Jack Nesbitt’s goal with 2:22 remaining in the third period gave the Windsor Spitfires their first lead of the game and an eventual 3-2 victory over the London Knights at the WFCU Centre on Dec. 14, 2024.
The win by Windsor allowed them to earn a split with London in a home and home series after the Knights won 4-2 at Canada Life Place one night earlier.
Alexei Medvedev made 39 saves on the night and was named the game’s first star.
Jesse Nurmi found Henry Brzustewicz and he fired a puck past Joey Costanzo of the Spitfires at 9:20 of the opening period to open the scoring and give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
Windsor tied the game at 14:32 of the opening period as Cole Davis kept the puck on a three-on-two and put a backhand into the London net to make it 1-1.
Medvedev made 16 saves in total in the first 20 minutes.
The Knights forced a turnover in the Spitfires zone early in the second period and Blake Montgomery grabbed the puck and ripped it from the slot high over the glove of Costanzo to put London back in front 2-1. WIll Nicholl got the only assist on the play.
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Nicholl has 31 points in 30 games this year. Montgomery has 15 points in 16 games.
Medvedev made 12 more saves in the middle period. He robbed Ryan Abraham on a rebound to the left of the net with his blocker and then stopped an initial shot and two rebound chances in quick succession in the final minute to send the Knights to the third period with a one-goal lead.
A.J. Spellacy erased that lead just 1:40 into the final frame as the Chicago Blackhawks prospect came flying down the right wing side of the ice and snapped a shot high over Medvedev to even the score 2-2.
The score sat that way into the final three minutes when Liam Greentree misfired on a shot from in front of the London net only to have Nesbitt of the Spitfires find it and score the eventual game winner.
Windsor outshot the Knights 42-15.
London was 0-for-1 on the power play.
The Spitfires were o-for-3.
Halttunen and Nurmi to represent Finland
More rosters are being unveiled for the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship and more London Knights are preparing to head to Ottawa, Ont., for this year’s tournament. Finland has named Knights forwards Kasper Halttunen and Jesse Nurmi to their team that will look to get back into the medals after two consecutive years on the outside. Halttunen played for Finland at last year’s World Juniors while Nurmi led the World Junior Summer Showcase event in scoring.
Up next
London will return home at 4 p.m., on Sunday, Dec. 15 to meet the Kitchener Rangers for the second time in 2024-25.
Kitchener and the Knights sit 1-2 in the overall Ontario Hockey League standings.
London defeated the Rangers 3-1 on Nov. 19 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
A block of tickets was opened for the game and ticket information can be found at http://www.londonknights.com.
Coverage will begin at 3:30 p.m., on 980 CFPL, at http://www.980cfpl.ca and on the iHeart Radio and Radioplayer Canada apps.
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