Sarnia Sting get the best of the London Knights in first of two to complete the pre-season

Every time the puck drops on an OHL preseason game experience is often a key determinant in the outcome. The Sarnia Sting got big-time performances from veterans in their lineup on the way to an 8-4 victory over the London Knights on Sept. 10 at Canada Life Place.

London played the game without 12 players who could still be on their roster this year. All are away at NHL Rookie camps.

Former Knight Logan Hawery led the way for Sarnia with a goal and three assists in what could be a sign of things to come.

London and the Sting pulled off a rare swap a season ago when they traded players that they had each selected in the first round of the OHL Priority Selection.

Ryan Brown came to the Knights as Hawery went west.

Both players seemed to need a new start and that’s exactly what Brown got in London as he kicked his game into another gear, led the Knights in scoring and was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round of the NHL Draft.

Hawery battled injuries during the second half of the season but comes into 2026-27 healthy and ready for a season he hopes can go much the way Brown’s did.

Veteran defender Cole Emerton had a goal and two assists for Sarnia while overager Jack Van Volsen and third-year winger Matthew Manza each scored twice.

Jake Ritson popped home two of his own for London.

Both came on a Knight power play that got 12 chances to go to work and ended up being responsible for three of the four London goals.

Ritson’s first goal came on a great cross-ice feed from Ryan Beaulieu that Ritson admits he expected from Beaulieu.

“He’s such a smart player,” said Ritson. “I saw him make a move down the wall and I just had to find the seam and he made a great pass that I ended up finishing.”

Ritson finished a second play in front of the Sting net on another man advantage in the second period when London’s Evan Van Gorp wrapped the puck in front to him and Ritson lifted it over the blocker of Sting goalie Kale Osipenko.

Kane Barch made the plays on the other two Knights goals as he found Luca Santala in the second period for a goal on the man advantage and then slithered a feed through traffic to Cooper McAslan in the third period.

Brian Cooke and Charlie Weiss split the night in net for London.

Weiss stopped 13 of 14 shots for the Knights and soaked in his first appearance at Canada Life Place.

“There is nothing like this building anywhere else in the CHL,” smiled Weiss following the game. “The fans, the atmosphere… it’s great.”

The teams will each play their final pre-season game against one another in Sarnia on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

London opens the season at home to Windsor on Friday, Sept. 18.

The Sting begin their season a day later in Sault Ste. Marie.