Denver Barkey of the London Knights. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
It’s always tough to win in London and the Attack got a reminder about that Friday night.
Sam O’Reilly tied the game with 2:14 to go in the third period, and Denver Barkey was the overtime hero as the London Knights rallied to beat the Owen Sound Attack 5-4 in Ontario Hockey League action at Budweiser Gardens.
The Attack (7-8-1-0) dropped their third straight. London (11-5-0-1) won for the second time in as many nights.
Owen Sound led twice in the third period, but couldn’t escape London with the win.
Barkey — who finished with four points — ended it with 42 seconds left in the 3-on-3 overtime, taking a pass from Max McCue above the circles and used the defender to create a bit of screen before putting a shot towards the Attack net. Carter George got a piece of it, but the puck toppled in.
The Barkey winner came after the Attack maintained puck possession for almost the entirety of overtime, retreating into the neutral zone several times to the tune of loud booing from an inpatient crowd at the Budweiser Gardens.
“I thought we had the puck basically the whole overtime, so it was a little bit unfortunate that one went in,” says Attack interim head coach Darren Rumble. “I thought our effort was great. It’s a tough building to play in. Overall, I’m pleased.”
“But like I’ve told them a million times no one is going to feel sorry for us,” Rumble continues. “We’ve just got to keep pushing. We’ve seen how well we can play. There’s one thing to do, just keep pushing.”
Easton Cowan, Jackson Edward and Kasper Halttunen also scored for the Knights. Servac Petrovsky had a pair for the Attack, while Tomislav Brennan and Ethan Burroughs found the net as well.
The Knights took the early lead in the game. Taos Jordan was sent off for tripping 1:24 in and London took advantage on the power play. Barkey teed one up for Halttunen, who one-timed a blast from the left-side near the top of the circle past George to make it 1-0 just 1:39 after puck drop.
London had two more power play opportunities in the first, but couldn’t add to the lead.
The Attack tied it early in the second period. Cedrick Guindon forced a turnover in the defensive zone and then sent Petrovsky up the right-wing – a 2-on-1 developed, Petrovsky streaking on the right with Landen Hookey on the left side. Petrovsky kept, shot glove side and beat Owen Willmore to tie the game 1-1 at 3:55 of the second.
Then London got into some penalty trouble. The Knights took three straight minor penalties. The Attack pressed, peppered the Knights’ net, but couldn’t break through with the go-ahead goal in the second period.
Owen Sound outshot London 17-3 in the second. The game was tied 1-1 after 40 minutes. The Attack power play was 0 for 5.
The Knights would regain the lead just over five minutes into the third. Edward put a seeing-eye wrist shot from the left point towards the net, and it got through the maze of bodies in front and past George high on the glove side. 2-1 London.
The Attack tied it 1:41 later. Cowan fumbled a clearing attempt and turned the puck over in his zone. It went to Petrovsky who quickly touched it to Brennan in the slot, who managed to get a shot off in tight coverage and beat Willmore high glove.
As of 11 p.m. Friday, the OHL online scoring had the goal marked as unassisted. Expect Petrovsky to get credited for an assist at some point…
Five minutes later the Attack took their first lead of the game. The power play finally connected. Petrovsky had the puck at the side of the goal and shot low – he raised his arms in celebration thinking he had the go-ahead goal. But Willmore kicked it out. It came right back to Servac, and from his position right on top of the blue paint he banged it in low. This time when the arms went up to celebrate, it was a goal. 3-2 Attack.
That lead lasted just seven seconds. The Knights won the ensuing faceoff and Barkey skated up the right-wing, and feathered a pass to a streaking Cowan in front. He finished the play with a quick release high to bring London level 3-3.
Owen Sound would retake the lead with 5:04 left in the third. With Rene Van Bommel off for slashing, Cedrick Guindon picked up a clean offensive zone faceoff win. Sam Sedley skated towards the middle of the ice and then put the puck on net, and Burroughs managed to deflect it in to make it 4-3 Attack.
London wasn’t done.
With his team enjoying an extended period in the offensive zone, Dale Hunter called Willmore to the bench with 2:39 remaining for the extra attacker. Sam Dickinson put a shot to the net from just off the left board. It rang the post, the puck bounced back outside the crease, and O’Reilly quickly whipped it in to tie the game.
It went to overtime. The Attack had more of the puck, but it was the Knights who got the goal.
Willmore made 38 saves in the win, while George stopped 25 taking the loss. The Attack outshot London 42-30 while – apparently – going 2 for 7 on the power play. That’s what the online scoring shows, but it also doesn’t have any record of a minor penalty assessed to Barkey in the second period. London finished 1 for 4 with the man advantage.
The Attack are set to host the Mississauga Steelheads (10-5) at the Bayshore Saturday night. Game time is 7 p.m.
BARLOW OUT
The Attack were without captain Colby Barlow in London Friday. Coach Rumble says he was hurt late in Wednesday’s game against Kitchener, but was mum on further details. He says Barlow is considered day-to-day.
NOT THE BUD
Friday’s loss in London was Owen Sound’s fifth straight at Budweiser Gardens going back to last year. The Attack last won in London in their 2022-23 season opener, a 5-3 win on Sept. 30, 2022. Since then they dropped a couple of regular season games, two in the playoff sweep at the hands of the Knights last season, and then their fifth in a row at the Bud Friday night.