The Sarnia Legionnaires will face the rampaging London Nationals at the Brock Street Barn tonight (Thursday, Oct. 15).

The Legionnaires announced Wednesday that newly-acquired goalie Jesse Raymond will start between the pipes against the red-hot Nats.
 

Raymond was obtained in a trade with the St. Marys Lincolns in exchange for all-star defenceman Josh Cornelissen.
 

"Jesse won the Goalie-of-the-Year award in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League last year,” general manager Bob Williamson said in announcing the deal. “It was a competition for all 26 teams in the league, not just the Western Conference.”
 

He added the 18-year-old is “a big-sized kid who seems to stand up well and block the angles well.”
 

The Sarnians will need any advantage they can get because London has won its last two games by a combined total of 19-2.
 

Here's a preview of the contest:
 

WHO: Sarnia Legionnaires (5-4-4) vs. London Nationals (10-1-1)

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Sarnia Arena.

WHOSE HOT:

Sarnia: Captain Tyler Cicchini has scored five goals in his last five games. Veteran defenceman Tommy Ziolkowski is playing his best hockey since joining the club last year.
 

London: Right-winger Chris McKay had three goals and an assist in his last game. He now has 17 points on the season.

Latest outings: London has been almost overpowering in recent contests.

During their last five games the scores have read:

London 10-1 over Leamington.

London 9-1 over Thorold.

London 6-0 over Chatham

London 4-1 over St. Marys

London 5-4 over Leamington
 

In Sarnia's last five games the scores have been:

Stratford 2-1 over Sarnia in a shootout

Sarnia 3-2 over St. Marys

LaSalle 4-2 over Sarnia

Sarnia 7-3 over Lambton Shores

Strathroy 5-4 over Sarnia
 

The Raymond Factor:

The six foot, 165 pound Raymond played 29 games with the Lincs last season, posting an 18-9 won-lost record. Along the way he registered three shutouts and a sparkling goals-against-average of 2.47. His save percentage stood at 0.906. In the playoffs, the 18-year-old had a 6-4 won-lost record for the Lincs, who took the Nationals to the seventh game of the second round before bowing out.

This fall, Raymond has been playing with the Sarnia Sting of the OHL.
 

Raymond will play tonight because Kyle Washer, who has been the club's No. 1 netminder all season, suffered a leg injury in a weekend game against Stratford.
 

Backup goalie Seth Anderson will be staying with the Legionnaires, at least for now, because Washer isn't ready to return to action.

The club will do what it can to find Anderson a place to play after that, Williamson said.
 

History: This is the first meeting between the clubs this season, although the Nats edged the Legionnaires by one goal in an exhibition game back in September. Last year, Sarnia and London split six games. In the Western Ontario final, the Legionnaires eliminated the Nats in six games to win the championship.
 

PARTING COMMENT: Cornelissen, who was the top scoring defenceman in the Western Conference last year, said he leaves the defending champion Legionnaires without any hard feelings. “I'd like to thank all the fans for their support over the past three years,” the 19-year-old said. “I wish Sarnia all the best, except when they're playing St. Marys. I have good memories (of playing in Sarnia). There's nothing like winning a championship.”