Petes eliminate Knights to win OHL title as London-born goaltender named playoff MVP

Michael Simpson stopped 36 of 37 shots as the Peterborough Petes beat the London Knights 2-1 in Game Six of the OHL Final to win the Championship.

The London, Ont. goaltender shut down his hometown team, as the Petes won the J Ross Robertson Cup for the first time since 2006.

After the game, Simpson was named the winner of the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as playoff most valuable player.

“It’s pretty cool to win the MVP, but that other trophy is way more important,” Simpson told TSN after the final buzzer. “There isn’t another group of guys that I’d want to win with.

“We battled through so much adversity this year and to come out on top it shows everybody that we’re the real Petes. We had a lot out doubters around the trade deadline and look where we are now? We can’t wait to get to Kamloops.”

Tucker Robertson broke a 1-1 tie with 8:50 to go in regulation and it stood up as the game winning goal to finish the series four games to two.

Owen Willmore stopped 34 of 36 shots in goal for the Knights, who got a goal from Max McCue to tie the game in the third period.

In the handshake line on TSN, Petes Head Coach Rob Wilson could be heard saying to Dale Hunter, "I don’t know you very well, but I admire you."

Hunter responded to the players and coaches "Good Luck, bring it home" when referring to the upcoming Memorial Cup Championship. 

Congratulations, Michael Simpson! 🏆

The @PetesOHLhockey goaltender is awarded the Wayne Gretzky 99 award as the #OHL playoffs MVP 🎥#OHLChampionship | #LDNvsPBO pic.twitter.com/DQrNXOvvkd

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 22, 2023