London Knights 2022-23 Season Thread (Part 5)

[ArielNederland]

Defense needs to tighten up. Tie game.
Team can't hold a 2 goal lead

 

[Knights Watcher]

Anybody know where Knights Watcher is? He's been pretty quiet of late.

Not sure if it has anything to do with the Knights winning 7-0, or McGurn getting a hat trick, or Shane Wright being down 2 games to none against Kitchener....just hope he's ok!?

I'm here. Just returned from vacay last night. What did I miss?

 

[Fastpace]

Nobody within 25ft of Guindon before he released the tying, big mistake London. Instead of cutting time and space they did the very opposite every body sat on Brochu's laps, got to go hard on these guys till the very end.

 

[Otto]

Defense needs to tighten up. Tie game.
Team can't hold a 2 goal lead

They did last game

 

[Otto]

Zero contact to the head

 

[ArielNederland]

Hot garbage calls by the refs again. They seem to be making awful call all around the league, but seems to be getting worse. Seems like league wants all series to go full distance for $$?

 

[Harley49]

WOOHOO!!! Diaco!!!!

 

[Fergus31]

Even in today’s four-ply soft OHL, the refs could not find a thing to throw McCue out for that hit. Took a long time trying to find something wrong with it. I’m sure the OHL head office will find something on the replay to suspend him. That is if they can keep up with the horrid camera work and not want to cut their ears off listening to London’s atrocious telecast. Ok, enough complaining.

 

[OMG67]

IMO, that was close enough contact to the head to at least take a look at it. Based ont he angle from behind, it looked like more than enough head contact to review. I’d like to have seen a few more angles and I assume the replay officials would have access to more angles.

I was saying to someone last week when talking about fighting a player safety that the one hit that has pretty much been eliminated from the game is the cross hit behind the net. It is a dangerous play and that hit is evidence of that. That is a hit I really don’t like even if it is deemed “Clean.”

For a League trying to reduce head contact and penalize it when it happens, it seemed irresponsible to not review it.

 

[BobHockey]

IMO, that was close enough contact to the head to at least take a look at it. Based ont he angle from behind, it looked like more than enough head contact to review. I’d like to have seen a few more angles and I assume the replay officials would have access to more angles.

I was saying to someone last week when talking about fighting a player safety that the one hit that has pretty much been eliminated from the game is the cross hit behind the net. It is a dangerous play and that hit is evidence of that. That is a hit I really don’t like even if it is deemed “Clean.”

For a League trying to reduce head contact and penalize it when it happens, it seemed irresponsible to not review it.

Fair enough but the OS player needs to keep his head up. Clean hit imo. Hockey is a tough sport

 

[BobHockey]

Fairly dominating performance by the Knights today I thought. Great golatending by OS. Two bad lost faceoffs in the d zone at the end of the third period resulted in two goals and OT. Credit to OS for not quitting and tying in up. Credit to the Knights for coming out strong in OT and winning that game.

 

[OMG67]

Fair enough but the OS player needs to keep his head up. Clean hit imo. Hockey is a tough sport

Hockey isn’t penalized based on needing your head up. Gotta get with the times. Too many careers ended with “head down” hits with other saying what you said. The game has changed.

If you are going to hit a player in that position, you have to ensure it is to the chest without any doubt. When you get two players the same size (give or take) and a player has his head down, near impossible to hit shoulder to chest.

And the OHL doesn’t use the first point of contact like the NHL As the measuring stick.

 

[Fastpace]

About Gazizov;
Should he had an assist on the first goal for wipping the puck around the net to Dickinson who sent it in front to Crane???

And should he had been called for head-check in overtime?
Should McCue be called for charging, seemed like he came from quite far and fast for the hit? Just wondering

This was a much better Owen sound team today, they learned on Friday intimidating London don't work.

 

[rve24]

London controlled the play most of the game.
OS hung in there. Had a much better start and despite the zone olay n shots kept in within reach and took advantage late being opportunistic. Votary made a handful of highlight reel saves and proved the coach right with his decision to go back to him. Any1 thinking it would be a cake walk just got notice.
I was impressed with the coaching matchups and 90/70/29 had a bunch of solid shifts because of it. More than acouple shifts they hemmed OS under their Blueline. We shall see how it plays out on the road.

I'd prefer 70 with McG n Diaco but I think the staff is looking at having 2 ( McC n McG) players taking O Zone FOs on their strong side with all the OZone starts they get.... and giving Diaco n McG a lil more of a physical presence on that line. Hard to argue.

Good start to the series for London

 

[Fergus31]

IMO, that was close enough contact to the head to at least take a look at it. Based ont he angle from behind, it looked like more than enough head contact to review. I’d like to have seen a few more angles and I assume the replay officials would have access to more angles.

I was saying to someone last week when talking about fighting a player safety that the one hit that has pretty much been eliminated from the game is the cross hit behind the net. It is a dangerous play and that hit is evidence of that. That is a hit I really don’t like even if it is deemed “Clean.”

For a League trying to reduce head contact and penalize it when it happens, it seemed irresponsible to not review it.

I guess I just view it differently. It’s hits like this that OHL players are not ready for given the softness of the O and why teams like Gatineau steamrolled the OHL’s best two times a month or so ago.

Once it was determined that the contact was just close enough and not actually to the head, what takes another 7-8 minutes of standing around? I would assume hesitation on the referees part, given their performances in different series to this point. London took a couple shifts to get going again after that break.

Anyway, good compete from both teams today.

 

[rve24]

About Gazizov;
Should he had an assist on the first goal for wipping the puck around the net to Dickinson who sent it in front to Crane???

And should he had been called for head-check in overtime?
Should McCue be called for charging, seemed like he came from quite far and fast for the hit? Just wondering

This was a much better Owen sound team today, they learned on Friday intimidating London don't work.

McC hit, not sure.
Gazizov hit IMO was not a penalty but ya can't whine. They played thru it n in the end the team that controlled the play for the majority of the game won. If OS had taken advantage of that penalty there would be no whinning about the refs here.

No idea here, but I wonder if the bad call on Gazizov affected the refs no call on McC. If it did that is wrong. I thought both were clean at first glance and TV replay.

 

[Fastpace]

Hot garbage calls by the refs again. They seem to be making awful call all around the league, but seems to be getting worse. Seems like league wants all series to go full distance for $$?

Just like all junior players they are learning but they are not pros yet. Same can be said to officiatings, they are leaning but are not pros yet. Give them some slack, rules says they are part of the game.

 

[Fastpace]

I guess I just view it differently. It’s hits like this that OHL players are not ready for given the softness of the O and why teams like Gatineau steamrolled the OHL’s best two times a month or so ago.

Once it was determined that the contact was just close enough and not actually to the head, what takes another 7-8 minutes of standing around? I would assume hesitation on the referees part, given their performances in different series to this point. London took a couple shifts to get going again after that break.

Anyway, good compete from both teams today.

Oh man! At the moment Gatineau are the real deal, they are hot and very well stacked at all positions, I believe they are 23-0 to finish the season and defeating Ottawa twice included.

 

[OMG67]

I guess I just view it differently. It’s hits like this that OHL players are not ready for given the softness of the O and why teams like Gatineau steamrolled the OHL’s best two times a month or so ago.

Once it was determined that the contact was just close enough and not actually to the head, what takes another 7-8 minutes of standing around? I would assume hesitation on the referees part, given their performances in different series to this point. London took a couple shifts to get going again after that break.

Anyway, good compete from both teams today.

Technically, OHL players are student athletes. They are not being prepared for the NHL. Only a very small handful of players advance to NHL careers. The NHL has changed a lot as well. Pretty much lock step with the OHL. The OHL calls it more tightly, yes. Suspends more aggressively, yes. But at the end of the day, they are kids and young adults mostly playing with hopes of playing professional hockey.

I am not an opposed to hard hits. They are a part of the game. The point is, when you see a player with his head down or at least not looking in the right direction after retrieving the puck at speed, and another player hits that player head on, it is near impossible not to make head contact Unless the player getting hit is significantly taller.

In the replay from the back side, you see a shoulder go directly into the chin area. In the NHL, it is possible with the right angle it would conclusively show first point of contact being shoulder to upper chest and shoulder riding up into the head. But in the OHL, that is not the rule. I saw a head snap back pretty much at point of contact on slow motion. That was not shoulder to shoulder. It was for sure at bare minimum shoulder to upper chest riding up into the head.

The OHL has access to replay for head hits. They specifically try to use it for head hits and major penalty revision. The bare minimum should have been to at least take a look at it. IF it is determined that it is too difficult to see, so be it, I am ok with that. But to not take a look at it seems pretty irresponsible and to be honest, rather arrogant.

 

[OMG67]

Oh man! At the moment Gatineau are the real deal, they are hot and very well stacked at all positions, I believe they are 23-0 to finish the season and defeating Ottawa twice included.

They finished 23-0-1. Blew out Saint John in games one and two. They are stacked. 10 NHL picks. They are the class of the CHL right now and they are proving it.

The games against Ottawa were boys vs men. The scores flattered Ottawa. My belief is the OHL is relatively weak this year. Windsor wins the West and don’t find a spot on the CHL top 10? I think that tells you something. The top 4 teams in the QMJHL are better than anything in the OHL in my opinion. And the top 2-3 in the WHL are the same.

Ottawa has played with at least 7-8 16 and 17 year olds all season. There is no way Ottawa would be where they are in a normal OHL season.

I’d be surprised if the OHL representative at the Memorial Cups wins a game. Maybe against the Host But not against either of the WHL or QMJHL Champs.

 

[Flyers 1st]

Just like all junior players they are learning but they are not pros yet. Same can be said to officiatings, they are leaning but are not pros yet. Give them some slack, rules says they are part of the game.

After watching Sarnia today eke out an OT win , I wondered if I was watching a lacrosse game ,so much cross-checking no penalty on the Guelph squad. Ross and Cairns would have a hard time doing a midget game . Ross didn't even start the game on the ice

 

[nelli27]

Post-game thoughts:

Knights controlled the play, certainly the better team in each of the first two games. Good balanced attack. Almost all of OS's "attack" came off the PP; couldn't do much 5 on 5. Votary was solid, kept OS in the game...vulnerable blocker side though. Lots of hacking and whacking in this series.
Hope London plays this well on the smaller ice surface in OS....just kidding, it's regulation size!!!! I know!

Hedon rating: 9/10

 

[BobHockey]

Hockey isn’t penalized based on needing your head up. Gotta get with the times. Too many careers ended with “head down” hits with other saying what you said. The game has changed.

If you are going to hit a player in that position, you have to ensure it is to the chest without any doubt. When you get two players the same size (give or take) and a player has his head down, near impossible to hit shoulder to chest.

And the OHL doesn’t use the first point of contact like the NHL As the measuring stick.

If you are playing at this level better damn well learn to keep your head up. I realize the game has changed but it's still physical.

 

[BobHockey]

Technically, OHL players are student athletes. They are not being prepared for the NHL. Only a very small handful of players advance to NHL careers. The NHL has changed a lot as well. Pretty much lock step with the OHL. The OHL calls it more tightly, yes. Suspends more aggressively, yes. But at the end of the day, they are kids and young adults mostly playing with hopes of playing professional hockey.

I am not an opposed to hard hits. They are a part of the game. The point is, when you see a player with his head down or at least not looking in the right direction after retrieving the puck at speed, and another player hits that player head on, it is near impossible not to make head contact Unless the player getting hit is significantly taller.

In the replay from the back side, you see a shoulder go directly into the chin area. In the NHL, it is possible with the right angle it would conclusively show first point of contact being shoulder to upper chest and shoulder riding up into the head. But in the OHL, that is not the rule. I saw a head snap back pretty much at point of contact on slow motion. That was not shoulder to shoulder. It was for sure at bare minimum shoulder to upper chest riding up into the head.

The OHL has access to replay for head hits. They specifically try to use it for head hits and major penalty revision. The bare minimum should have been to at least take a look at it. IF it is determined that it is too difficult to see, so be it, I am ok with that. But to not take a look at it seems pretty irresponsible and to be honest, rather arrogant.

Didn't they look at it for like 6-8 minutes and deemed it NOT a penalty. i saw the replay a few times. No contact with the head imo.

 

[Fastpace]

Technically, OHL players are student athletes. They are not being prepared for the NHL. Only a very small handful of players advance to NHL careers. The NHL has changed a lot as well. Pretty much lock step with the OHL. The OHL calls it more tightly, yes. Suspends more aggressively, yes. But at the end of the day, they are kids and young adults mostly playing with hopes of playing professional hockey.

I am not an opposed to hard hits. They are a part of the game. The point is, when you see a player with his head down or at least not looking in the right direction after retrieving the puck at speed, and another player hits that player head on, it is near impossible not to make head contact Unless the player getting hit is significantly taller.

In the replay from the back side, you see a shoulder go directly into the chin area. In the NHL, it is possible with the right angle it would conclusively show first point of contact being shoulder to upper chest and shoulder riding up into the head. But in the OHL, that is not the rule. I saw a head snap back pretty much at point of contact on slow motion. That was not shoulder to shoulder. It was for sure at bare minimum shoulder to upper chest riding up into the head.

The OHL has access to replay for head hits. They specifically try to use it for head hits and major penalty revision. The bare minimum should have been to at least take a look at it. IF it is determined that it is too difficult to see, so be it, I am ok with that. But to not take a look at it seems pretty irresponsible and to be honest, rather arrogant.

I agree with you right up to the point of the check, the reciever should not be cleared of all responsibility, he can't be expecting to rush the puck and not be hit. And if you know you are going to get hit be sure you see hit coming, if you put your head down half a second before impact how is the player supposed to stop his momentum in that short time. I don't buy the player putting his head down and he's washed of all responsibilty, this is junior hockey, contact is involved, better learn to keep the head high or it'll hurt bad. What I don't like to see is players using hits on vulnerables, trying to drive players through boards or purposely trying to enjure opponents, I thought this McCue hit fitted that category of excessive hitting or charging. But if the recipient got hurt for lowing his head shortly before impact that is or it should be on him, players must make sure they see players coming if they are going to carry the puck. It should be part of their daily instruction and practice, it should be a must at this level. IMHO