Put three more wins on the board for the London Knights. Dale Hunter’s club completed the trifecta this weekend with wins over Owen Sound, Guelph, and Kingston. Sunday’s 6-5 overtime victory against the Frontenacs extends the Knights’ winning streak to 21 games — just four wins from tying a 38-year-old CHL record shared by the 1974 Sorel Éperviers (QMJHL) and ’84 Kitchener Rangers (OHL).
The Knights aren’t the only team dominating these days. Despite missing the services of Ty Rattie and Tyler Wotherspoon (Canada), Seth Jones (USA), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Denmark) and Layne Viveiros (Austria) to their respective world junior camps, the Portland Winterhawks won three in as many nights this weekend to grab top spot in the Western Hockey League. In the absence of some firepower, the Winterhawks were lead by Brendan Leipsic with six points in three games, including this beauty that finished a sweet passing play against Everett on Friday night.
P.E.I. Rocket forward Ben Duffy put his name in the record books this weekend. Less than 48 hours after tying a franchise record for most career goals in a Rocket uniform, Duffy became the franchise’s all-time goal scoring leader with the opening goal against Saint John on Sunday before adding another in the first period.
Ben Duffy puts the Rocket up 1-0 with 4:10 to go! Duffy becomes the all time leader in goals scored by a Rocket! — P.E.I. Rocket (@peirockethockey) December 16, 2012
Ben Duffy puts the Rocket up 1-0 with 4:10 to go! Duffy becomes the all time leader in goals scored by a Rocket!
— P.E.I. Rocket (@peirockethockey) December 16, 2012
Along with the team and several fans, Rocket head coach Gordie Dwyer praised Duffy’s career accomplishment through Twitter.
Congrats to PEI Rocket franchise all-time leader in Goals (123), Assists, Points and Consecutive Games Played Ben Duffy @bduffy16 #WellDone — Gordie Dwyer (@gdwyer32) December 17, 2012
Congrats to PEI Rocket franchise all-time leader in Goals (123), Assists, Points and Consecutive Games Played Ben Duffy @bduffy16 #WellDone
— Gordie Dwyer (@gdwyer32) December 17, 2012
A hit-from-behind by Barrie Colts forward Brendan Lemieux — son of NHL veteran Claude — has forced the Ontario Hockey League to hand the 16-year-old rookie an eight-game suspension for his hit on Kingston Frontenacs defenceman Roland McKeown. Sitting comfortably with a 5-2 lead late in the third period of their game on Dec. 8, Lemieux chased McKeown into the Frontenacs zone while battling for a loose puck before dangerously checking his opponent into the boards. McKeown suffered a grade 1 shoulder separation and is expected to miss two to four weeks, according to Kingston head coach Todd Gill.
Thanks go out to Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports for the video post.