WINDSOR Spitfires double-up Greyhounds to snap three-game losing streak
Liam Greentree, Alex Christopoulos and Brett Harrison all scored twice as the Windsor Spitfires doubled-up the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 9-4 at the Essar Centre on Sunday, January 29. Jacob Maillett, Jacob Holmes and Matthew Maggio added singles for the Spitfires who snapped a three-game losing streak with the win over the ‘Hounds.
Greentree’s outburst gave him 20 goals on the season and pulled him into a tie with Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit for most goals by a rookie in 2022-2023. Misa was granted Exceptional Player status so the Spirit could draft him first overall in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection.
Holmes’ goal was his first as a Spitfire since being acquired in trade with the Sudbury Wolves in early January. Maggio also chipped in with three assists to give him 68 points on the season, tops in the OHL.
The game was Windsor’s fifth on the road in nine days and was played without the services of star centre and recent trade acquisition, Shane Wright, who missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury and defenceman Danil Sobolev, also out with a LBI. Also missing were centre Ryan Abraham and goaltender Matt Onuska.
Jordan D’Intino paced the ‘Hounds offensively with a pair of goals while Bryce McConnell-Barker and Marco Mignosa added singles.
Joey Costanzo made 15 saves to pick up the win in net for the Spitfires while Sault starter Samuel Ivanov made nine stops before being replaced by Landon Miller who made 24 saves in a relief effort.
Windsor started their week off with a rare Thursday night road game on January 26 and former Spitfire Kyle MacDonald scored twice, including the game winner, as the North Bay Battalion defeated the Spitfires 5-3 at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. Paul Christopoulos, Dalyn Wakely and Josh Bloom had the other goals for the home squad while Alex Christopoulos, Greentree and Colton Smith replied for the visiting Spitfires.
MacDonald was traded to the Centennials by the Spitfires in January of 2022 while Alex Christopoulos, twin brother of Paul, was picked up by Windsor in another deal with North Bay in 2021.
Costanzo made 29 saves while Dom DiVincentiis made 28 for North Bay.
One night later the Spitfires played the middle game of their three-game north swing and lost 3-2 to the Sudbury Wolves at the Sudbury Community Arena on Friday, January 27. David Goyette scored twice and Chase Couglin added a single marker while Christopoulos and Aidan Castle, with his first as a Spitfire since being acquired in a trade with the Niagara IceDogs on January6 , replied for the Spitfires.
Kevyn Brassard made 23 saves for Sudbury while Costanzo, the game’s second star, made 31 for Windsor.
The Spitfires return to action on Thursday, February 2 when they host the Greyhounds at the WFCU Centre. Four of Windsor’s next five games will be played at the WFCU Centre, including back-to-back Thursday nights against Sault Ste. Marie and games on Saturday (February 4) and Sunday (February 5) against the Hamilton Bulldogs and Owen Sound Attack respectively.