Knights Improve To 2-0

Mitch Marner has moxie

Stories and pictures from the London Knights 6-3 win over the Saginaw Spirit.

Mitch Marner will find you.

Somehow the young first round draft pick gets the puck on the stick of teammates in good shooting position.  Marner helped create Santino Centorame's first OHL goal in the first period with a quick pass that sprung Kyle Platzer loose for a scoring chance.  Centorame followed up and banged home the rebound.
Marner also set up Platzer for his third goal of the season in the second period. Again, skating at high speed he somehow slid a puck underneath a sprawling defender to wide-open Platzer who made a backhand forehand deke on Jake Paterson.

Marner has three points in his first two OHL games.

Anthony Stolarz 

Goalie Anthony Stolarz has yet to give up an even strength goal in two games.  The 19 year-old 2nd round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers has more economy in his game this season.
"He's more in control," says London Knights goalie coach Bill Dark.   "He's staying a bit deeper in his net to use his size and athletic ability.  He's still challenging but more at the right time."

Stolarz has a .957 save percentage and a 1.5 GAA through two games.

Josh Anderson played one of his best games as a Knight against the Spirit.  Anderson scored two goals. He was physical along the boards and a constant presence in front of the net.  Anderson and Chris Tierney teamed with Mike McCarron on a line that had a great game in a 6-3 London win.

John Anderson watches Alex Basso play 'pop up the water bottle' vs. Saginaw Spirit

Raonic Is Not Young

Milos Raonic is leading a tennis revival in Canada.

He gets praise from around the sport as a potential top-five talent.

He has a chance to win a major tennis title.

All true.

But he is not young - in the cruel world of mens singles tennis.  Raonic seems like a raw, developing talent.  But the results show he is behind most top-20 players.

Raonic has a 12-8 record in the four major tennis tournaments.  He has yet to reach the quarterfinals of any of the big four events.  Before the next major (Australian Open) he will be 23 years old and his 20 matches of major experience are well behind many other players of his era. 

Here are the major records of some similar players past and present at age 22:

 - Tomas Berdych - 30-17 including one quarter final.

 -  Juan Martin del Potro - 31-6 including one win, one semi final and two quarter finals.

 -   Richard Gasquet - 28-20 including one quarter final appearance

 -   Jo Wilfrid Tsonga - reached Australian Open final at age 22. 

 Top players like Novak Djokovic are in another universe when it comes to early results.  Djokovic had a 66-19 record in majors by age 23 with one major win.  Roger Federer had one major title and two quarter final appearances by age 22.  He had a 39-13 record.  Rafa Nadal had five majors before age 23. 
    In past years, Pete Sampras had won 58 matches in majors before age 23.  He had won three titles and been to two semi finals.   The player that might compare most to Raonic is Goran Ivanisevic, who had a 45-20 record in majors at age 22.   

   This is not to be critical of Raonic.  He is progressing.  He showed a lot of game in the first set against  Djokovic in the Davis Cup.   His return of serve and net presence are improving.  

   But he is not young.  In high level tennis the career trajectory is different than most other sports.  Good players reach their peak earlier and also decline earlier.  

    Milos should expect QF and SF in majors in 2014.   

More Marner

Mitch Marner 

This kid is special. 

London Knights first round draft choice, Mitch Marner displayed a rare skill in the Knights 6-3 loss to the Plymouth Whalers. 

Although just 16, he has mastered the art of the backhand pass.   

Marner found Mark Gazdic with a clever backhanded pass through traffic to set up the Knights' first goal of the game.  Marner laid a nice pass to Remi Elie for the Knights third goal as Elie unleashed a slap shot from just inside the blueline. 
  
 If you are playing with Mitch Marner you need to be ready to get the puck on your stick.  He will find you - even on the backhand.   So many players don't practice the art of the backhand pass.  Too often the time it takes to move the puck to the forehand allows a checker to break-up the play.  Not so with Marner.