Igor Bobkov beat Mark Visentin one more time as the London Knights edged the Niagara IceDogs in a 2-1 shootout victory in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night.
Bobkov won gold at the World Junior Championship by blanking Canada in the third period of a comeback Russian win against Visentin and Team Canada.
Vladislav Namestnikov power-play goal for London (21-16-3) snapped Visentin’s 153-minute shutout streak 11:24 into the third period.
Freddie Hamilton’s 20th of the year just 25 seconds into the second period was the only score for Niagara (26-10-5).
Both Namestnikov and Ryan Strome tallied in the shootout’s third round.
However, the game would be decided by the seventh shooters as London rookie Ryan Rupert beat Visentin on a nifty backhand — almost freezing the netminder and then reversing direction to have almost the entire net to slide the puck into.
Rupert was appearing in just his 12th regular season game and has only one goal.
London has won eight of its last 10 and stay one point ahead of the Erie Otters for third in the Midwest Division.
Visentin entered the contest first in the OHL in GAA at 2.19 and save percentage at .926. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the IceDogs, who are still victorious in nine of 12.
It was Bobkov’s second victory in 11 appearances, and he lowered his GAA from 4.42 down to 4.00.