The London Knights took a big lead and held on to beat the Firebirds in Flint Saturday night 3-2.
With the win, the Knights increase their point total to 99 and at least third place in the OHL Western Conference, pending the outcome of Owen Sound's game Saturday night against Kitchener. London will take on Sault Ste. Marie Sunday in the regular-season finale which will decide on playoff seeding for the top four teams in the conference.
The Knights scored two goals in the latter half of the first period. J.J. Piccinich started things off with his 25th goal of the season at exactly 16 minutes into the opening frame. Just over two minutes after that, Piccinich assisted on a goal by Nicolas Mattinen to double the London lead to 2-0.
The Knights' advantage was further extended just after the beginning of the middle stanza as Sam Miletic's stick shot the puck into the net for a 3-0 lead. The Firebirds then worked their way back into the game with two more goals in the second period. Jalen Smereck put Flint on the board first, then Maurizio Colella cut the London lead further later in the period. The Knights still maintained a 3-2 after 40 minutes of play.
There was no scoring in the third period as the Knights' defence all but shut the door. Flint's Kole Sherwood did pick up a blindsiding major and a game misconduct in the dying seconds of regulation.
Tyler Parsons stopped 42 of Flint's 44 shots in goal for the Knights. Connor Hicks had 30 goals for the Firebirds, who end the regular season with 72 points and the seventh seed in the playoffs.