Windsor tops London to begin home-and-home between Spitfires, Knights – London

Three second-period goals by the Windsor Spitfires stood up as the difference in a 4-1 Windsor win over the London Knights on Dec. 5 at Canada Life Place.

The teams set a tone in the opening period, going stride for stride through a scoreless 20 minutes.

After a dust-up featuring pushing and shoving and one fight just before the mid-way mark of the second period, London was given an additional minor penalty and Windsor went to the man advantage.

Windsor cashed in eight seconds later when Jack Nesbitt banged in a rebound at the edge of the Knights crease, giving the Spitfires a 1-0 lead.

Ethan Garden of Windsor stole a puck in the London end less than two minutes later and lasered a shot off the crossbar and in, giving the Spitfires a 2-0 advantage.

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Before the end of the middle period, rookie Caden Harvey got to a rebound for Windsor and scored his third goal of the season and the Spitfires took a 3-0 lead into the second intermission.

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A power play goal by the Knights Ben Wilmott at the 6:22 mark of the third period got London on the scoreboard and gave Wilmott his 11th goal of the season.

The Knights put a puck into the Spitfires net at 9:50 of the third but the goal was disallowed for goaltender interference and A. J. Spellacy finished the scoring into an empty net later in the period.

Windsor outshot London 30-19.

The Knights were 1-for-5 on the power play.

The Spitfires were 1-for-3.

London sets new OHL record in Teddy Bear Toss

Linus Funck’s goal at 2:21 of the second period against the Kitchener Rangers brought a waterfall of 20,567 stuffed toys out of the stands at Canada Life Place.

That total broke London’s own record set a year ago.

All toys are collected and distributed by the Salvation Army.