Article content
LONDON — Easton Cowan isn’t letting the Ontario Hockey League’s biggest stage derail his monster season.
Article content
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft scored once and added four assists on Thursday night as the London Knights crushed the visiting Oshawa Generals 8-1 in the opening game of the OHL’s championship series.
Article content
The young forward, who doesn’t turn 19 until May 20, now has eight goals and 24 points in 15 playoff games this spring. This after he finished seventh OHL regular-season scoring (34-62-96 in 54 games) and was voted the Red Tilson Trophy winner as the league’s most outstanding player.
Oliver Bonk and Rusian Gazizov scored twice for the Knights, who lost last year’s OHL championship final in six games to the Peterborough Petes. Jared Woolley, Denver Barkey and Jacob Julien also scored for the Knights, while Sam Dickinson added three assists and Julien chipped in with two at Budweiser Gardens.
Connor Lockhart scored for the Generals.
The Knights led 2-0 after the first period and took a 5-1 lead into the third. They outshot the Generals 41-25 and went 2-for-2 on the power play. The Generals went 0-for-3 on the power play.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday.
POKE CHECKS: The four-team 2024 Memorial Cup — to be held at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Mich. — begins May 24 with the host Spirit playing the WHL champions. The following night, the OHL champions play the QMJHL champions. The final is June 2.
Share this article in your social network
