London Knights kick off OHL championships Thursday night

CBC

09-05-2025

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London Knights fans brought the enthusiasm, and the green and yellow, to Dundas Place on Thursday ahead of Game 1 of the Ontario Hockey League championship series against the Oshawa Generals.
The Knights are looking to win their sixth J. Ross Robertson Cup, and their second in a row against the Generals, after sweeping them 4-0 in last year's OHL final.
The Knights lost Thursday's game 4-2 but they'll get a chance to even the series on Saturday.
Before filing into Canada Life Place for the game, fans gathered outside in the late afternoon sun for some food and drink, and live music courtesy of the London-based band Texas King.
"Very, very positive. It's been an easy go for them, and I think it's going to continue right to the Memorial Cup," said Dick Hoos, who sat at a picnic table with his wife and several others.
Hoos is better known to Knights fans as " Sombrero Guy." For more than 20 years, he and wife Sharon ("Sombrero Lady") have tossed the hat onto the ice whenever a Knight gets a hat trick.
"The way they've been playing the game, it's so upbeat and so fast. They seem to be faster than their competition."
It's the third year in a row the Knights have played in the OHL final. Last year, the team managed to advance to the Memorial Cup and the championship game, but were shut out 4-3 by Saginaw.
The Knights have won two Memorial Cups, their first in 2005, and their most recent in 2016.
"It's gonna be a very big challenge, but with the experience they had last year, I think they have a really good shot," at the cup, said fan Pearen Wilbee, who donned a Knights jersey signed by the 2005 championship team.
"With the loss last year, it's just gonna build motivation for these players even more. They're gonna do whatever it takes."
Wilbee said his eye was on Easton Cowan, the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and last year's OHL Playoff MVP and Red Tilson Trophy recipient.
For Londoner Laura Brown, Cowan isn't just a Knights player, he's also a neighbour. "He's on the next road over," she said.
Before the game, Brown was optimistic, but believed Oshawa's team was better this year than last.
"However, I think the fact that we have so many NHL selections ... we have the better team. But you never know. I mean, we had Barkey get hurt."
Team captain Denver Barkey has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during Game 1 of the Western Conference final on April 25 against Kitchener.
He wasn't in the lineup for Thursday's game, but earlier in the day, was named the recipient of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy as OHL Humanitarian of the Year.
"It's gonna go six or seven," games, said Joe Babin of the series. "My prediction."
"Oshawa's going to be a good opponent, because they're very strong on the back end. Good goalie as well. (Jacob) Oster's a good goalie."
Sav Neth heads a London Knights fan club page on Facebook with more than 5,000 members.
To get people in the mood, he brought along a fan box to Thursday's game with green lightsabers, glow sticks, and other items to energize the crowd.
"Everybody's excited for this opportunity," he said of fan club members. "Three times doesn't come up often. We're excited, we're ready to go, we're ready to cheer."