Luke Ellinas Lifts Kitchener to Historic Reverse Sweep, Sets Up Clash With Undefeated London Knights

Ottawa Senators prospect Luke Ellinas etched his name into OHL history on Tuesday night, scoring the overtime winner in Game 7 to complete a dramatic reverse sweep and send the Kitchener Rangers to the Western Conference Final. Kitchener, down 0-3 in the series against the Windsor Spitfires, clawed all the way back to win four straight games — becoming just the sixth team in OHL history to erase a 3-0 series deficit. The last team to do so was the Guelph Storm in 2019.

Ellinas, a fourth-round pick by the Senators in the 2024 NHL Draft, was nothing short of clutch throughout the series. Not only did he bury the deciding goal in overtime, but he also sparked the comeback in Game 4 with a hat trick in a 3-0 win. Through two rounds, Ellinas leads Kitchener in both goals (6) and points (13), cementing himself as a breakout playoff star.

Another key contributor to Kitchener’s incredible run has been goaltender Jackson Parsons, a Clarkson University commit. Parsons has been rock-solid between the pipes, posting a .919 save percentage and a 2.12 goals-against average — both tops among all goaltenders in the postseason so far.

Behind the bench, Head Coach Jussi Ahokas has been guiding the charge with poise and purpose. Ahokas was recently awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year, a well-deserved honor after orchestrating one of the most improbable comebacks in league history.

With momentum fully on their side, the Rangers now shift their focus to the London Knights — the only team yet to lose a playoff game this year. London has breezed through their first two rounds, sweeping both opponents and enjoying over a week of rest before the Western Conference Final. Kitchener, in contrast, has battled through 12 games already and will need to dig even deeper to match London’s speed and depth.

Still, the Rangers won’t back down easily. They are one of the few teams to beat the Knights multiple times during the regular season, even though London ultimately won the season series 4-2. The question now is whether Kitchener’s playoff momentum can overcome London’s rested legs and dominant form.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Final is set for Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Canada Life Place. Whether Kitchener can hand London its first postseason loss — or perhaps more — remains to be seen. But after a comeback like this, it’s clear the Rangers believe anything is possible.