Offense occurred in spurts during Thursday's Ontario Hockey League quarterfinal opener between the Erie Otters and London Knights.
Two goals in 34 seconds.
Three goals in 29 seconds.
Neither binge, though, ultimately helped the Otters steal a road win against the league's best team.
London never trailed after its 4-0 run on Canada Life Place's rink. That stretch, combined with Denver Barkey's hat trick, helped the Knights prevail 6-3.
Barkey, one of nine NHL draft picks on the hosts' roster, showed why the Philadelphia Flyers selected him two years ago. The left winger left London with a permanent lead at 2-1 in the second period, and added power play and empty-net insurance goals in the third.
The Otters returned to Robertson Cup action for the first time since last weekend, when they eliminated Saginaw for the the franchise's first playoff series victory since 2017. They were the league's champions that year.
The Knights currently possess the Cup as its reigning titlists. They seek to become the league's first back-to-back tournament winners since their 2012 and 2013 teams accomplished that feat.
Too far behind
Technically, London rallied to win Thursday's Western Conference semifinal starter.
Pano Fimis, with Erie on a power play, slipped a shot past Knights goaltender Austin Elliott with less than two minutes left in the first period. Dylan Edwards and Martin Misiak, who also enjoyed robust scoring performances during the Saginaw series, assisted on the play.
London, though, counterpunched with what emerged as the game's biggest goal. Instead of the Knights trailing by one at the first intermission, Cam Allen scored against Erie netminder Noah Erliden 34 seconds later.
Elliott, Erliden's counterpart, was credited with an assist.
Allen's goal also began London's run of four straight. Barkey's first score, followed by those for Oliver Bonk and Landon Sim, made it 4-1 with less than four minutes left in the second period.
Erie pulled within one via goals by Edwards and Wesley Royston, but couldn't get an equalizer.
Otters' off-ice news
The Otters resumed play still minus defenseman Matthew Schaefer and center Carey Terrance.
Schaefer remains sidelined with a broken collarbone he suffered last December. Terrance has been idle since ...
