Memorial Cup Update: Bonk Making Major Impact

The 2024 Memorial Cup tournament is ongoing in Saginaw, Michigan. With two games played apiece, the Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights and tournament host Saginaw Spirit (OHL) each sport 2-0-0 records. The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champion Drummondville Voltigeurs and the Western Hockey League champion Moose Jaw Warriors are winless at 0-2-0. 

There are three Flyers prospects participating in the tournament: defenseman Oliver Bonk (1g, 2a) and winger Denver Barkey (0g, 2a) from London and winger Alexis Gendron (still looking for his first point) from Drummondville. 

On Saturday afternoon,  Bonk notched one goal and one assist as the Knights shut out the Voltigeurs, 4-0, on Saturday afternoon. Bonk, who played a strong all-around games, took First-Star honors and was plus-three on the day.

With London leading in the first period, 1-0, Bonk got open in the left slot to one-time a Jacob Julien pass into the net at 13:51. The score remained 2-0 until the third period, when London added a pair of early goals to put a stranglehold on the game. Bonk assisted on a Kasper Haltunen tally. Ruslan Gazizov scored two goals for London in the game.

Barkey did not get on the scoresheet in this game, as both he and Easton Cowan (OHL playoff MVP) were held without a point. Barkey was a plus-one on the day as he was on the ice for Gazizov's second goal (tallied on the opening shift of the final period).

In a losing cause for Drummondville, Flyers prospect Alexis Gendron had a game-high seven shots on goal. He also played a rather feisty game for a player known much more for his skill and finesse.

Trying to set a competitive tone for his team, Gendron mixed it up with London's Sam O'Reilly on the game's second shift. Both players were dispatched for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. No scoring resulted during the ensuing four-on-four.

The next day, Saginaw overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to defeat the Voltigeurs in regulation by a 4-3 score. Gendron had three shots on goal.

On Monday, London Knights held off the Western Hockey League champion Moose Jaw Warriors by a 5-4 score on Monday evening to remain unbeaten in the preliminary round.

The Warriors scored the game's first goal before London made a push to collect mid-period and-late period goals to take a 2-1 edge to the first intermission. Moose Jaw tied the game at 2-2 in the second period, but London rallied for the next three goals. Late in the second period, Moose Jaw's Ethan Semeniuk notched his second goal of the game to cut the deficit to 5-3. With 3:55 remaining in regulation, Moose Jaw drew within one goal. However, they were unable to find an equalizer.

Barkey collected a pair of assists for his first two points of the tournament. Bonk chipped in one assist against Moose Jaw.

Bonk and Barkey collected the apples on a Sam Dickinson goal that made it a 2-1 game late in the first period. Later, Kasper Haltunnen tallied a power play goal set up by Barkey and Easton Cowan for London's fifth and final marker.

On Tuesday, Gendron and his Drummondville teammates will look to get in the win column when they play Moose Jaw. The Voltigeurs, who went 16-1 during the QMJHL playoffs, need a win over the Warriors to stay alive in the Memorial Cup tournament. On Wednesday, London plays Saginaw. The Knight defeated the Spirit, four games to two, in the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference Final series.