Barry Wright/The Independent

After a modest two-game winning streak earlier this month, the Sting has now lost its last two games including a 4-1 setback to the London Knights before a season-high crowd of 4,434 fans.

After Friday’s game at Progressive Auto Sales Arena, London now has points in four of five games against the Sting this season.

The final game of the season series, dubbed the Battle of the 402, will be played Friday in the Forest City.

Despite a wide margin in territorial play for the Sting early in contest Jan. 16, London got on the board first scoring twice on its first two shots on goals by Jaxon Cover and William Nichol at 5:47 and 6:10 of the opening frame.

After a relatively uneventful second period, Ben Pickell of the Sting notched his 11th of the season converting a pass from captain Alessandro Di Iorio late in the middle stanza but the visitors answered right back with Caleb Mitchell finding the back of the net just 37 seconds later.

Sting coach Mathieu Turcotte called Mitchell’s tally the turning point of the game.

London played lock down defense in the third period not allowing Sarnia a single shot on goal in the final 20 minutes.

Kale Osipenko, making his second career OHL start, shook off a slow start to record 28 saves on the night.

Sarnia is eight points behind Saginaw for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

London is within a point of fourth place in the conference and only three points behind the Midwest Division lead held by the Kitchener Rangers.

The Sting hosts Peterborough on Saturday. The Petes are in London Sunday afternoon.

Meantime, Evan Van Gorp played in his 150th career regular season games for the Knights last Saturday in Owen Sound.

He assisted on the game winning goal late in the third period as London beat the Attack, 5-4.

Van Gorp now has seven goals and 19 assists in 42 games this season.