Max Jones played the opening shift of Friday’s game against Sault Ste. Marie.

Then he sat for the rest of the first period, including London’s two early power-play chances — curious since he scored two times with the man advantage last Sunday in Oshawa.

As it turns out, the big Ducks prospect was being punished.

“He was sitting for poor discipline (in Oshawa),” Knights GM Rob Simpson said after London fell to 1-5 on the season and 0-3 on home ice with a 4-1 loss to the Soo Greyhounds before 9,036 at Budweiser Gardens.

So if it was planned, why put him in the opening lineup?

“He was on the starting list early and he just owed us for bad discipline the game before. Just costly penalties,” Simpson said.

Jones played his usual work load in the final two periods.

He took three minor penalties, including a roughing minor early in the third that led to the Soo’s first goal.

“We’re not happy with our discipline overall,” Simpson said, “so guys are going to sit if they’re going to be poorly disciplined.”

Does this mean Jones, one of the better forwards in the OHL, will be forced to sit out the first period in Erie on Saturday night?

“We have to review that,” Simpson said. “We don’t make decisions right after the game.”

The Knights have always supported Jones’ style of play. They back him with the league and argue that he sometimes gets calls other players don’t because of his reputation.

But he’s a team leader now and the Knights are in last place in the entire Ontario Hockey League. So he’s going to have to make some adjustments quickly.

“You’re OK with penalties if they save a goal,” Simpson said. “It’s the penalties 200 feet from your own net or in scrums after that don’t need to be. They change games and make it hard for you to win. We’ve got a lot of young D right now and our penalty kill (10 goals allowed on 26 chances) hasn’t been going the way we would like.

“If you’re spending seven, eight times in the box, it makes it hard to win.”

The Knights aren’t scoring enough to give their foes any free opportunities.

They have just 11 goals in 18 periods. They haven’t won in regulation yet and they’ve been outscored 14-3 at the Bud.

“Guys like Max Jones, (Sam) Miletic and (Robert) Thomas bring speed and skill,” Soo coach Drew Bannister said, “but with that, and the way (Jones) plays a little bit on the edge, he can take some penalties and we knew going in we would probably get some opportunities.

“That was a game-changer for us. We were able to score and our penalty kill was good.”

This is shaping up to be the worst first month of the Hunter era of Knights ownership.

On paper, they have enough offensive punch. Miletic, fresh from his run with the NHL Penguins, created all kinds of chances but was stoned on a short-handed breakaway by Hounds goalie Matt Villalta with eight minutes left in a one-goal game.

“Matty always stands on his head,” said Soo forward Boris Katchouk, who scored twice simply by going to the net. “We try to rely on him when we collapse and have turnovers. Last year, he split games (with Joe Raaymakers, who is awaiting a trade). Matty’s going to take the reins this year.

“Those are two big teams — Windsor (Thursday) and London. We got four points and it’s huge for us.”

LOTS OF SHOTS: The Knights recorded 36 shots, the first time they have outshot an opponent this season. Tyler Johnson, back in net after returning home last weekend to mourn the death of his grandfather Norm, kept the Hounds at bay until Ducks prospect Jack Kopacka scored his first of the season with Jones in the box.

“Both teams had their chances,” Simpson said. “They capitalized and we didn’t.”

SHORT FIRSTS: The Knights didn’t dress their last two first-round picks — Lucas Rowe (’17) and Liam Foudy ’16). Foudy missed his second straight game with a back injury after slamming into the end boards last Friday against Kingston. This is the first time the rookie Rowe, who is pointless in five games, was a scratch.

THE WINNER: Katchouk’s winning goal was reviewed to see if the puck directed off his glove and into the net. It ended up hitting him in the arm, which is legal. Video was inconclusive so the call on the ice stood.

The Knights said they would’ve liked to see the overhead angle. Katchouk now has eight goals, but the general feeling around his team is he could already have 15 or 20 considering the Grade A chances he gets.

“I’ve got a little confidence,” the Lightning prospect said. “I had the puck on a string and everything was going my way.”

BLAME WINDSOR: Bannister isn’t normally a fan of giving his goaltenders starts on back-to-back nights. But since it’s early in the season and the Greyhounds don’t have another game the rest of the weekend, the Soo coach made an exception for Villalta.

“I thought Matty was outstanding,” Bannister said. “He didn’t get a lot of work (Thursday) in Windsor. I talked to him after he felt real good. He made some key saves in the first and that save he made on that breakaway, it’s a game-changer.”

RIGHT AT HOME: Tyler Rollo saw a familiar face as soon as he set foot in the Knights room after being acquired from Peterborough this week. Third-year defenceman Evan Bouchard, also from the Burlington-Oakville area, plays on his summer hockey team.

“We’re at the Powerade Centre in Brampton every Sunday,” the over-age forward said.

On Friday, they both started on the point of London’s top power-play unit. Both Rollo’s OHL coaches, Dale Hunter and Petes boss Jody Hull, have something in common — they hail from Petrolia.

“Jody was a great coach and he really knew where I fit in,” he said. “I’m here to provide whatever the Knights need. I want to have a good year and this is a winning organization, so that’s what I want to do.”

rpyette@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/RyanatLFPress

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GAME GLANCE

Greyhounds 4, Knights 1

Sault Ste. Marie goals:Boris Katchouk (2), Jack Kopacka, Hayden Verbeek

London goal:Josh Nelson

Next:The Knights are in Erie on Saturday at 7 p.m.

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Greyhounds 4, Knights 1



3 Stars

1. Boris Katchouk, Hounds.

2. Matt Villalta, Hounds.

3. Tyler Johnson, Knights.

First period

No scoring.

Penalties – Verbeek, Ssm (hooking) 7:05, Hollowell, Ssm (hooking) 13:21.

Second period

No scoring.

Penalties – Timmins, Ssm (hooking) 3:36, Jones, Ldn (holding) 4:17, Pu, Ldn (hooking) 9:44, Gettinger, Ssm (high-sticking), Tymkin, Ldn (10-minute misconduct) 16:17.

Third period

1. Sault Ste. Marie, Kopacka 1 (Hollowell, Roth) 2:55 (pp)

One second left in Jones' penalty.

2. Sault Ste. Marie, Katchouk 7 (DeMeo, Howdeshell) 5:46

Rewarded for net presence.

3. London, Nelson 3 (Bangs, Bouchard) 10:08

Wraparound special.

4. Sault Ste. Marie, Katchouk 8 (Hollowell, Gettinger) 14:09

Tapped it on backhand.

5. Sault Ste. Marie, Verbeek 3 (Gettinger, Carroll) 17:12 (en)

Salted it away.

Penalties -- Jones, Ldn (roughing) 0:56, LeGuerrier, Ssm, Carbonara, Ldn (unsportsmanlike conduct) 7:04, DeMeo, Ssm (holding) 8:55, Jones, Ldn (tripping) 9:51, Carbonara, Ldn (elbowing) 15:44, Timmins, Ssm (tripping) 15:52.

Shots on goal by

Sault Ste. Marie 9 9 15—33

London 13 11 12—36

Goal: Sault Ste. Marie: Villalta (W, 4-1); London: Johnson (L, 0-3).

Power plays (goals-chances):Ssm 1-5. Ldn 0-6.

Referees– Ryan Harrison, Mike Marley. Linesmen– Brad Horan, Dustin McCrank.

Attendance: 9,036