Windsor Spitfires Dominate Defending Champions in 4-1 Victory
The Windsor Spitfires delivered a commanding performance in their home opener at the WFCU Centre on Saturday, September 20, 2025, defeating the defending Memorial Cup champion London Knights 4-1 before an enthusiastic crowd.
Game Highlights
The Spitfires established control early, outshooting the Knights 8-1 in the opening frame. Kazakh forward Beks Makysh continued his hot streak, netting his third goal in just four periods to give Windsor a 1-0 lead after twenty minutes.
London showed signs of life in the second period, generating three shots in the first minute and eventually capitalizing on a power play opportunity at 11:58 when Logan Hawrey, who had led the Knights in pre-season scoring, fired home his first goal of the regular season to tie the game at 1-1. Rookies Kaeden Hawkins and Ben Wilmott earned their first OHL points with assists on the play.
The momentum shifted back to Windsor when London’s Cohen Bidgood took a major penalty, followed by a puck-over-glass minor that gave the Spitfires a crucial 5-on-3 advantage. The 2024 first overall draft pick Ethan Belchetz capitalized with a blistering one-timer from the right circle, restoring Windsor’s lead at 2-1 heading into the final frame.
Dramatic Third Period
The third period featured both decisive scoring and unexpected drama. Windsor’s Cole Davis delivered what proved to be the knockout punch, scoring short-handed at 8:33 to extend the lead to 3-1.
The goal celebration turned chaotic when exuberant Windsor fans pounding on the glass behind the Knights bench caused a pane to shatter, cascading down on London’s coaching staff and players. Head coach Dale Hunter took the brunt of the falling glass, suffering minor cuts to his hand in what Spitfires coach Greg Walters described as an “ugly” incident that caused a significant game delay.
Here is video from the OHL livestream of a dangerous incident behind the @LondonKnights bench in Windsor in which a pane of glass shattered and fell on head coach Dale Hunter and some of the London players. #OHL pic.twitter.com/OXEHZPlApD
— Mike Stubbs (@stubbs980) September 21, 2025
After the glass was replaced and play resumed, London pulled goaltender Seb Gatto with just under four minutes remaining in a desperate attempt to close the gap. Instead, J.C. Lemieux sealed the win for Windsor, intercepting a loose puck and scoring into the empty net for the final 4-1 margin.
Season Implications
The victory gives Windsor a perfect 2-0 start to their OHL campaign, while London falls to 0-2 after losing their season opener to the Owen Sound Attack in overtime the previous night.
This matchup held historical significance as the first time in 27 years that the Knights had faced Windsor for a Spitfires home opener. The defending Memorial Cup champion Knights will look to regroup before their next game, scheduled for Friday when they host the Brampton Steelheads at Canada Life Place.
For the Spitfires, this impressive victory against the league’s defending champions suggests they may be serious contenders in the 2025-26 OHL season.
Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine
