OT on the Knight shift

FLINT — The London Knights finished 39 points ahead of the Flint Firebirds during the regular season but they needed to work overtime here on Tuesday to take a three games to none lead in their first round Ontario Hockey League playoff series.

London forward Landon Sim scored at the 12 minute mark of OT to halt a two goal comeback for Flint as the Knights scored a 4-3 decision. The Knights outshot the Firebirds in OT and during regulation however Flint goalie Nathan Day played very well for the home team.

Forward Connor Clattenburg, formerly of the Soo Greyhounds, scored a goal and had an assist for Flint and was the second star of the game.

Flint head coach Paul Flache noted the compete level of his Firebirds.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted,” Flache told the Firebirds’ TV broadcast. “We put a little fear in them. I like the way we didn’t quit and had some opportunities in the third.”

London assistant coach Rick Steadman gave some credit to Flint for the effort shown in Games 2 and 3 of the series.

“(The Firebirds) are hitting, grabbing, fighting and putting their best foot forward. For two games in a row now, they pushed us really hard,” Steadman told Ryan Pyette of the London Free Press.

London won the first two contests of the series on its home ice by scores of 3-0 and 6-4 — with empty net goals by the Knights in both games.

Game 4 of the best of seven playoff series will be back here at the Dort Financial Centre on Thursday evening of this week at 7:00.

ICE CHIPS: Defenseman Tristan Bertucci leads Flint in scoring in these playoffs with four points, all assists … Oliver Peer and Coulson Pitre have two goals apiece for Flint in the three games … Firebirds’ goalie Nathan Day has made 82 saves on 93 shots in the three games.

— with files from Cathy Wigle