Freak play leads to loss for Gens

By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express

It was a tough Sunday night for the Oshawa Generals.

After a back and forth battle with a strong London Knights team, Oshawa found themselves trailing by a goal late in the third period.

A botched play in the defensive zone by the Knights dropped the puck onto the stick of Anthony Cirelli who, it at first appeared, was able to save the game for the Gens.

A snap shot appeared to beat Knights goaltender Tyler Parsons, lighting the red light and signalling the Generals’ celebration soundtrack. Players started to swarm Cirelli and goaltender Jeremy Brodeur left the net for his post-whistle skate.

However, a whistle never game as the puck went crossbar to post and back out, allowing the Knights to head down the ice and score on the empty net.

Instead of a tie game, the Gens found themselves trailing 4-2. The Knights would add another empty-netter to win the game at the General Motors Centre 5-2.

“It’s certainly a momentum swinger,” said head coach Bob Jones of the bizarre turn of events. “Certainly, all five guys on the ice thought the puck went in, the goal light went on and it was just a unique scenario where the play continued and was a lesson learned by all of us.”

The Generals, fresh off blanking the Peterborough Petes 3-0 on Oct. 2, found themselves slightly outgunned by strong offence from the London Knights.

Oshawa opened the scoring with a power play goal off the stick of Stephen Desrocher, his second of the season and fifth point in as many games.

London would manage two goals in the second and jump ahead 3-1 early in the third period.

D-man Daniel Robertson would manage his first OHL goal to bring the Generals back within one, but it was as close as they would get.

Overall, Jones say he was pleased with the play of his team throughout the game, as well as through the beginning of the season that sees the Generals sitting with a 3-2-0-0 record.

“It was a good hockey game, it was a bit of a chess match and I like our guys effort,” Jones said.

However, he commented that he would like to see his team create more offensive chances and credited the London Knights would outshot the Gens 32-25 in the game.

“You never want to get outshot at home, but give credit to London they’re a very good hockey club, they play the right way, they make you put pucks in areas to go get them and you’ve got to win your battles,” he said.

The Generals are back in action tonight (Oct. 7) in Kingston before travelling to Ottawa on Oct. 9 to face the 67s.

The Gens next home game is their Thanksgiving match on Oct. 12 against the Guelph Storm. The puck drops at 2:05 p.m.