WINDSOR, Ont. - Defenceman Rob Kwiet had a hat trick and fellow blue-liner Ryan Ellis added a goal and four assists to seize the OHL scoring lead as the Windsor Spitfires earned a wild 7-4 victory over the London Knights on Thursday, extending their winning streak to 10 games.
Ellis scored on a penalty shot, and his five-point night moved him past teammate Taylor Hall atop the league scoring race. Hall had two assists on the night.
Conor O'Donnell, with his first two goals of the season, and Greg Nemisz were the other goal-scorers for Windsor (15-1-0-0), the top-ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League.
Ellis was awarded a second-period penalty shot when former Spitfire Akim Aliu threw his stick at 15:36 of the second period.
The win was the Spitfires' second in two games against the rival Knights this season. Windsor beat London 4-2 at the John Labatt Centre on Sept. 26.
Jason Guy and Michael Zador combined to stop 57 shots for the Knights (10-4-0-1), who lost for the first time in six games. Thursday's defeat also marked the first time in 10 games that London failed to record at least a point.
Team scoring leader Nazim Kadri had two power-play goals and an assist to pace the Knights, while Phillip McRae and Phil Varon had London's other goals. Defenceman Vladimir Roth added two assists.
Windsor's Andrew Engelage made 28 saves en route to picking up his up his league-leading 13th win of the season.
Petes 4, 67's 3
Tony Romano's fourth game-winning goal of the season lifted the Peterborough Petes past the Ottawa 67's 4-3 in OHL action Thursday.
Brett Theberge and Zack Kassian had a goal and assist for the Petes (7-10-0-0) while Pat Daley also scored. Jamie Doornbosch added two assists.
Cory Cowick, Ryan Martindale and Jon Carnevale scored for the 67's (8-8-0-0), who suffered their second straight loss.
Trevor Cann stopped 39 shots for the win, while Adam Courchaine made 17 saves in defeat.
Icedogs 3, Storm 1
Alex Friesen and Andrew Shaw scored second-period goals as the Niagara IceDogs defeated the Guelph Storm 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday night.
Andrew Agozzino scored for Niagara in the first period after Travis Gibbons opened the scoring for the Storm.
John Cullen played a strong game in goal over the final two periods, replacing starter Mark Visentin as the Storm outshot the IceDogs 31-29.
The IceDogs, who improved to 5-7-1-4, won their second straight game after losing five in a row. The Storm, 10-6-1-0, lost for the second time in five games.
Colts 3, Rangers 1
Peter Di Salvo turned aside 31 shots to lead the Barrie Colts past the Kitchener Rangers 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday night.
Andrew Clouthier's second goal of the season with 5:18 left in regulation stood as the game winner for the Colts (7-7-1-0). Stefan Della Rovere and Mitch Lebar added singles in the win.
Christian Stevens ended Di Salvo's shutout bid with 4:16 left in the third period as the Rangers (7-6-0-1) lost their fourth in a row.
Josh Unice made 31 saves in defeat for Kitchener.
Battalion 4, Frontenacs 3
Led by Evgeni Grachev's two-goal performance, the surging Brampton Battalion won their sixth straight game Thursday night, defeating the Kingston Frontenacs 4-3 in OHL action.
The Battalion (8-6-0-0) also won their sixth consecutive game on home ice after opening the season at home with a loss to the Ottawa 67's.
Craig Moore opened the scoring late in the first period, deflecting a Matt Clark point shot past Frontenacs goaltender Mavric Parks. With the assist, Clark earned his first career OHL point.
Grachev's first goal of the game seven seconds into the second period set a franchise record for fastest goal to start a period. Kingston (4-9-2-0) overcame the two-goal deficit quickly, as Josh Brittain and Zack Fenwick scored 23 seconds apart later in the period.
Grachev put the Battalion ahead with his second of the night, a power-play goal at the 8:45 mark of the period.
Kingston pulled even once again 5:50 into the third on a Nathan Moon power-play goal before Jason Dale fired in the eventual game winner 1:26 later.