2025 OHL Championship Postgame Roundtable - Game 2: Oshawa 2 London 5 - OHL Overtime - The Armchair GM's Sports Network

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
This is Jim Joker's voice of the Cakes to bron Next,
you're listening to OHL Overtime and in depth interview show
highlighting the players, coaches and broadcasters from around the Ontario
Hockey League to make the league so great, as well
as in person coverage of events such as the OHL Playoffs,
OHL Championship Series, OHL Combine and more exclusively on the

(00:47):
Armchair GM Sports Network. Here's your program host Brandon Computer.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Into another OHL postgame Posse roundtable right here on OHL
Overtime in the Armchair GM Sports Network. Thank you for
those that are tuned in live on our Armshare GM
Sports Network YouTube channel and those listening the next day
in your favorite on demand audio platform. Brandick Puto, Colin
Ward from the OHL and sixty podcast, and Joel Vanderlin
are here to discuss Game two of the OHL Championship

(01:20):
Series between the Oshawa Generals and the London Knights. General's
up one nothing in the series coming in and London
takes this game by a five to two score, evening
it up at one apiece. Going back to Oshawa next
Monday and Tuesday. Gentlemen, it was definitely. You know, Oshawa
got out to the lead again and you're thinking, okay,
is this gonna be one of those games where Oshawa

(01:41):
takes a two to nothing series lead on the road
like they did in the conference final against Barry. But again,
this London Knights team is twelve and one in the
playoffs for a reason, Colin, and they showed why they
could bounce back tonight.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
Yeah. First off, thanks for having me, Brandon pleasure to
talk hockey with the boys. It should be a fun one.
What a game we got a series. We said it
last show that you know Loda Nights you're gonna come
out hard in game two, and they did that. Obviously,
they give up the first goal, but I thought they
had a good first period. I thought they responded well tonight.
You heard in the post game or you're hearing the
post game as well, that you know the Knights really responded.

(02:16):
Oshawa had a dream start on the road. I think
analytically looking back at it, and it would be an
interesting question here from Brad Malone post game. Analytically, I
think that you would tip your cap. I think you
had a better result tonight analytically, even when you look
at the stat sheet tonight. When you look at the
statu sheet, you would think maybe Oshawa deserved a better
fate tonight than they didn't game one, even other than
than three for nine on the power play. Other than

(02:36):
the power play, I would say tonight, maybe oshawall deserve
the better fate than they did in Game one. So
maybe that's a positive. That's why I think analytically on
the Oshawa standpoint, you have a good start and maybe
you deserve better fate when you look back at it.
And I would love to see that maybe on the
bus ride home, you know when tomorrow when you debrief
things and you go over the video and it's like, well,

(02:57):
maybe we deserve better fate, and you know, you keep trucking.
That's what the postseason is. You're gonna have ups and downs.
And I think that Osawa had to get start to
get the first goal. But let's be honest, the London
Night Star players tonight came to play and they needed to.
We called him out last week our last episode on
the show. We said that they had to be better.
They had to. They had to they had to take

(03:19):
over the game. They had to be better than the
Oshawa Stars who are playing phenomenal in the postseason so far.
Callum Richie's on another level, which is scary to think
Callum Richie could get to another level. But then hey,
stars don't like being attacked by stars, and we challenged,
We challenged Callum Richie. You see what he did Easterton
Cowen Saturday evening May tenth, That was Eastern Cowen World

(03:42):
and it was Easton Cowen Day in London, that Canada
Life place to put it nially, I mean he was
really good tonight. I mean he was fantastic.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
Joel Easton Cowen has now tied Rob Shrimp for the
most playoff points in London Night's history. And he's actually
in the same stall that Rob Shrimp used to don
here at Canada Life placer Bud Gardens back in the day.
Pretty cool coincidence and a pretty cool record for the
twenty twenty three Toronto Maay Police first rounder to have.

Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yeah, I think Colin kind of hit the nail on
the head there with with the Knight that he had
and getting them getting them back in the game with
that big goal there late in the first period using
the screen finding that C and I shot, and then
from there London kind of took took the life and
kind of started to build their lead. And I think

(04:32):
to the credit of the London Knights, it was how
they were going to respond tonight. Sam Dickinson plus four,
Easton Cowen five points, plus four, Oliver Blank with just
a ridiculous shot to score and he was a plus
four two. So it was how those big guys were
going to respond for London on home ice, and they
all did that. Samuel Riiley on the face off dot

(04:54):
fourteen for twenty eight. So I think all those NHL
drafted guys really stepped up and it's a big reason
series is going back to as a tied one one.

Speaker 1 (05:02):
Oh Joel, I know is a Flyers guy. You're excited
to see Oliver Bank with a plus four and he's
really elevated his defensive game this year because people are
gonna look at the point total and say he took
a step back, but I think that's something that maybe
the Flyers organization wanted to see from him and he's
kind of tried to implement it here with the coaching
staff Colin, you can definitely see Oliver Banks, you know,
evolution as a great two hundred foot player, not just

(05:25):
a great offensive defenseman, which we see him on the
power play still in that bumper spot, but you can
definitely see that his defensive game has really improved this season.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
What I'm saying by and your defensing for a reason,
you gotta be getting your own end. And I mean,
you can have all the points in the world, but
if you can't defend, you're not gonna You're not gonna
be the guy. You're not gonna be the guy that
the Philadelphia Flyers draft you to be. Credit Toliver Bank
the character, the acceptance, the acceptance without a doubt, without
any doubts, you know, without any hesitation to play this role,

(05:55):
to adapt his game in his final year junior hockey
before he makes a transition to pro hockey. And that's
a credit to Oliver and the character you play he has.
That's that's tough to do. That that is that's one
of the toughest things to do in as a hockey player,
especially as a young kid like Oliver is. He's just
a kid, he's nineteen years old, and I think it's

(06:16):
a tell a testament to his character. It would be
able to accept that, and hey, you got to get
systems right Philadelphia. I know last year with Tortorella and
then change there. But you have you have character there,
Danny Brier and the way you want to play a game.
You have. You have hey, Keith Jones. You have the
guys there in the front office who want you to
play a certain way. And you have the coaching staff

(06:36):
in London with Dale Hunter, with the pedigree he has
that they expect you to play a certain way and
when you play that way, you get rewarded. I expect, honestly,
Oliver Bond to playoff Philly next year. I think that
the way he's played, with the way the way he's
accepted this character, maybe that was a challenge from Philadelphia. Joel,
correct me if I'm wrong, But maybe maybe that's one
of those discussions. And I know, Joel, with yourself with

(06:58):
the Bell Senators, you have these conversations with guys when
they go back to junior. It's not a bad thing.
You go back, We give you a couple of things,
but maybe it's one of those things where you come
back and you improve your defensive game. All of a sudden,
you skip the American hockey. Can you go right to
the NHL and maybe that's what's happening with Oliver Bonk
great in front of our eyes. Maybe it's the best

(07:19):
thing that's happened for him, and I believe it is.
I think his game and we all know how good
he is offensively, but to see the defensive play, to
see him block shots, to see how good he's been
on the penalty kill his side on the penalty kill,
it's not Sam Dickinson on the Beckett Seneca side, it's
Oliver Bonk. That's one of the best players right now

(07:39):
in Becket Seneca in this in the league. In this series,
Becka Seneca is a third overall pick. He's gonna be
on Anaheim next year. He could be He's gonna be
a star at the next level. And to see Oliver
Bonk really neutralize Beckett Seneca the best of his capabilities
has been incredible to watch in this series. I am
really excited to see what Oliver Bonk can do. He's
a great kid. When you talked Oliver Bonk. When you

(08:01):
see Oliver Bonk have interviews, you see the smile he's
got right and you see that swag er that aura
as a kid say, you see that mentality that he
has and it's like this kid has that it factor.
It's that thing that when the going gets tough and
you're in adversity, he has that calming presence. And I

(08:22):
know all the talk about Sam Dickinson, who is going
to be on San jose A next year, who is
a star, Oliver Bonk' t raight there with him.

Speaker 4 (08:30):
Yeah, I think he You touched on it that block
shot late in the game where where that's empty and
he keeps that lead for London. I think thereas to
both your credit, there is that maturation process where okay.

Speaker 5 (08:44):
You got, you gotta defend at a high level.

Speaker 4 (08:46):
You got to show that that maturity in your game
and points are great, and he still got He still
had forty two regular season games. He's got eleven and
fourteen playoff games. So it's not like the points of
drastically falling off off. He's still contributing. Like you said,
he's on the bumper on the power play, but the
defensive games grown, which is what's going to help him

(09:08):
to get to the next level, succeed at the next level,
because as we know, there's a lot of guys that
can put up points in junior they go to the
age to the NHL and it drops off. It's just
so much harder to dominate that as you get older
and you get.

Speaker 5 (09:22):
Into those top leagues.

Speaker 4 (09:23):
So I think he's really taken those strides and him
and Sam Dickinson what appairly for Dale hunters to continually
put those guys out when you need to slow the
game down, you need offensive. They can play in any situation,
and it's it's just a special pair and they're both
special people.

Speaker 3 (09:42):
Like you mentioned well, tonight's luxury to have it when
you have those two guys feature NHL studs that you
just throw out whenever you want at will Oliver Bunk.
By the way, Brandon fifteen points in the NHL playoffs
currently in the postseason. He's been great and it's funny.
I just want to mention one more thing. Man, Sorry,
I think that the NHL has evolved so much. In

(10:06):
pro hockey for that matter, has evolved so much. I
remember just ten fifteen years ago where it was like, Okay,
this player's not playing the NHL, he's stuck in the ANHL.
You can't skate. Now every single player can skate, every
player can skate. What can what else can you do Okay,
now there's people now to play in the NHL. I
believe you have to have three really good, really good

(10:29):
traits to be good. You got to be good offensively,
you got to be good defensively or good at the
face in the faceoff dot and be a good skater.
Those three. I believe you have to have at least
three good traits to play in the NHL full time.
It's hard to make the NHL. I think this is
a huge favorite Oliver Ball. I'm really excited. I like,
I think this kid. I wish his World Juniors and

(10:50):
in the World Juniors where what the World Junior was.
But I wish he got used in a proper role
because I'm very upset that he never got the right
the right views, the right eyes on him for the
role that he was in at the World Juniors, because
he's never played that role. So I wish that he
was in a better situation there because it really would

(11:11):
have been a huge thing for Philly fans, especially to
be like, Okay, we know what we got here, right,
And like I wish that his World Juniors weren't the
World Juniors that was. I mean, running the power play
is different than being on the bumper spot, but that
is what it is. But very excited to see what
alver Baul can do.

Speaker 1 (11:28):
Yeah, I mean, we can talk for days about the
fumbles that Canada made it to World Juniors this year,
but I'll digress from that. We'll get into it with
the goals, guys, and I'll just go through it quickly.
Calum Richie got it on the board, you know, after
the game winning goal in Game one on the power play.

Speaker 6 (11:45):
Just a good net front there.

Speaker 1 (11:46):
And now the New York Islanders prospect, they got to
be definitely happy with him, especially coming in with their
first overall pick, whoever they're gonna take. And then we
had Easton Cowen scoring his first of two goals in
the game. And that one, guys, was just he he
gained the zone on the right wing, He's kind of
spun around, cut towards the slot and took like just

(12:07):
a rist shot up high and there was three people
standing in front of the net. Jacob Oster didn't see
anything and it just found the smallest hole up.

Speaker 6 (12:16):
Top over his shoulder.

Speaker 1 (12:18):
For probably three goals tonight that you know, were really,
you know, goals that the the slimmest of margins for
the London Nights. Goes in Joel of what were your
thoughts on that goal? Easton Cowen goal.

Speaker 5 (12:30):
Yeah, I think it's a goal scorer taking this opportunity.

Speaker 4 (12:33):
He sees that there's so much traffic in front of
Jacob Auster and tries the chance there and he gets
rewarded for it.

Speaker 5 (12:40):
So I think that's that's.

Speaker 4 (12:42):
The kind of thing that London needed to get going
and Eastern Cowen needed to get and start feeling that
confidence and after that they kind of got on a
role and definitely going into the intermission tied one one,
that's that's a huge relief for London. I felt like
after the Bruso which penalty two things kinda and Richie scored,
things could start down ravals, so Kalan putting the team

(13:04):
on the back there and getting that game.

Speaker 1 (13:07):
Tied, Yeah, for London to have that doubt calling and
be able to come back like they did after losing
Game one and then giving up the first goal. They
scored three unanswered including as Joel mentioned, one to one
after the first and in the second period. It was
when London kind of blew it open with three goals.
Sam O'Reilly was able to be Johnny on the spot
there easton Cowen working it down low behind the net

(13:27):
and finds him out front.

Speaker 6 (13:28):
And then Oliver Bonk, you.

Speaker 1 (13:30):
Know, just taking a shot coming off the half wall
and going short side on Jacoboster. Both those goals short side,
but that one like I didn't even think there was
any room for him to put that puck. So those
are the ways you're gonna have to beat Jacob Ooster
because he's looked he's looked like twenty twenty three goaltender
of the Year Jacoboster so far or lately in the playoffs.
But talk about London being able to score two and

(13:52):
on them there.

Speaker 3 (13:53):
Get to the net. Someone in the first goal. Gotta
get to the net. I like to play from Cowend
to O'Reilly off the wall but behind the goal line there,
that's a nice play. Go to the net, someone to
crossby in twenty ten, get it and shoot and it's funny.
I mean personally being from the Bulldogs. In the series
against Oshawa Jacob Austar, majority of the goals were beat

(14:15):
by him glove side, not where you're gonna beat him.
And I think that you gotta get to the net.
You gotta be in front of him a good goal.
You don't like traffic, you gotta create traffic. And I
thought London did a better job at that tonight, not
to say they weren't bad in Game one. On that
I thought analytically London was a better team. Even looking
back at it the following day, I thought London was
a better team in Game one. Out of the penalties.

(14:35):
I think Wanton wins that game five on five. They
were the better team, and I think tonight they got
the opportunity tonight. I do think Oshawa was better and
like I said, I don't really know yet to look
back at it tomorrow, but I think analytically Oshawa deserved
better faith tonight and I think that. But London really
found a way to score those like they were pretty goals.
Don't get me wrong, they were pretty goals, but they

(14:56):
found a way to get to the net. They found
a way to create havoc around Astar. I'm really getting
his head a little bit because they get goaltender don't
like to be in their head. And I think with
everything with Oster, the way he plays the game, you
gotta get on you gotta get on them. Doesn't give
out a lot of rebounds, but you gotta get on them.
You i get sticks in the lanes, you gotta get tips,
get deflections, create havoc ostwall has a lot of big defense.
When when you can box out and we can keep up,

(15:18):
when you can get them in front of austar, that's
an extra scream and screen as well. You look at
guys like Gibson, who is a big, solid player, Simon Wang, right,
you look at their defense, there's a lot of length there.
If you can get them in front of the net too,
you create warm bodies. You create them in vulnerable situations,
and that's how you find a way to score goals
in playoff hockey. Dude, you're not gonna score them any
pretty goals in the playoffs. Oliver Boon scored to beauty,

(15:38):
but you're not gonna get many of those in the postseason.
It's it's hard to earn goal by goal. It's hard
to believe it was a five two hockey. I know
empty nats so far too, but you it's hard to
believe it was that type of game when you know
how hard it is to score goals in the postseason.
Like the inches, the inches are so hard to earn
every single thing. You get the puck over the blue line,

(16:00):
look at the you look where the F two's are
the f threes on a penalty kill. I mean, you
look at the You look at the penalty kill on
the London Nights to night against Oshawa. You look at
the adjustment they made. That was incredible, the adjustment by
the forwards, not that the forwards, but the London Nights.
But I thought, you get pucks in the net, you
get on net of you get on the net of
aust and that's how you're gonna be successful against Jacob aust.

(16:21):
You gotta get on net, get bodies to the net,
and I think, honestly, glove Side's kind of where you
want to go right now, Joel.

Speaker 1 (16:29):
When Oshawa was able to get it back within one
there with Luke Torrants being Johnny on the spot, when
the puck kind of squeaked by Austin Elliott, he was
able to put it in to make it three to two.
Calum Richie gets a point on that one as well.
I think it was so big for London to get
that fourth goal because if if Oshawa was able to
tie this one up at three or even sometime in
the third period, that backbreaking goal that we see London

(16:50):
get all the time, where a team tries to claw
back in and they respond Easton Cowen cuts down the
left wing finds Jacob Julian for the goal. And it
was tough because Beck Seneca looked like he was about
to intercept the puck and just kind of missed it
on the stick stick attempt and it went right to
Jacob Julian and he made no mistake on that with

(17:11):
less than two minutes left in the period to make
it four two. That one felt like it was the
real backbreaker because Oshawa just had a power play right
before that as well, and then Seneca hits the goal
part or the crossbar right before the end of the period.
So you know, a couple of momentum swings here and there,
we could be talking about a different outcome.

Speaker 4 (17:28):
Yeah, I agree with that, and I think that's kind
of what we talked about after game one, was the
opportunities Lending kind of missed to put that game away
or gain the full momentum in game one, and they
were able to do it here. And you talk about
those gold latent periods and how much going into the
break up or going into those moments with all that

(17:49):
momentum and how much second swing the game for you,
and a great pass by Easton Cowen to Jacob Joyan
to squeeze that through. And anytime you can get the
goalie move inside to side, it's going to be in
your benefit absolutely.

Speaker 1 (18:01):
And then we had the eastern Cowen empty net or
late they're calling, you know, taking a shot from his
own blue line basically or even in his own end.
And then that that one, you know, bounces into the
empty net for his fifth point of the night. But
how did you like the way London played in that
third period with the two goal lead.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
Yeah, first off, shout out to Bulldogs head coach Jay
McKee who who has me all over the analytic train
percentage just say for Easton Cowen and that to take it.
You're up to the way Lennon plays. You take the shot.
So shout out to Bulldogs head coach Ja McKee on
that one, who has me obsessed with the analytics on

(18:38):
those good Oh yeah, yeah, there you go. I I
I thought it was a character when I think the
third period, you know, oshawall I shoot from fifteen to four.
That's why I thought Oshwa deserved a better fate in
the game. I think when you look back at it,
I think tomorrow, if we were to talk to Brad Malone,
he would say, Okay, I think we actually deserved to

(19:01):
win more in Game two than we did in Game
one when you look at it, and other than the
stars coming out for London just taking a game over
Oschwall played a damn good game tonight and I think
that that's what you gotta look at it. It all
came down to, and we talked about it with Oliver Bonk.
The block shot there late by Bonk. That's how you
win playoff hockey. That's how you're gonna win games. That's

(19:22):
how you're gonna win the postseason. London's battletest. They've been
here before, they've been here the last three seasons. They
know what it takes. It takes a lot, and I
think that maybe I think London did a lot better
job boxing out in their own end five on five,
six or five on six, I guess for the night standpoint,

(19:42):
I thought they did a better job playing that, defending
that system, and I thought they I thought they did
a really good adjustment. I really did. They were ready
to play I know I called them out a last game.
I mean, but tonight they were ready to play. You
could tell the game plan was right there from the
get go. I thought they're they're checking. Guys played a
heck of a game when guys like samuel' riiley, Jacob

(20:03):
Julian or a heck of a players in the league.
But when they're getting multipoint games like that, and also
such good, above average defensive prospects for the National Hockey
League and above average defensive players in the Entario Hockey League,
that goes a long way. When those guys can get
points in their roles that they are in to contribute. Obviously,
offens will they chime in, but get in the face offs,

(20:24):
get in lanes, get defensive hockey. They take pride in
their defensive game. And when you can do that, that's
when you're gonna be successful more often than not. And
in that third period, when you block a few shots
like that, it's contagious. You see Oliver Bunk block a
big shot, You see guys, you see guys on the
third and fourth line laying out blocking shots. It's contagious.

(20:44):
And that's kind of what you saw tonight, and it's
so it's so uh and it really is, like that's
overstate it, but it really is constageous when you see
a when you see a veteran player block a shot
like that, young players when they get their shift, they're thinking, Man,
I gotta get in lanes. I gotta do the same
thing here, body on the line. Anything, what it takes
to do for the team, for the city, for the fans,

(21:06):
anything it takes to win. And London loves a winner
and that's what they got tonight. They played a winning
championship mentality hockey, it's a mindset you gotta buy in.
And credit to them planning system tonight. In the third period,
I thought Oshawa threw everything they had at them, but
London overcame it. And I thought that they were really
good defensively. And that's why you're gonna win playoff games.

(21:27):
You're not gonna outshoot every team forty to twenty. You're
not gonna do that. That's not gonna happen. It's the
HL Finals. These are the two best teams and that's
what we got here tonight, Joel.

Speaker 1 (21:36):
Before we get to head coach Brad Malone and Luke
Torrants on the post game from wahawast side. I look
at one of the biggest things tonight. I know, Beckett
Seneca does what he does and he's able to draw
two more penalties and London wasn't a fan of two
of those, I'm sure, but he's so good at that,
and he's such a talented player to be able to
draw penalties like that and then be such a game
breaker offensively himself. But I look at a player from

(21:59):
London side need a bounce back, and that was Land
and sim you know, took three minor penalties in that
last game, and London did a better job. I think
now that they know how this series is going to
be officiated, I think that they you know, toned it
back a little bit with some of the stuff that
maybe they were trying to get away with earlier in
the playoffs, and I think they responded well. They didn't
take eleven minors tonight, they didn't give Oshawa nine power

(22:19):
plays and they were able to, you know, only give
up one to three on Ashawa after giving up three
power play goals in the last game.

Speaker 4 (22:27):
Yeah, I think they really cleaned up that part part
of their game. And I think there was a little
bit of a moment early in the game when Richie
got got the power play goal, and you can't keep
letting them get those opportunities that they they're too good
on the power play. They continue to beat you on
the power play and you're missing Denver Bark He's one

(22:48):
of your best penalty killers as well. So I think
they really harnessed that after a little bit of a
slow start in the in the discipline undisciplined factor with
a bruso which ruffian and we're really stuck to their
game and if they can stay out of the box,
it's gonna be tough for for Oshawa to gain.

Speaker 5 (23:08):
That consists of momentum.

Speaker 4 (23:10):
Let Richie go to work, let Barlow go to work,
let all those high end skill guys get those touches,
get those power play opportunities, and really really stress you out.
For lack of a better term there, but I think
to your credit, sim played played a lot better of
a game plus three on the night and really harnessed
his high energy style in Productive White tonight.

Speaker 6 (23:34):
Well then takes it five two.

Speaker 1 (23:35):
Let's hear from Oshawa General's head coach Brad Malone as
well as Luke Torrans on men we'll get a split
here in London, going back home to Oshawa for Games
three and four next week.

Speaker 7 (23:45):
Beating Welcome to post game coverage your game two of
the UHL Championship Series here at Canada White Place, London
Knights winners by a score of five to two. Names
joined Generals head coach Brad Malone along with forward Luke
Torrance coach not the upcoming looking for tonight.

Speaker 8 (24:00):
It's a big push back there in the third though.
You carried the play in the shot clock. Maybe you
can show you.

Speaker 5 (24:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (24:06):
I thought, really, I thought we got back on our
front foot after the three to one goal. The response
that we had from there, I thought was the way
we wanted to play for the full sixty minutes. Good
good hockey club over there. It's it's necessary that we
play a full sixty minutes the right way in order
to get the result.

Speaker 7 (24:26):
We want, Luke similar schools to night to high skill
goals right to have to defend against.

Speaker 8 (24:32):
Are you guys happy to come out of games one
to two back home?

Speaker 5 (24:35):
Yeah?

Speaker 10 (24:36):
You know that was the plan for us coming in here.

Speaker 8 (24:38):
It was to take one.

Speaker 10 (24:39):
We did our job, but it's a high offense team
over there. We gotta be ready in the D zone
and you know they're snapping around tonight. I was just
done as head for us, but their goalie did too.

Speaker 11 (24:50):
So yeah, just.

Speaker 8 (24:52):
Questions, guys, and please wait for the microphone.

Speaker 12 (24:56):
Brad, you've got to split here. But do you feel
like the game more.

Speaker 6 (25:00):
Get?

Speaker 3 (25:01):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (25:01):
Probably when you go back and look at it. Didn't
think we played our best game on game one, but
we got the result we were looking for. Talked about
it with you, just we need to continue to build.
This is this is gonna be a long series. It's
it's gonna be a battle. And tell T's point. We
you know we came here with the mindset of winning too.

(25:23):
Uh to get the split. It's a push and we'll
move on.

Speaker 12 (25:28):
Okay, If I can ask you what the long goal?
If you played hockey a long time, is that a
surprising shot from that angle? Is that a perfect shot
or what would you see?

Speaker 5 (25:38):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (25:38):
From a coach's standpoint, I think a little bit of
a breakdown and coverage and then just a high end shot.

Speaker 12 (25:47):
You probably a goal in any league.

Speaker 9 (25:48):
So it's uh, you got to tip your cap on
a few of their goals. They certainly earned them at
the end of the day, we got we gotta be
better in certain areas to not allow them to get
into those positions. Move on from there.

Speaker 8 (26:01):
Okay, sorry, just.

Speaker 12 (26:02):
When more you know the history of this series from
last year, he's seen cow that was scoring like this.

Speaker 8 (26:07):
How do you stop him?

Speaker 9 (26:10):
It takes a five man unit. He's he's a good
hockey player. We've got good hockey players on our side.
I think at the end of the day, it's not
about individuals, it's about the crest. It's about the team.
You know what, He's very talented. We gotta be aware
when he's on the ice. We gotta be responsible with
the puck. Gotta make him play defense because when he
has the puck, he's he's a talented hockey player.

Speaker 1 (26:35):
Look, you play with Calibrichie, it seems like he's really
elevated his game, especially the first two games in the series.
Game when he goes last game gets the opener today.
What you say about the way he's kind of elevated
here in the biggest station, the.

Speaker 6 (26:46):
Biggest moments for you.

Speaker 10 (26:49):
You know, he's a he's a really talented player. It's
very easy to play with. I think he shines in
these moments in the on the big stage, and you
know that's why he went so high in the draft.

Speaker 3 (26:59):
Coach.

Speaker 1 (27:00):
With the extra lights, the bright lights of TSN and
the extra stoppages, like, do you like that it's a
little bit different from what you're used to with two
regular breaks you get in the periods like they're able
to kind of go over a couple extra things and
and with the extra stoppages, do you think that affects
your team in a positive or night.

Speaker 8 (27:15):
Yeah, I think it's I think it's a positive thing.

Speaker 9 (27:17):
I think the only thing I would be critical about
is just if there is a TV timeout after an
icing that we allow the play to continue. You know,
you can gain a lot of momentum the team ice
as a pucket and then the two minute buzzer goes.
It kind of takes away the advantage of the no
change icing. But you know, besides that, I think it's

(27:37):
great bright lights TSN. Some of the guys were talking
about the viewership from Game one. I think it's the
league's done a great job of exposing the talent at
this level. And you know, we're very fortunate to be
in this situation and for you know, all the individuals
to get this type of experience.

Speaker 1 (27:58):
There were Brad Malone had coach the Oshawa Generals and
Luke Torrance in the post game calling.

Speaker 6 (28:04):
What were your thoughts about what they said tonight.

Speaker 3 (28:06):
Love the icing comment. I'm a big pet peeve of
that because you'll notice with teams especially like and this
is props to London, props to any cheam of takes
advantage of this. I mean, there's no rule against it.
Teams at the ice the pot close to the minute
mark of a of a commercial break. Players and teams
they know that. I mean, if you're in trouble, you're

(28:26):
facing adverarrasy, you're just gonna do the pock and ice it.
For a team like London, they've done that for a
long time, even before you can before you could change
off icing's, they've done that forever London. You get in trouble,
ice it. And I think that that's one of those
things that I'm glad that Brad Malone mentioned it, but
I and I hope this is the rule that maybe
next year's owners meeting and they implement implement it for

(28:50):
this season coming because it's one of those things that
it's got to be changed in a game, In a
game like this, with the extra commercial break, you get
a lot more ice time now for your star players,
You get out of jams a little bit easier. That
was interesting. The penalty kill adjustment definitely, I mean, again
with London's penalty kill adjustment, hearing Brad Malone talk about

(29:13):
that having a tough time going flank to flying cross
ice at Oshawa does that so well. We saw the
points more activated, passing more than shooting tonight as well,
and I think that was credit to the re F
two did a really good job in the lane. They
weren't as deep, they weren't as up, they were more
deeper down low in the slot area, and you really
you made it more one dimensional. And when you can

(29:35):
make a dangerous power play like Oshwa more one dimensional,
I mean you'll tip your cap any day of the week.
Those were two big takeaways from the press conference. I mean,
the icing things, the icings thing, I don't agree with
it either. I agree with Brad Malone on that one
to a t. I wish that wasn't a thing, but
it hopefully next year, hopefully next year we can't change

(29:57):
it right now.

Speaker 1 (29:58):
That's one thing I think the NHL has has something
better than the than the HL as far as being
able to have TV timeouts after ricings. But Joel he
He mentioned that he thinks that they want maybe they
should have had more because they got the split, But
you look at their game tonight and you can almost
say that they could have taken both of these games.
You know what, what did you think about what Luke

(30:20):
Torrens and Brad Malone said about, you know, having a
strong effort just not coming away with the win tonight.

Speaker 4 (30:25):
Yeah, I think that's the correct way to look at it.
And I think you wanted to take two out of London.
I think that would have been huge for them, But
to leave with the split is still impressive in its
own right and go back home and have control of
your destiny.

Speaker 5 (30:39):
So I also like that that they mentioned Jacob Boster
in the game he had.

Speaker 4 (30:44):
I know, he gave up four, but another really strong
performance from him, And if they're gonna win this series,
Jacob Oster is gonna have to be a star. He's
gonna have to continue to do what he did in
game one and even game two today he had another
really solid outing.

Speaker 5 (30:59):
So I'm really happy that they mentioned him again.

Speaker 6 (31:02):
Calling. Do you have anything else that before I get
to London side.

Speaker 3 (31:05):
No, not much. Like I say earlier, I think analytically,
I think Oshawa's gonna be happy about the game. I
think they'll be excited about it. I think they played
a good game. I think they'd played better in Game
two than they did in Game one.

Speaker 1 (31:17):
Here's head coach Dale Hunter has a little bit more
to say tonight after London was able to win this
game as well as Easton Cowen on his record breaking
night for the London Knights to hear what they had
to say back.

Speaker 7 (31:29):
More post game coverage with Game two of the HL
Championship Series, the London Knights five to two winners on
Ome Ice and Easton Cowen, the first starting.

Speaker 8 (31:36):
On all five goals with five points to.

Speaker 7 (31:39):
His credit to tying the London Knights franchise record for
most career points in the postseason.

Speaker 8 (31:44):
With the guy who happened to be in his stall in.

Speaker 7 (31:47):
The dressing room a number of years ago, Rob Shreppuff,
what's that like a bit of a coincidence of course,
and you know, pretty good player to fall in the
footsteps side.

Speaker 13 (31:55):
Yeah, that's awesome Shremp. He's been great to me. He's
taught me a lot of things.

Speaker 6 (31:58):
So definitely really cool oldest you know, uh have that
for sure.

Speaker 7 (32:02):
Coach a better up come tonight five two winners. Of course,
the guys sitting next to you instrumental in that.

Speaker 8 (32:07):
Just your thoughts on the game.

Speaker 11 (32:08):
Yeah, it was a hard fought game. Both teams are
battling hard, and uh the good team and and uh
the Cowboys stepped up with a big game and uh,
you know we we we played well defensively.

Speaker 8 (32:20):
Questions just waiting the White Police guys, Yill east or.

Speaker 12 (32:29):
You know Easton's tide Rob Shrimp and one point ahead
of Corey Curry. You know what those guys meant to
your franchise early on.

Speaker 8 (32:36):
How impressed are you?

Speaker 11 (32:38):
No, that's a you know, it's a that's hard to do.
Come playoff hockey, and that's uh the key to good players.

Speaker 5 (32:44):
They they rise.

Speaker 11 (32:45):
You know, you can do it during the year, which
they all did, and but to bring it to another
level of the playoffs when the compete is really high,
it's uh that's what uh the HL teams are looking
for guys that play in the playoffs and that's what
uh these boys have been doing.

Speaker 12 (32:58):
In Easton. He had some chances in game one that
you said you wanted to bury this game. How about
your response tonight?

Speaker 8 (33:07):
How'd you do that?

Speaker 12 (33:07):
What would you think after game one? And how were
you able to.

Speaker 8 (33:11):
Respond?

Speaker 5 (33:12):
Yeah?

Speaker 13 (33:13):
Obviously, and you know game one, I had my chances
there and they didn't go in. So you know, next
day I just kind of took care of my body,
chilled a bed and really rewatched the game and get
screen there on the goal there. You got us all
going there, Coach?

Speaker 12 (33:26):
What worked differently for you tonight than than the other
night than?

Speaker 1 (33:29):
What do you think that the guys how they responded
after the first loss of the playoffs?

Speaker 11 (33:33):
You know they responded, Well, they're you know, they they're
committed to the to the team and committed to winning,
and they just come back and put it behind you.
And you're gonna lose some games and you just gotta
put it behind you, keep going Easton.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
You know, this game's broadcast in nationwide on TSN. Maybe
some extra Leaf fans watching tonight with it being an
off night for them as well. Uh, you know, what's
your message to leave nation if they were watching tonight?

Speaker 13 (33:55):
Yeah, obviously I want to play there? In the future,
but right now a night, so I hope they just see,
you know, the passion after the game and how much
I love playing it.

Speaker 12 (34:06):
There's a practice shooting from there. It seems like.

Speaker 11 (34:12):
It seems like there's a tough angle and must have
seen some some hole there.

Speaker 12 (34:19):
And yeah, I mean talk about like you got a shot?
Are you guys just trying to shoot your screens? And
then sorry about spaces?

Speaker 13 (34:30):
Yeah, obviously not a lot. I think maybe raddictaught on
that one. Maybe I don't know, but it was a
good shot. And then on mine, just like I said,
just a really good screen. That's playoff hockey. U. Most
goals are just scored with screens and getting pucks in it,
and luckily went in.

Speaker 1 (34:45):
There were Easton Cowen and Dale Hunter after the Knights
even up the East not the East the OL Championship series.
Here one one calling what were your thoughts? They're a
little bit more talkative tonight from from the London side
after getting the victory.

Speaker 6 (34:59):
But you know, what were your takeaways?

Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, on the LHL podcast to say effect but no
good bounce back, good bounce all the way around. Brandon
off I sand on Ice, I guess no it was good.
I thought that London had a good response. Maybe it
was maybe they was there a better fighting game one
and they didn't game keep it. When you play the
right way and you commit to defense defense and you

(35:24):
play your systems, good things happen. I think that's what
happened tonight. I know that was a great one. I
like the question too about Oliver Bank practicing that shot
and about Radic. That was pretty good. I'm got a
good chuck out of that one. Ratick had a crafty
shot in his day too, so that was a That
was a good one, Joel.

Speaker 1 (35:43):
I tried to get him to talk about, you know,
the extra eyes and the bright lights of it being
on TSN and the least not playing tonight still in
the playoffs. But I'm sure Leaf fans are pretty fired
up from the way that he performed tonight five point
game and tying Rob Shrump for the old time playoff
point record. But you know, he gave it. He gave
the political answer there. You know, he didn't want to
talk about himself with his head coach sitting there. But

(36:05):
that's Easton Cowen for he doesn't really want to like
to talk about himself, and you know said he wants
to play there in the future, but right now he's
still London Night and there the job is still to
be done.

Speaker 4 (36:14):
Yeah, I think games like tonight will get him there
pretty quickly. So uh, I think you're right obviously with
his head coachton over his shoulder there and he's probably
gonna give you the political answer. But what a game
for him, and what a way to put his team
on his back and show how special a player he is.
And I think he was pretty pretty hard on himself

(36:36):
maybe about not getting a point in game one, and
he really came to play tonight and I really delivered
the performance they needed out of him.

Speaker 1 (36:45):
So Colin, as we look at it, if you're Oshawa's side,
you've got again, You're you hate to lose this game,
but you pick up a split, You're going home for
a tough back to back on Monday and Tuesday. I
will say, not easy thing to do. They're gonna get
Tomorrow off from Mother's Day obviously, but then the back
to back and they're gonna have their home crowd in
front of them. But they've been in this situation two
series in a row against Branford and Barry where they

(37:08):
they didn't have home ice advantage in the series and
were able to claw back and win both those series
and six and four respectively. So, I mean, you've seen
this Oshawa team all year long respond after losses, calling,
and it seems like Brad Malone is, you know, really
getting them to buy into what he's kind of selling
with them, and obviously with Mario Pouliot's experience on the

(37:29):
bench as well as an assistant coach, Like, if you're
Oshawa's side, how do you go from here trying to
put your best foot forward for your home crowd on Monday?

Speaker 3 (37:38):
Yeah, you know what, I don't think you changed the thing.
I think they played a damn good first two games.
I thought they got better through from Game one. I
thought tonight they actually played better. I think that, you know,
I think that that's a good thing. I think that
there's no panic there at all right now as we
as thank you to everyone listening as we're speaking right now,
I'm sure they're on the busch with their post game

(37:59):
meal and like nothing even happened. I mean, you're fine,
There's it's a long series. I don't eat if I'm Oshawa.
I don't even think London has momentum in the series.
You're coming back home tied. I don't think London even
has momentum in the series right now, over Oshawa. You
played a good road game. You played two good road games.
You could you should have could have would have won

(38:21):
two games the first they could have won two games.
You could be up to Oh right now, you're fine,
you're feeling good. You're believing that, Hey we we win,
we win game three, we're up to one. We could
be going back to London up three to one. Realistically,
I mean, if they play a good if they play
a good home game in front of their home crowd,
they'll be fine. They're gonna be fine. I think they're

(38:44):
actually excited. Rest the body. That's important, get your treatment
for those who need treatment. But right now, ya, no,
you're fine. It's a long series. Series are series are
their own seasons on their own. That's the best part
about playoff hockey. You're fine, They're fine. I think that
I don't think they have to change a thing. I

(39:06):
think that everything that they do maybe shoot lower. They
sailed a couple of shots, but that's nippicking.

Speaker 5 (39:12):
Man.

Speaker 3 (39:12):
If I'm picking on shots, if I'm picking on shots.
When they get a ton of shots, they love to
shoot the puck and you can tell that's rate the
message rate from their head coach. Where they get the
puck over the blue line, they're looking to shoot. But
if other than that, I mean, I'd like to see
them shoot lower, shoot to the pads. You sail a
couple up high. Maybe you're aiming too high, right, you
get the adrenaline going you, you sail a few. I

(39:35):
used to love that as a goalie. But maybe shoot
a little lower, create rebounds, create some jam around the net.
But of Austin Elliott. But I think they're fine. I
think I don't think they have to change a thing.

Speaker 1 (39:48):
Yeah, Joel, I look at the shots Seneca off the crossbar,
Griffin in the second period at a glorious chance on
the slot and nobody around him missed the net. And
then they really try to hit Kobe Barlow a lot
on the power play, especially on that on that right dot,
Like I look at I look.

Speaker 6 (40:03):
At him tonight.

Speaker 1 (40:04):
He had like four or five real good opportunities and
they keep trying to find him on that spot. And
that's obviously what's made him a Winnipig. Jets first round selection.
But from from your perspective, like as far as what
Colin's talking about there, if you're Oshawa, you know, how
do you kind of turn those shots and opportunities into
ones that are in the back of the net.

Speaker 4 (40:23):
Yeah, I think you look at the video, right, and
and that's what those coaches are so good at is
finding that and going back to Collins point, is the
analytics right and diving into where you can beat goalies,
how you can beat goalies, and these guys are world
class at that. And I think to your point about
going home, they haven't lost at home since the first

(40:43):
round of the playoffs, so they got to be feeling
really confident in that getting the line matchups they want
on home ice, and then to Collins point as well,
just going back to the video looking at how they
can execute those shots where they can try to beat
Austin Elli and then rest.

Speaker 5 (41:00):
The body up and play three games in four and eight.

Speaker 4 (41:03):
It's gonna be a battle, but from their side, they're
going to be on home ice, which I think will
be a huge benefit.

Speaker 1 (41:10):
Got really two really good goalies on both sides with
Austar and Austin Elliot, who still only lost two games
all season long and Austcar being the goaltender the year
the last year, Colin, what are your I'll give you,
I'll get your final thoughts on just you know what
we've seen from the first two games of the series,
and we heard quickly started to interrupt with Jack Moore,
the voice of the Oshawa Generals, keeps saying that this

(41:32):
club and Brad Malone and even the players that were
here last year don't even want to talk about the
series last year because it's a there's new players, it's
a new mindset. They got swept last year in the finals,
and they really don't even like to talk about it
because they they use it, you know, they think about it,
but they put it away in the in the closet
and don't really think about it. And they've shown that
this is going to be a completely different series already
through two games.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
Man, they're a different team than last year. They're not
even the same team as last year. That's why I
don't get when people to ask about last year all
the time, I'm thinking, as a player, you hate it
and flat out it's it's to hear that. But they're
a different team. You watched them from compared to last
year to this year, they're a different team. That's two
coaches ago for the Generals last year already, I think that.

(42:15):
I think that my overall thoughts on the series. I
think it's gonna be rough. In game three. I think
Monday Night's gonna be the most physical we saw. And
I know it's starting to get physical. We saw the
game one, but before the game and warm ups, a
little uh, A little how you doing there the center ice,
see how the family's doing in a physical manner or
a vocal manner, I guess, but I think that I

(42:38):
think you'll watch the end of the game in Game
two and you see Ryder Bolton out there finishing a
couple of checks. That's to send a message, and I
I really do. I I would wonder if Oshawa a
dresses no tool for Game three. I would wonder if
we see an Otol appearance. I don't want to get
into all that stuff, but I can see it being

(43:00):
physical game. It's the playoffs, and that's the best part
with the playoffs. I know, Joel being a Philly fan,
maybe in a Red Wing fan, Brandon and you being
a Buffalo fan. The NHL, the tough guys in the playoffs,
right you mean our organizations, I mean they thrive off that,
so I think that that's kind. I expect to see
a little bit of a physical appearance, especially from the

(43:21):
London standpoint. You're on the road, right, You're out of
your home arena. Now how you to find a way?
We've saw them do this before. I expected to be
a rough, physical game. We saw the message sending at
the end of game two here tonight. I expected to
be a physical appearance right from the get go that
on Monday night. I'm pumped. I can't wait. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
There, we saw a little bit of a scrum at
the end of the game, but still no tilts through
the first two games of the series, which has been
London's calling.

Speaker 6 (43:46):
Card calling.

Speaker 1 (43:47):
You've seen teams over the years, but even in this
playoff run, we haven't seen any of that.

Speaker 3 (43:51):
Well now with the instigator too, it's too big. It's
too big of moments. You can't be giving up instigator
penalties like that. But I expect though, I would expect,
and we talked about it on the OA on sixty
podcasts previewing the series. O'Toole Bolton, it's hard not to
talk about that matchup two guys that play the exact
same way.

Speaker 1 (44:11):
Mm hmmm, So we'll see, we'll see it be a
heavyweight matchup. I think a lot of us would at
least like to see once. Joel, I'll give you final
words before we wrap up.

Speaker 5 (44:21):
Yeah, I think I think it's exciting.

Speaker 1 (44:24):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (44:24):
This this year has been what I think when we
came into it.

Speaker 4 (44:27):
I think it's kind of what we wanted to see
to balance teams, especially after last year with the sweep,
seeing how Ashua would respond, and I agree with them
just putting that to the back burner, not even thinking
about it and going to work. And I think as
this series shifts now to Oshawa, it's gonna it's gonna

(44:48):
be good to see.

Speaker 5 (44:49):
How they respond now to a loss.

Speaker 4 (44:51):
And their last two games on home, they scored eight goals,
they scored seven goals, So it's getting those matchups for them,
it's getting.

Speaker 5 (44:58):
Those big guys engaged.

Speaker 4 (45:00):
And I think for London, you gotta continue to do
what you did tonight. You really have to stay disciplined
on the road. You can't let those power play opportunities
for the other team haunt you again. So I think
both teams have seen things they've liked. Through the first
two games, they've seen things they haven't liked. So now
it's to your guys' points going back, looking over video,

(45:21):
looking at what you like. And as the series goes,
it's gonna get tighter, it's gonna get better, and it's
exciting to be a part of it.

Speaker 1 (45:28):
Both teams got to feel and now it's the best
of five, gentlemen, So you can essentially say that going
back to Oshawa on Monday and Tuesday, Programming Alert for
those that are gonna be wondering about our post games
for Games three and four, we're going to put those
both into a episode on Wednesday night. Because of the
late nights on Monday and Tuesday, We're gonna record Programming
Alert on Wednesday after Games three and four in Oshawa

(45:50):
and we'll see where the series is at that point.
Going back to London for Game five on Thursday night,
which we know will be a thing. So Ashawa takes
the first game of the series before London fights back
tonight with a five to two victory on home ice.
And again thanks to Colin Ward and Joel Vanderlin for
staying on for the late night Thank you to those

(46:12):
who listened live tonight on YouTube and those the next
day in your favorite on demand audio platform. Again, this
has been another OHL Roundtable Posse episode right here on
the Armchair GM Sports Network, part of the OHL Overtime
in OHL and sixty podcast collaboration here in the playoffs, gentlemen,
thanks so much, and to those listening, we'll talk to
you again Wednesday night, following Game four of the OHL Championship.

(46:36):
Oshawa takes Game one, London takes game two. We're tied
one apiece, going back to Oshwa Monday.

Speaker 6 (46:41):
Have a good night,

All Episodes

2025 OHL Championship Postgame Roundtable - Game 2: Oshawa 2 London 5 - OHL Overtime

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

The Breakfast Club

Fudd Around And Find Out

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}2025 OHL Championship Postgame Roundtable - Game 2: Oshawa 2 London 5 - OHL Overtime