Shiny Knights

The London Knights took on the Mississauga St. Michaels Majors, skating to a 3-2 victory. There were some late-game fireworks that added to the drama of a close, tight game. London also featured a five-man forward unit on the powerplay, with Nazem Kadri playing the top of the umbrella, very close to the blueline. McKeen's correspondent Gus Katsaros was on hand and has notes on several Knights.

Phil Varone (NJ), C, London

Responsible two-way forward with a quick release and good skating stride .. plays the right faceoff dot on the powerplay.. relied upon taking key faceoffs in every zone .. helps out his defensive partners down low, taking a spot in front of the net while defensemen battle in the corners .. becomes confused in defensive coverage at times, abandoning position and chasing opponents with the puck, leaving his man free, which forces the defensemen to scramble coverage .. would benefit from a more active stick, especially in his own zone .. starts plays from a static, standing position, with very little initial momentum .. doesn't always make best use of his space, particularly if he stops moving his feet .. finishes his checks and can be a physical presence along the walls with selective courage.

Zac Rinaldo (2010), LW, London

Perimeter player with slow overall movement and uninterested play early on in the game .. on the first unit penalty kill, relied upon to take that spot even after a grueling shift just prior to that, indicative of defensive acumen .. has a 'bouncy' first step, regardless of the stride, likes to hop into motion, doesn't push off from his blades .. fights through checks when finding his energy and motivation, otherwise hovers along the outside and gets involved along the boards in spurts .. should keep his stick on the ice, especially in front of the net to tip/deflect shots .. can throw a big heavy hit and isn't shy to use a smallish stature but solid upper body strength .. misses elite scoring sharpness and consistent energy shift-to-shift.

Phil McRae (StL), C, London

Was fairly invisible early on, producing very little in the first period other than jumping late into the play on the first London goal .. has a high, erratic shot .. fairly unimaginative, somewhat selfish, trying to do too much on his own and operating in a bubble .. has average distribution skills .. seemed to operate at half-speed and doesn't make best use of his space, fighting for insignificant pieces of ice when there are clearer spots open .. skates with a wide horseshoe stride .. slow, very little footspeed .. can be shaken off with some slick fakes and doesn't make much of a second effort .. must have some upside over the long term, but fared negatively in this contest.

Nazem Kadri (Tor), C, London

Calm and composed with a little swagger .. plays the top of the umbrella on the powerplay, even the five-man forward unit .. made a big second effort defensively, backchecking and being integral in breaking up oncoming rushes .. played a wing position on some shifts, while primarily taking center duties and faceoffs, especially in the offensive zone .. arsenal includes quick hands, clever dekes and gumption to try them in high risk areas at critical game moments .. must figure that he can't shoot through people and risk blocking shots high in the zone to be intercepted .. has to be more diligent to get pucks down low .. can stickhandle right through defenses .. took a big check from behind late in the second period that partly sparked an outburst of emotion at the end of the game .. is slippery and elusive and displays leadership qualities.

Daniel Erlich (2010), RW, London

Quick, darty and a smooth skater, but visibly undersized .. excellent hands, stickhandling ability with a hard work ethic with the puck .. shows a knack for aggression that somewhat overshadows his 5-foot-6 frame .. smart way to get the puck for a teammate off the boards, absorbing a hit .. plays the left point on the powerplay .. started the play on the first goal by curling back to the blueline as the defense backed up and found the late man streaking down through the slot .. powers up quick on just a few strides .. good shot, thought he scored on a quick shot from the right wing that hit the crossbar, even after being reviewed .. can be rushed however, and gets rid of the puck early in own zone if there is mounting pressure, particularly physical pressure .. has to be smarter in getting rid of it prior to pressure .. good one-touch skills and offensive talent .. has to be more defensively responsible.

Jared Knight (2010),C, London

Goes down too deep in the defensive zone and leaves the point men unattended .. doesn't always move his feet and getting to the point to cover his man is a tougher effort than otherwise exerted .. likes to cheat his way out of the zone to get quick breaks .. gives up on the play too often and doesn't move his feet .. seems to expect the game to come to him and doesn't work enough to be involved .. escaped the zone early and got a long pass off the boards - in what seemed to be a set play - cut down the right wing and lifted the puck high from in close for a pretty goal .. impressive burst of speed and quick to roof it from a small area .. tried getting the puck ahead to a teammate on a suicide pass that was smashed with a big hit .. made the pass to avoid contact on himself initially .. can skate by prime scoring areas and doesn't show much intensity without the puck.