London punched its ticket to the playoffs in style on Family Day, crushing the Owen Sound Attack 6-1 at Canada Life Place. The scoreline told one story, but the tone of the game told another: fast, disciplined and hungry. Cohen Bidgood stole the spotlight with a career-night — two goals and two assists — while the Knights looked balanced from top to bottom.
The game got away from Owen Sound fast. London opened with a three-goal first period that forced the visitors into desperate chase mode. Jaxon Cover and Braidy Wassilyn each buried their 17th of the season, and Will Nicholl followed with a rebound off the end glass that left the Attack reeling. Those strikes were born of relentless forechecking, crisp zone entries and quick puck recoveries — the small details that turn pressure into scoring.
The middle frame belonged to the Knights too. Early in the period Cover fed Bidgood for a tidy finish, but Owen Sound managed a late power-play reply when Tristan Delisle cashed in after a crushing hit left prospect Harry Nansi briefly shaken. London didn’t flinch; they rotated smartly, kept their shifts tight and refused to lose the physical edge.
The third period put the result beyond doubt. Jesse Nurmi buried a power-play chance to swing momentum right back, and minutes later Bidgood threaded another through traffic to make it 6-1 and effectively slam the door. London finished with a 37-30 shot advantage and controlled puck possession for long stretches.
Several players stood out. Bidgood’s four-point night was the headline, but Nurmi and Ryan Brown kept sizzling — Nurmi extended his point streak to 11 games and Brown’s run hit 13. Nicholl chipped in a goal and an assist, while Cover’s playmaking repeatedly set the pace.
Special teams were a mixed bag. Owen Sound converted twice on four power-play chances; the Knights were 1-for-4. London did the damage when it mattered, yet some wasted opportunities and a late faceoff set play goal against exposed a vulnerability on set-piece defense that the coaching staff will want tightened up before playoff hockey begins.
What coaches will like: balanced scoring across lines, disciplined defensive coverage for most of the night, and effective line rotations that kept players fresh. What they’ll worry about: inconsistent power play execution and a couple of risky exits and turnovers that would be punished by tighter, postseason opponents.
Beyond the single game, the win kept an impressive streak alive: London clinched its 24th straight postseason appearance, a run stretching back to the Hunters’ first season under their ownership in 2000-01. That kind of sustained success speaks to organizational depth and a resilient culture that opponents will study closely — particularly how the Knights deploy their middle six and run their special teams.
Next up: the Barrie Colts visit Canada Life Place on Friday at 7 p.m. The evening also includes the Don Brankley London knights Hall of Fame induction, honoring Rocky Farr, Jim Sandlak and Brandon Prust. Local radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on 980 CFPL and via streaming platforms.