The home side watched a two-goal lead evaporate in a 49-second span of the second period, before a former Spitfire potted the winner, as the London Knights escaped the WFCU Centre with a 3-2 win Game Two of their Western Conference quarter-final on Sunday afternoon. Nick Czinder staked the Spits to a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the opening 20. The first came off a tip of a Jeff Braithwaite point blast just as a penalty expired at 11:53; the second just 3:22 later with an extra man.
Some sound defensive play and more outstanding goaltending from Jaroslav Pavelka (29 saves) made the lead hold up until the waning minutes of the second period.
But a pair of power play goals (18:49 and 19:38) by Seth Griffith tied the game in a hurry.
The winner came off a turnover at the London blue line, as Watson picked up a loose puck, moved into the Windsor zone and tucked a deft wrist shot under the bar with 10:03 to play.
The Spits won't have long to dwell on their Game Two loss, as the bus heads for London Sunday night, in advance of Game Three Monday night at the JLC.
SCORING
1ST PERIOD
WSR CZINDER (1) (BRAITHWAITE, BATEMAN) 11:53
WSR CZINDER (2) (MALETTA, JOHNSON) 15:15 PP
2ND PERIOD
LDN GRIFFITH (1) (MCKEGG, MAATTA) 18:53 PP
LDN GRIFFITH (2) (MAATTA, R. RUPERT) 19:38 PP
3RD PERIOD
LDN WATSON (1) 9:57
SHOTS
WSR 10 - 4 - 7 = 21
LDN 9 - 15 - 8 = 32
PPS
WSR 1-FOR-6
LDN 2-FOR-6
