It wasn't the start the Windsor Spitfires were hoping to kick-off the 2019 OHL Playoffs, falling 4-3 to the top seeded Knights in London Friday night.
London got to rookie goaltender Kari Piiroinen early; he surrendered goals to Evan Bouchard and Alex Formenton to send London into the first intermission with 2-0 lead.
Spitfire Will Cuylle notched his first career playoff goal midway through the second period to make it 2-1 but London would pour-it-on from there, scoring two more unanswered goals in the second period to make it 4-1.
It was better late than never for Windsor as they flipped the script in the third period. London outshot the Spitfires 16-10 heading into the third frame — Windsor would outshoot the Knights 16-9 for the remainder of the game.
Windsor would get back on the board in the final minute of the third as Tyler Angle buried a cross-ice-pass past Knights' goalie Jordan Kooy on the powerplay with Piiroinen on the bench to make it 4-2.
Just seconds later Cuylle fought a puck free in the London zone that Jean-Luc Foudy picked up before walking in and sending a nifty feed over to Connor Corcoran to pull Windsor within one goal.
The late push wouldn't be enough as London held off the Spitfires for the remaining 30-seconds on the way to a 4-3 victory and a 1-0 series lead.
Windsor remains in London for game two on Sunday, puck drops at 2pm.
Tune into AM800 for all the action.