London Knights earn overtime win to open the 2026-27 OHL season

A Kaden Barch pass and a Cooper McAslan deflection in overtime lifted the London Knights to a 3-2 opening night victory over Windsor on Sept. 18 at Canada Life Place.

The goal followed a couple of chest-high hurdles that got in the way of the Knights who came within 13.6 seconds of winning the game in regulation time.

After Jonathan Kapageridis put London ahead 1-0 with a power play goal off a faceoff at 10:28 of the second period and after the Spitfires pulled even on Drake Gram’s first Ontario Hockey league goal at 12:13 of the third period London appeared to find a dagger late in the game.

Kapageridis pushed a puck ahead to Evan Van Gorp and he flew deep into the Windsor zone before sliding a pass to Cohen Bidgood in the slot. Bidgood made good on his first goal of the year and London led 2-1 with just 90 seconds left.

The Spitfires pulled goaltender Michael Newlove and pushed into the Knights end where they eventually got the puck to the crease and pushed it under London goalie Charlie Weiss and into the net.

The manner in which the puck crossed the line brought up all kinds of questions among players and fans of the Knights because the argument could be made that Weiss was pushed into the net along with the puck.

The play led to a challenge by London and a long review by the officials but the goal stood and a baker’s dozen worth of seconds later the game was sent to OT.

The lost challenge by the Knights resulted in a delay-of-game penalty and forced London to kill off a 4-on-3 Windsor man advantage at the start of overtime.

Bidgood stood in front of two slap shots and Weiss made a pair of saves and the Knights survived and then took advantage of the opportunity to land the extra point on McAslan’s first goal in the OHL.

Nine London players made their Knights debut.

Seven of those players were also making their Ontario Hockey League debuts.

That kind of a scenario can often create some nervous energy that when coupled with a first game of the year can pave the way for mistakes to happen.

Both London and the Spitfires played sound hockey.

Windsor outshot the Knights 22-18.

London dominated on faceoffs winning 68.6 per cent of the draws.

The teams will meet in the second of a home-and-home series on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m., at the WFCU Centre in Windsor.