noticed anywhere outside of London.

After their visit to Niagara, London has a four-game homestead, so they have plenty of opportunity to pick up some more wins in October. The Knights have been dominant at home thus far, combining for 16 goals in their two home games against Saginaw and Sudbury. Having players like Scott Harrington back from their NHL training camps is also a boost to the Knights' roster, so they'll have additional depth for their upcoming home stretch that they didn't have in the season's first four games. Depth and consistency were lacking in last year's version of the Knights. So far this season, that doesn't seem to be the case.