A short roster did not mean the London Knights were short on talent.

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A short roster did not mean the London Knights were short on talent.

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That was the lesson the Windsor Spitfires learned on Friday as the Knights, who had regulars Easton Cowan, Denver Barkey, Sam Dickinson and Oliver Bonk away at Canada’s world junior camp. It didn’t slow the Knights’ offence with London grabbing a 4-2 win before 9,061 at Canada Life Place.

“They still had seven NHL drafted players playing,” Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters said. “That’s a really good hockey team and we just weren’t good enough.”

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Friday’s match was the first meeting of the season between the two division leaders in the Western Conference Windsor was in position to take over top spot with a victory.

“I don’t know if is was them or us, but I could count on one hand the number guys that came to play and competed hard enough,” Walters said. “It wasn’t a great game all around, but the good news is it’s quick turnaround and we’ll see what we’re made of (Saturday).”

The Spitfires started backup goalie Carter Froggett, whose hometown of Thorndale is just outside of London. The 18-year-old Froggett was sensational early with the Spitfires being outshot 10-1, but had to leave a scoreless game late in the first period after making 11 saves with a what Walters called a lower-body injury.

“He was playing well,” said Walters, who also lost rookie Ethan Belchetz after a second-period fight. “We’ll have to wait for our doctor to check him out, but I don’t expect him (to dress Saturday).”

Just 45 seconds after his departure, Anthony Cristoforo gave Windsor a 1-0 lead after one period with a power-play goal.

Landon Sim pulled the Knights even after 40 minutes as he stuffed a rebound past Spitfires’ goalie Joey Costanzo midway through the second period.

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However, the Knights quickly took control of the game in the third period with three goals in less than four minutes.

William Nicholl converted a Windsor turnover just 44 seconds into the period, Jacob Julien tipped a shot home before the two-minute mark and Kasper Halttunen’s power-play goal had the Knights in control at 4-1.

“Really bad decision with the puck,” Walters said of London’s second goal. “We’re trying to do too much and they capitalized. Momentum’s a big thing and they started feeling it.”

Tnias Mathurin got the Spitfires to within two goals with less than three minutes left in regulation and Windsor got Costanzo to the bench, but could pull no closer.

“Our execution was off,” said Walters, whose team was outshot 34-27. “Our compete level and our arrival back in the (defensive) zone just was not connected. It was probably the worst game we’ve played in a long time.”

The two teams meet again in Windsor on Saturday with game time set for 7:05 p.m. at the WFCU Centre.

jpparker@postmedia.com

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Game Summary

Friday Result

Knights 4 Spitfires 2

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Windsor 1 0 1 – 2

London 0 1 3 – 4

First period: 1. Windsor, Cristoforo 6 (Nesbitt, Morneau) 19:26 (pp). Penalties: Read L (too many men) 2:43, Brzustewicz L (hooking) 19:06.

Second period: 2. London, Sim 9 (Halttunen, O’Reilly) 9:28. Penalties: Brzustewicz L (delay of game) 1:12, Mathurin W (closing hand on puck) 6:55, Belchetz W (fighting), Eichler W (roughing), Van Bommel L (fighting), Aboflan L (roughing) 12:55.

Third period: 3. London, Nicholl 12 (Sim, Halttunen) :44, 4. London, Julien 6 (Spencer) 1:58, 5. London, Halttunen 2 (O’Reilly, Sim) 3:30 (pp), 6. Windsor, Mathurin 3 (Protas, Nesbitt) 17:16. Penalties: Gaymes W (roughing), Nesbitt W (roughing), Fagan L (roughing) 2:27, Julien L (tripping) 14:18.

Game stats – SOG – Windsor 7 11 9 – 27 London 11 14 9 – 34 Goal (shots-saves) – Windsor: Froggett (11-11), Costanzo (18:49 of first period) (L,18–51-1) (23-19). London: Elliott (W,12-0-0-0) (27-25). Power play (goals-chances) – Windsor 1-4. London 1-2. Referees: Brendan Kane and Mac Nichol. Linesmen: Riley Clipper and Andrew Langhorn. Att.: 9,061 at Canada Life Place.

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