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Watch Jared McCann split London Knights defence to score with 4 world junior players on ice

Please excuse the coaching critique, but the London Knights might have left too large a gap for Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds centre Jared McCann.

The Knights got the two points in a 3-2 win over the Soo on Wednesday after a sensational salvo from the Stratford, Ont., native that should scarcely need sensationalizing. Four Knights who have been named to a world junior championship preliminary roster were on the ice when the 17-year-old McCann took a lead pass from Sergey Tolchinsky to score. For the record, Bo Horvat (Canada) was trailing the play, Josh Anderson (Canada) was trying to apply back pressure, McCann split a defence pair of Nikita Zadorov (Russia) and 20-year-old Brady Austin and then bested goalie Anthony Stolarz (United States).

Setting this up by saying, "hey, remember how Jared McCann didn't play a lot in August for Canada's under-18 team that was coached by London's Dale Hunter?" would have been over the top. McCann sustained a brain injury last March after a collision with then-Owen Sound Attack right wing Cameron Brace last March, which led to him playing catch-up with his conditioning and training throughout the off-season, right up until Hlinka tournament time. He is in full flight now, with 14 goals and 31 points over 26 games.

It's only sporting to point out Stolarz was star of the game otherwise, denying McCann on a redirection late in the game to uphold London's one-goal margin.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet. Please address any questions, comments or concerns to btnblog@yahoo.ca (video: Rogers Television London).