CREDIT: THE CANADIAN PRESS
Nikita Zadorov is already dominating the OHL since his return for the Buffalo Sabres.

There's plenty of snow on the ground, and more of it on the way. It finally feels like hockey season, doesn't it?

For the London Knights — now boasting one of the OHL's toughest defences — it's time for them to show who's boss.

At the time of writing, the Knights were on a bit of a hot streak. They'd won six straight games. Anthony Stolarz allowed just nine goals in his last six games, and Nikita Zadorov was already showing that he's ready to dominate the blue line.

“I'm so much better,” said the big Russian defenceman. “It's a great experience playing in the NHL. In the first year, getting drafted in the middle of the first round, you don't know what's going on. It's hard, real hard practice and workout. It's a different level. In NHL, you make a bad pass or mistake; it's going to be a goal (against).”

“In the OHL, it's easier to play.”

While the rest of us head toward Christmas vacations, the Knights head into crunch time. There are no “easy” games in the OHL, and there is very little room for error from a team that's hoping to be top at the end of hockey season.

Now that the Knights showed that they can handle the high-flying Erie Otters, they should be able to contain high scoring Guelph as well.

But there's lots of work to be done.

For starters, London isn't atop the OHL standings as they've often been known to do over the past two seasons. That honour belongs to the Erie Otters. London began the year atop the CHL rankings, and many expected them to stay there all season.

They didn't. But this recent spell of good form has seen the Knights climb back in to the honourable mention category for week 10, so it shouldn't be long before they're back in the top 10.

Secondly, the new defensive corps (Zach Bell in particular) has to gel well together.

“They're old enough D [to come together quickly],” Dale Hunter told the London Free Press. “They're big and strong and can move pucks. It's basically Bell [who has to learn a new system]. Nikita's been here. With his skill and size, he should have a good year and we expect him to.”

Heading into the holiday season, London will play host to Guelph (December 13) before travelling to Erie (December 14). Those two stand out as the crunch games this holiday season. While the Kingston Frontenacs have stuttered a little recently, they make their stop to London on December 15.

The game against the Plymouth Whalers on December 29 will mark the first-ever OHL Winter Classic at Comerica Park — the first time two OHL teams will face off against each other outdoors. That game is part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival, ahead of the NHL's Winter Classic featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings.

And then there's the Sarnia Sting.

While Sarnia is currently propping up the Western Division and not much of a threat on the ice — they still remain London's rivals. They also remain the team that ended London's chances of tying the league record for the longest winning streak last season.

London's biggest thorn though heading into December and January is theWorld Juniors. They have five Canadian hopefuls — Bo Horvat, Max Domi, Josh Anderson, Chris Tierney and Ryan Rupert. Over and above that you factor in Stolarz, Zadorov and German defenceman Tim Bender.

Last season the Knights weathered the storm when they were short a number of key players. But there's no telling how this season will pan out. The league is a lot stronger this year — at least it seems to be that way.

While there may be more changes as the season wears on, there's one thing that is certain. The Knights are a much better team than they were at the start of the season.

And for them, that is a good thing.