Posted on by Tim Jarrold
Windsor Spitfires vs Branford BulldogsJanuary 11, 2026 - In Play! magazine
The loss dropped Windsor to 27-9-4-1, now sitting three points behind Flint for first place in the West Division. Photo: Tim Jarrold - In Play! magazine
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Windsor Spitfires vs Branford Bulldogs Game Review: January 11, 2026

The Brantford Bulldogs delivered a commanding 7-3 victory over the Windsor Spitfires on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at the WFCU Centre. Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Benak stole the show with a hat trick and one assist, leading the Bulldogs past Windsor in front of 5,803 fans.

First Period: Trading Blows

Windsor opened the scoring at 15:34 on the power play. Alex Pharand finished a setup from Anthony Cristoforo, giving the Spitfires a 1-0 lead. However, Brantford responded dramatically with just 0.9 seconds remaining in the period. Rookie Caleb Malhotra hammered home his 20th goal of the season on the power play, tying the game 1-1 heading into intermission.

Second Period: Bulldogs Take Control

The middle frame belonged to Brantford. Adam Jiricek opened the scoring with a spectacular toe-drag goal at 3:48, beating Joey Costanzo for his 12th of the season. Windsor responded when AJ Spellacy capitalized on a power play, rolling home his 10th goal to make it 3-2.

Nevertheless, the Bulldogs quickly regained momentum. Adam Benak scored on a breakaway at 12:15, faking to his forehand before rolling a backhand shot past Costanzo. Minutes later, Cooper Dennis blasted his 23rd goal during a 5-on-3 power play, giving Brantford a 4-2 advantage after two periods.

Third Period: Benak’s Masterclass

Nathan Villeneuve briefly gave Windsor hope, scoring at 2:14 to pull the Spitfires within one at 4-3. Unfortunately for the home side, that’s as close as they would get.

Benak took over the final frame. First, at 7:16, Charlie Paquette sent him on a breakaway where he split the wickets on Costanzo for his second goal. Then, at 9:21, Benak completed his hat trick when Gabriel Frasca fed him in the slot. The Czech center hammered home his 19th goal of the season, extending the lead to 6-3.

Adam Jiricek capped the scoring with his second power-play goal at 11:46, making the final score 7-3.

Special Teams Decide the Game

Brantford’s power play proved lethal, converting three of seven opportunities (42.9%). Meanwhile, Windsor’s discipline issues resulted in 10 penalties totaling 20 minutes. Against an elite offensive team with nine NHL draft picks in the lineup, the Spitfires couldn’t afford those mistakes.

“They’re an elite team with elite skill, and they live and die off turnovers and their power play,” Windsor head coach Greg Walters said after the game. “Hockey is a game of mistakes; we made way too many.”

Standings Implications

The loss dropped Windsor to 27-9-4-1, now sitting three points behind Flint for first place in the West Division. Conversely, Brantford improved to 28-7-4-1, maintaining their position as one of the OHL’s top championship contenders.

Key Performers

Adam Benak earned first star honors with four points (3G, 1A), bringing his season totals to 19 goals and 30 assists in 29 games. Adam Jiricek added two goals and now has 33 points this season. Charlie Paquette collected three assists for Brantford.

For Windsor, Alex Pharand impressed in his second game following the trade deadline, recording one goal and one assist. Joey Costanzo made 21 saves in the loss.

Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine

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Tim Jarrold

Tim Jarrold...our multi-sport shooter feels as much at home behind the glass at any arena as he does on the edge of a high-speed racing track. Tim is responsible for most of the hockey photos (Red Wings and Spitfires) you see here on the IPM website and he is hoping to expand that coverage for you!