For the second time in about a month, the Saginaw Spirit lost a big game to the Easton Cowan and the OHL champions — the London Knights. In the third round-robin game for the Knights at the Memorial Cup in Saginaw, a late third period goal by Cowan along with his insurance marker, the Knights defeated the Spirit 4-2 to earn the bye to the tournament’s final game.
Following his eventual game winner, Cowan celebrated the goal by skating to the glass along the sideboards and staring into the faces of Saginaw fans who already had to endure a Knights victory in the second round of the OHL playoffs.
Cowan finished with two goals and an assist and was named the game’s first star. While those who’ve watched him have grown accustomed to these types of numbers from him all season long, it’s the importance of the game that those outside the dressing room focused in on following this win.
Easton Cowan Loves the Big Stage
The regular season was a story in itself for Cowan, who only missed the century mark in points because of a trip to the U20 World Junior Championship where he represented Canada. He finished seventh in the league in points and that was just the beginning.
In the postseason, Cowan took his play to another level. He tallied 10 goals and a league-leading 34 points in just 18 games helping the Knights to three series sweeps and a 16-2 record en route the championship win.
He finished fourth in goals in the postseason and second on the Knights behind only Kasper Halttunen who had 17 in 18 games.
Now, three games into the Memorial Cup tournament, Cowan has five points. He leads the Knights in that department and sits just two back of the lead in the tournament — currently held by Moose Jaw Warrior Denton Mateychuk.
As for how much he enjoys the pressure, Cowan had this to say following their win over the Spirit: “I love playing on the big stage… I love cameras on you, everyone’s watching you. It really shows, when the lights are on you, how big you are.”
Cowan Thrives Under the Spotlight
If it’s not already obvious that Cowan is a big-game player, he’s thrived in games that matter this postseason. In series clinching games, including the game against the Spirit to lockup the bye in the Memorial Cup, Cowan had five goals and 12 points in those five contests.
As we’ve seen in the past with the Knights, players that come to play and have a big impact in all aspects of the game are rewarded and given more playing time — something that Cowan has experienced in his second full season with the Hunters.
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With it, Cowan has developed his play on the ice to become one of the more elite players in the OHL. His game has translated into a full 200-foot game and he’s become an integral part of the success that the Knights have had this season.
Along with that, we’ve seen more confidence and swagger from the 19-year-old — whether that’s having to do with being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs or just something that has come with his overall successes over the past year.
Regardless of how he carries himself, he’s show that he can play in big markets — London being one of the bigger markets in the OHL. While the spotlight might not have necessarily been on him as much prior to him being draft, since the draft all eyes have been on Cowan and how he would handle being a so-called surprise first-round pick.
It’s safe to say he’s taken it and run with the spotlight. As for the swagger, Cowan discussed the stare down celebration following the 4-2 win over the Spirit.
“I just like that celly,” he said following the game. “I think it’s kind of cool. You kind of stare down the fans and it gets the boys going.”
Cowan, Maple Leafs A Match Made in Heaven
Now, with one more big game ahead of him to close out his season, the question becomes how does it translate to the next level and beyond that. While there’s no way to predict just how well he will be able to adapt to the NHL, it’s the way that he carries himself that might benefit this kid.
Half the battle in a market like Toronto is handling the outside noise — the media, the fans. Playing a hockey hungry junior market like London under a former NHLer gives players like Cowan an opportunity to experience that prior to the jump.
Will he be like a William Nylander or Auston Matthews in front of the camera right away? Maybe not. But considering the way he plays the game and his ability to feed of big moments, it’s safe to say that Cowan should fit in pretty nicely whenever it is that he makes the jump to the Maple Leafs.
