The Windsor Spitfires remain undefeated in regulation time in the young 2022-2023 Ontario Hockey League season following another hectic three games in four days weekend that left the team with a 6-0-3 record and In first place in the OHL’s West Division.
Mitchell Smith scored the overtime winner just 22 seconds into extra time as the Saginaw Spirit defeated the Spitfires 3-2 on Thursday, October 20 at the WFCU Centre.
Rookie AJ Spellacy, with the first of his Ontario Hockey League career, and Ryan Abraham scored for Windsor (4-0-3) while Dean Loukus and Mitchell Smith had Saginaw’s other goals. Tristan Lennox made 33 saves for the Spirit (5-3-1) enroute to being named the game’s first star to pick up the win while Matt Onuska made 14 saves for the Spitfires at the other end of the ice.
The loss was the Spitfires’ second in overtime in fourth home games this season but did extend
Windsor’s streak of not having lost in regulation time and earning a least one point from every game thus far.
Alex Christopoulos, Colton Smith, Liam Greetree, with the first of his OHL career, Matthew Maggio and Oliver Peer all scored for Windsor while Abraham notched a pair of assists as the Spitfires (5-0-3) outlasted the Flint Firebirds (5-5-0) at the Dort Finacial Center on Saturday night.
Gavin Hayes, the game’s first star, scored twice for the Firebirds who received single goals from Braeden Kressler, Ethan Hay and Amadeus Lombardi.
Although the two teams combined to score 11 goals in the game, the score could have been even higher as both teams enjoyed numerous two-man powerplays but could not score. The Spitfires converted just two of nine opportunities while playing with the man advantage while the Firebirds converted just one of eight chances.
Onuska made 32 saves to pick up the win for the Spitfires while Will Cranley made 15 stops before being replaced by Nathan Day who made 11 saves in a relief effort.
Less than 24 hours later, the Spitfires returned to the ice to host the Niagara IceDogs for a 4 pm tilt at the WFCU Centre. The game featured three players playing against their former teams for the first time as Pasquale Zito and Nathan Ribau, who were dealt to the IceDogs in separate trades during the off-season, facing their former Windsor teammates while Joy Costanzo made his second star of the season in net for the Spitfires after being acquired by the Spitfires in a pre-season deal.
Windsor received goals from eight different players and Costanzo made 28 saves to pick up his second win in as many games this season as the Spitfires (6-0-3) doubled-up the IceDogs 8-4.
Oliver Peer, Bronson Ride, Jackson McLlwain, Ethan Miedema, Spellacy, Abraham, Smith and Maggio and hit the back of the IceDogs’ net. Rookie centre Noah Morneau chipped in offensively with a pair of assists. For the third straight game a Spitfire scored the first goal of his OHL career and this time it was McLwain.
Pano Fimis scored twice for the Niagara (3-5-2) while Kevin He and Lakeshore native Declan Waddick both added single markers. Owen Flores made 14 saves before being pulled early in the second period while Josh Rosenzweig made 15 stops after entering the game just under four minutes into the second period.
The Spitfires return to action on Thursday, October 27 when they host the North Bay Attack at the WFCU Centre before the team returns to the road for games in St. Catharines (Niagara) on Friday and Erie (Saturday).