Jesse Nurmi has always brought a steady, reliable presence to the London Knights' forward group, but on Saturday night in Erie, he brought something else: fireworks.
The Finnish overager, who’s fresh off a Memorial Cup win with London and a silver medal from the 2025 World Juniors with Team Finland, exploded for a hat trick in a dominant 6-1 win over the Erie Otters. That’s now back-to-back weekends with a three-goal performance for the Knights - rookie Jaxon Cover had the team’s first hat trick of the season just six days earlier against Peterborough.
Nurmi’s offensive surge since returning from the pro ranks has been nothing short of impressive. He’s put up eight goals and 15 points in just 12 games, giving the Knights a veteran scoring punch at a critical point in the season.
And it’s not just the numbers - it’s the timing. With the OHL playoff race heating up, London is now just one point back of the Soo Greyhounds for fourth in the Western Conference.
The Knights have already taken three of four games from the Otters this season, and Saturday’s win was a statement.
Power play execution played a big role in the victory. Will Nicholl and Jaxon Cover both cashed in with the man advantage, and assistant coach Rick Steadman pointed to puck recovery and quick slot plays as the difference-makers.
“Both goals, there were puck recoveries and quick plays to the slot,” Steadman said. “That’s usually when the penalty kill is in trouble - on broken plays like that.”
Goaltender Sebastian Gatto also deserves his share of the spotlight. The 19-year-old stopped 31 shots and looked composed throughout, extending his personal win streak to five games. His calm presence in the crease continues to be a stabilizing force for a team that’s undergone plenty of roster movement since the trade deadline.
Speaking of roster movement, London is still dealing with some off-ice challenges. Forward Mikhail Zakharov and defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii were once again unavailable due to ongoing visa issues that prevent them from crossing into the United States.
Whether that situation gets resolved this season remains unclear. In the meantime, the Knights recalled forward Eloan Le Gallic from St.
Thomas, and defenseman Jacob Vandeven - acquired in the deadline deal that sent Julian Brown to Owen Sound - made his OHL debut.
Despite all the moving parts, London closed out January with a solid 7-3-1 record. And those three regulation losses came against some of the tougher teams in the league - Flint, Brantford, Sault Ste. Marie, and North Bay - making the Knights’ recent stretch even more impressive.
Looking ahead, there’s a reunion on deck. The Knights will host the Kitchener Rangers on Wednesday, a game that will bring familiar faces Sam O’Reilly and Jared Woolley back to Budweiser Gardens. Both were key contributors to last year’s championship run, and while they’re now helping lead a playoff push in Kitchener, the Knights still consider them part of the family.
“It’s great,” Steadman said. “Those guys were a huge part of our team and will always be London Knights in our eyes.
It’ll be great to see them again and talk to them a bit and see how they’re doing. They’re two great guys and hopefully, we can give them a push.
I’m sure they’ll be ready to play us.”
Game Notes:
The first period saw a flurry of penalties, including a high-sticking double minor to Erie’s Schouten at 5:59 and a late scrap between London’s Van Bommel and Schouten that ended with both players being assessed fighting majors and Schouten earning a game misconduct. London also had to kill off multiple penalties, including a stretch where they were down two men, but their PK unit held strong.
This wasn’t just a win - it was a reminder that the defending champs are still very much in the mix. With veterans like Nurmi heating up, young guns contributing, and solid goaltending from Gatto, the Knights are building momentum at just the right time.