Stolarz stops 34 shots as Knights take 2-0 series lead

LONDON, Ont. - Anthony Stolarz earned his first-career post-season shutout as the London Knights blanked the visiting Kitchener Rangers 2-0 on Sunday in Ontario Hockey League playoff action.

The 18-year-old goaltender made 34 saves for the win and has stopped 63-of-64 shots against Kitchener in two games at the Budweiser Gardens, giving London a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven second-round matchup.

Stolarz is 6-0-0 in the post season and his 1.24 goals-against average and .959 save percentage are best in the OHL.

Max Domi broke a scoreless tie at 15:24 of the third period for the Knights, who have a league-best plus-19 goal differential in the playoffs, while Bo Horvat added an insurance goal just over three minutes later.

Chris Tierney was falling behind Kitchener's net but was still able to backhand the puck out front, allowing Domi to slide it under Rangers goaltender John Gibson.

Horvat controlled the puck down the left-wing side, cut quickly to the net and beat Gibson under his left pad at 18:27.

Domi's goal was his fourth of the post-season and ninth point in six contests, which ties him with Alex Broadhurst for the team lead in both categories.

Gibson turned away 28-of-30 overall for the Rangers, who have been outscored 6-1 in the series.

Both Joshua Leivo and Tobias Rieder, who finished their first-round defeat of the Guelph Storm as Kitchener's top producers with seven points each in five games, have yet to record a point against London.

London went 0 for 3 on the power play. Kitchener failed to score on seven chances with the man advantage. The Rangers' road power play is second-worst of the eight team's remaining in the post-season, converting just 5.6% of chances, while at home they're scoring 27.6% of the time, which is second-best of any team that's made it to the second round.

The Rangers have an opportunity to get back in the series when they host Game 3 on Monday at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.