London Knights 2023-24 Season Thread (Part 5)

[LDN]

Cowan will be more of a Nazem Kadri or Darcy Tucker in the NHL. He’s not as high end skilled as Marner but Cowan will need to improve his hands and shot to get to the next level and gain entry into the Leafs Top 6. Right now he would be a 4th liner with minimal ice time.

I think he could play on their 4th line or 3rd line today if needed

 

[RangerNation]

This is one of the better Knights teams I have seen in a while. Jealous respect.

 

[Knights4ever]

I like the Knights physical play but all these needless penalties are going to sink them in the next round against a Sault or Saginaw.

 

[LDN]

I like the Knights physical play but all these needless penalties are going to sink them in the next round against a Sault or Saginaw.

True, but Saginaw has some hotheads too

 

[Rubbers29]

View attachment 853701

little better view

https://x.com/GeneralsUpdates/status/1780447558373908988

 

[LDN]

Any word on Gatto committing ?

 

[Billyjack]

Bullshit call. Motes ran into Lawrence. He had his head down.

Take off your green glasses, he should get about 5. 100% attempt to injure

 

[Billyjack]

Likely for the remaining games. It’s worthwhile

It's worthwhile, really? Nasty , hoping he hurt someone

 

[HockeyPops]

It's worthwhile, really? Nasty , hoping he hurt someone

They were saying buying back the suspension was worthwhile. I don't believe it was a comment on the hit in question.

 

[TheOrangePylon]

Take off your green glasses, he should get about 5. 100% attempt to injure

Take off your blue and red glasses then, you are tied to it as a Ranger fan thinking it was an attempt to inure, some Knights fan are thinking it was a nothing play.

So if no one has any coloured glasses on, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

I have watched the replay several times, I do think Lawrence knew what he was doing and running an interference play to create space for McCue. I really don't think he meant to completely clean him out like he did, but the fact is if he meant to or not, he did. So I think the major was deserved, but I don't think a massive suspension is needed.

 

[HockeyPops]

I have watched the replay several times, I do think Lawrence knew what he was doing and running an interference play to create space for McCue. I really don't think he meant to completely clean him out like he did, but the fact is if he meant to or not, he did. So I think the major was deserved, but I don't think a massive suspension is needed.

This is also what I saw.

 

[digicamo]

Take off your blue and red glasses then, you are tied to it as a Ranger fan thinking it was an attempt to inure, some Knights fan are thinking it was a nothing play.

So if no one has any coloured glasses on, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

I have watched the replay several times, I do think Lawrence knew what he was doing and running an interference play to create space for McCue. I really don't think he meant to completely clean him out like he did, but the fact is if he meant to or not, he did. So I think the major was deserved, but I don't think a massive suspension is needed.

The truth is in the middle and I agree 100%. Was he trying to make contact to buy McCue more space? For sure that's the right play.

Did he mean to make contact with the head and unfortunately seemingly knock Motew out for the series? I highly, highly doubt it.

Plays like this are tough to judge and as a Rangers fan, I would be surprised if he gets any games. If he does, it will only be because he meant to make contact with Motew, and an injury, accidental or not, happened on the play.

 

[EvenSteven]

I think he’ll get one or two games.

 

[superdee]

The truth is in the middle and I agree 100%. Was he trying to make contact to buy McCue more space? For sure that's the right play.

Did he mean to make contact with the head and unfortunately seemingly knock Motew out for the series? I highly, highly doubt it.

Plays like this are tough to judge and as a Rangers fan, I would be surprised if he gets any games. If he does, it will only be because he meant to make contact with Motew, and an injury, accidental or not, happened on the play.

I can make sense of that. However as a player Motew has to protect himself by having his head down. I hope he is not hurt but I still can’t wrap myself around it as a dirty intentional attempt to injure. That idiot Ferguson and his sidekick let worse go on.

 

[Knights Watcher]

I can make sense of that. However as a player Motew has to protect himself by having his head down. I hope he is not hurt but I still can’t wrap myself around it as a dirty intentional attempt to injure. That idiot Ferguson and his sidekick let worse go on.

Once again, it's everyone against London. If you listen to Rags fans on their board the Knights have been targeting L'il Simon all series under the order of Supreme Dark Lord Hunter and their only goal is to maim every Rangers player and knock them out of the game because London has been and always will be a team of goons. That's the perception. Apparently, every Knightals player is a headhunter and each Ranger player is a skating angel, the embodiment of goodness, just trying to do the right thing and bring peace, love and joy to the ice against an evil foe led by the Devil himself. Bottom line, the Knights are a better team, better players, better goaltending, better coaches, and the Rags are a bunch of a softies that don't like the physical play and certainly won't dish out any physicality. Can't see them winning 4 of the next 4 without some help from the refs.

 

[Fastpace]

I come in peace as a Leaf fan, Cowen is a great player but I see so many people compare him to Marner but I look at what Marner did for you guys and the players in the league during Marner's time and I personally question if my fellow Leafs fan are maybe getting a bit of smoke and mirrors as the leagues gotta be less talented today. I'd be very interested in your take of where you think Cowen may realistically fall into a NHL line up.

If anyone was around in the Bobby Clark playing days in Philadelphia and Dale Hunter in Washington, they will see a little of both in Cowan today. Some of Clark's determination along with Hunter's pestiness, Toronto are getting 2 for one

 

[digicamo]

Once again, it's everyone against London. If you listen to Rags fans on their board the Knights have been targeting L'il Simon all series under the order of Supreme Dark Lord Hunter and their only goal is to maim every Rangers player and knock them out of the game because London has been and always will be a team of goons. That's the perception. Apparently, every Knightals player is a headhunter and each Ranger player is a skating angel, the embodiment of goodness, just trying to do the right thing and bring peace, love and joy to the ice against an evil foe led by the Devil himself. Bottom line, the Knights are a better team, better players, better goaltending, better coaches, and the Rags are a bunch of a softies that don't like the physical play and certainly won't dish out any physicality. Can't see them winning 4 of the next 4 without some help from the refs.

It will always be everyone against London, you should all expect that lol. Whether it comes from jealousy or bad memories, every team in the league has a mutual enemy in London because of your successful history.

D was the weak spot on the Rangers heading into this series and you're crazy if you don't think a smart coach would have game-planned their forwards to go at the D to wear them down. I am certainly not one of the Rangers fans who are saying Hunter is some evil dark lord and the injuries were 100% intentional, but now the Rangers are down two defensemen and have a rookie 4th line forward playing top 4 minutes on the back end... You can see why the die-hards are upset. You would be saying the same things if it was 3-0 Kitchener and George and Dickinson were knocked out.

 

[EvenSteven]

Once again, it's everyone against London. If you listen to Rags fans on their board the Knights have been targeting L'il Simon all series under the order of Supreme Dark Lord Hunter and their only goal is to maim every Rangers player and knock them out of the game because London has been and always will be a team of goons. That's the perception. Apparently, every Knightals player is a headhunter and each Ranger player is a skating angel, the embodiment of goodness, just trying to do the right thing and bring peace, love and joy to the ice against an evil foe led by the Devil himself. Bottom line, the Knights are a better team, better players, better goaltending, better coaches, and the Rags are a bunch of a softies that don't like the physical play and certainly won't dish out any physicality. Can't see them winning 4 of the next 4 without some help from the refs.

This isn’t a Knights thing. It’s how you compete against a team in the playoffs that doesn’t have a deep defence 101.

You run the crap out of them in an effort to, over the course of the series, cause wear and tear to the point they become overtaxed and less capable.

I don’t believe 99% of players want to injure other players. They will hit to hurt not hit to injure. There is a difference.

We’d face the same game plan no matter the opponent.

The problem is. A)Rangers don’t have enough of the personnel to carry out the same. B) London’s D is deep enough that if we did, they share up the minutes enough where fatigue doesn’t set in.

All that being said, I agree. The way this Ranger team is built, the Knights are the better team in all facets of the game - especially in post season play.

We weren't winning this series with or without help from the refs.

 

[Knights Watcher]

You can see why the die-hards are upset. You would be saying the same things if it was 3-0 Kitchener and George and Dickinson were knocked out.

The die-hards should be upset that their team is soft, which is a reflection on coaching and ownership, not that the Knights are physical. It's playoff hockey...only the strong survive. And if George and Dicky went down, we have more than enough capable resources to at least partially fill the void, so I don't think we would be whining as much as the other guys.

 

[Slowpace]

The die-hards should be upset that their team is soft, which is a reflection on coaching and ownership, not that the Knights are physical.

IMHO Rangers' culture has deteriorated since Pete DeBoer went to the NHL. He always had scrappy, hard hitting teams that gave 100%. If I'm not mistaken, last time they made it to the OHL Final was 2008? I'm really surprised they just extended their GM for another 5 years. More of the same going forward?
Not meant as a slight on the organization, just my personal observation.

 

[Fastpace]

View attachment 853701

With the number of players and 4 referees at the same time on the ice, a player can not afford to skate with his head down for more then 1 full second, or he risk to be part in a collision. The play was for Lawrence to criss-cross inside the blue line with McCue, but Motew coming in between broke up that play, he also had his head down in a tunnel vision for a full 2 seconds. Lawrence''s eyes were in the direction of Motew & McCue. For Lawrence to avoid a collision with McCue, tried to squeeze between both players, the collision happened when Lawrence cut in front of Motew who was leaning down with his head low.

Although Lawrence did see Motew with his head down, Motew shouldn't have skated this long with his head down, this collision was avoidable by both players, both players got punished, Lawrence with penalies and Motew with a headache. IMHO

 

[LDN]

They were saying buying back the suspension was worthwhile. I don't believe it was a comment on the hit in question.

That’s correct. I did not mean injuring an opposing player was worthwhile. Not at all.

If we can buy back the games and get Lawrence back in the lineup that’s key. He’s been awesome for us so far.

 

[Otto]

That’s correct. I did not mean injuring an opposing player was worthwhile. Not at all.

If we can buy back the games and get Lawrence back in the lineup that’s key. He’s been awesome for us so far.

Pretty sure buy backs are only for automatic suspensions, not for reviews.

 

[dmead]

Pretty sure buy backs are only for automatic suspensions, not for reviews.

Yup. Only on automatics. O'Reilly would have been bought back otherwise.

 

[Fergus31]

IMHO Rangers' culture has deteriorated since Pete DeBoer went to the NHL. He always had scrappy, hard hitting teams that gave 100%. If I'm not mistaken, last time they made it to the OHL Final was 2008? I'm really surprised they just extended their GM for another 5 years. More of the same going forward?
Not meant as a slight on the organization, just my personal observation.

Yeah, they’re not the same as they were under DeBoer. It’s too bad - it’s a great fanbase and a good historical rivalry with London. I think most Ranger fans are very reasonable on here. They deserve better and as an OHL fan first, I don’t think McKenzie is the answer.

As for Lawrence, I think most posts are very fair with respect to yesterday’s incident. One thing that I would add is that Lawrence is not a dirty or borderline dirty player unlike other Knight players that have crossed the line before. So that could be a factor working in Kaleb’s favour when reviewing for suspension.