Seb Gatto’s blocker save on Cole Davis of the Windsor Spitfires sealed a 3-2 shootout victory for the London Knights on Friday at Canada Life Place.

Gatto made 40 saves through 65 minutes of regulation and overtime and three more in the shootout. And all of them allowed London to hang on to fourth place in the Western Conference standings, one point ahead of Sault Ste. Marie, who defeated the Saginaw Spirit 5-1.

Both the Knights and Greyhounds have one game remaining in the regular season.

London needs one point in Flint on Saturday to clinch home ice advantage against Sault Ste. Marie in their first round series.

The first goal of Friday’s game did not happen until the second period but it was worth the wait.

Jaxon Cover and Kaeden Hawkins combined on a three-way passing play to find Maks Sokolovskii  in the slot, and Sokolovskii scored his second career OHL goal and his second goal in three games.

Both of Solokolvskii’s goals have come on Windsor goalie Joey Costanzo.

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The Knights went ahead 2-0 at the 12;59 mark in the second on a wild rush by Will Nicholl as the Edmonton Oilers prospect sped through centre ice, cut wide to the right and then went hard to the net. Nicholl’s first try was denied by Costanzo but it produced a scrum in front of the Spitfires crease. Nicholl found the puck and whacked it home for his 14th goal of the season.

Windsor cut into that lead on a power play goal by Jack Nesbitt that came with 1:34 remaining in the middle period and the teams went into the final 20 minutes with London ahead 2-1.

As the time ticked down under two minutes, the Spitfires pulled Costanzo and got a bounce as a Liam Greentree pass hit a stick and came right back to him. The New York Rangers prospect tied the game with 1:29 to go.

Windsor recorded all three shots in overtime play, but Gatto turned them all aside. The ensuing shootout went five rounds, with Jaxon Cover scoring to put the Knights in front. Gatto made the final save.

The Spitfires outshot London 42-28.

The Knights were 0-for-1 on the power play.

Windsor went 1-for-2 on the man advantage.

Playoff series nearly set

Heading into the final two days of the OHL’s regular season, every series is set in the Eastern Conference. The series between the London Knights and the Soo Greyhounds is the only matchup has been cemented in the Western Conference.

In the East, Brantford will go up against Sudbury, Niagara will take on Barrie, the Ottawa 67’s will face Kingston, and North Bay and Peterborough will go head to head in the 4-5 matchup.

Up next

London will finish their regular season schedule in Flint, Mich., on Saturday, March 21.

The Knights are 1-2 against the Firebirds this year.

Game coverage Saturday will start at 6:30 p.m., on 980 CFPL, http://www.980cfpl.ca and on the iHeart Radio and Radioplayer Canada apps.

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