Easton Cowan never forgets.
The last time he faced the Sudbury Wolves, he was held pointless in a 9-2 loss and finished with a minus-3 rating.
“I was benched when we were there (Nov. 24, 2023 in the Nickel City),” the London Knights star said after torching the Wolves for two goals and three points in an 8-1 win before 9,061 Sunday at Canada Life Place. “I definitely wanted to leave a statement this game. I felt we all did that.
“I remember I got benched with 35 minutes left. I deserved it and we moved on. I feel like we’ve been playing pretty well ever since.”
The next night in Barrie, Cowan started what is now a 60-game OHL regular-season point streak. The Canadian Hockey League record – 61 games – is held by one of the greatest players to ever lace up skates: Mario Lemieux.
“It’s cool,” Cowan said with a quick qualifier. “I would not compare myself to him.”
Of course not, but the Maple Leafs first rounder does have a next-level consistency when it comes to making an impact every outing. Lemieux’s ridiculous 61-game run included 133 goals and 282 points with the Laval Voisins in 1983-84.
Cowan will never reach those totals, but he can match Mario the Magnificent at 61 games Tuesday in Kitchener. Incidentally, the old Memorial Auditorium is where No. 66 played his final junior hockey game in the spring of ’84 before starting his NHL career in Pittsburgh.
The Knights forward’s streak, of course, is considered unofficial because it happened over the course of two seasons. Still, he has at least one point in all 24 OHL games he has played this year.
“I felt like I finally found my game (Sunday),” the reigning league MVP said. “I’m just looking to move that forward to Tuesday (against the Rangers). It’s a hard transition (after world juniors). You obviously miss all the boys, but they’ve been very good to me and I’m finally starting to find it again.”
Cowan had solo assists in his first three games back from Ottawa – enough to keep the streak alive. These were his first goals as a Knight since a Dec. 6 loss against Oshawa.
Since then, London has won eight straight at home. Not many of them have been close.
RISE OF NURMI: Jesse Nurmi chipped in with a pair of third-period goals – his first time scoring as a Knight since Dec. 1 at Ottawa. But the Islanders prospect keeps grinding away on the ice and does more than just light the lamp all the time.
“The boys know I work hard and play hard for the team,” the 19-year-old forward said. “I want to win every game and we win most games we play. It was scoring this time, and maybe next time, it will be something else.
“I had a little trouble scoring getting back from world juniors, but I’m going to be better all the time.”
The Knights traditionally win championships with veteran talent that can play against the opposing team’s top lines. Players like Nurmi, Landon Sim and Jacob Julien certainly have the potential to do that this spring.
And when they’re scoring, it takes the pressure of the biggest guns. Sniper Kasper Halttunen racked up four assists against Sudbury – likely the first time in his life he went goal-less with that many helpers.
“He’s saying in the locker room now I’m more of a passer than shooter,” Nurmi said. “Everyone was kind of laughing.”
AROUND THE RINK: Denver Barkey recorded his sixth multi-point game in his past seven outings . . . London’s Ryder Boulton and Sudbury’s Tayjon Street were ejected for a second-period fight because it happened right after the faceoff . . . The Knights power play is starting to look fearsome again. The puck movement was sublime and led to two goals. “We’re figuring it out,” Cowan said. “We’re getting better each game and in practice. It’s exciting and we’ve got to keep it going.” . . . Sudbury goaltender Nate Krawchuk got banged up in Sarnia Friday, so Dorchester native Marcus Vandenberg started for the Wolves. The 20-year-old Elgin-Middlesex grad was much better than the score indicated He is enjoying a big year with the Leamington Flyers after OHL stops in Kitchener, Niagara and Sudbury with 22 wins, a 1.44 goals against average and .947 save percentage for the Ontario Junior Hockey League power . . . Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh became the Spirit’s all-time leader in points by a defenceman in a 6-2 win over Guelph Saturday. He passed Strathroy native Patrick McNeill, the OHL’s first overall pick in 2003 who had 182 points in four seasons . . . The Knights will play four straight road games starting Tuesday in Kitchener, followed by a northern Ontario swing (North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie). It’s London’s longest stretch away from home this season.
OHL HOCKEY
Knights 8, Wolves 1
London goals: Easton Cowan (2), Jesse Nurmi (2), Landon Sim, Sam O’Reilly, Denver Barkey, Henry Brzustewicz
Sudbury goal: Rowan Henderson
Next: The Knights are in Kitchener Tuesday, 7 p.m. at the Memorial Auditorium.