Windsor Spitfires vs Kitchener Rangers April 18, 2025. OHL Playoffs Semi-Finals Game 5 Recap
In a crucial Game 5 of their Ontario Hockey League playoff series, the Kitchener Rangers staved off elimination with a convincing 5-2 victory over the Windsor Spitfires at the WFCU Centre in Windsor on Friday night. The win forces a Game 6 back at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium as the Rangers continue their comeback bid in the second-round series.
Game Summary
The Rangers jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, building a commanding 3-0 advantage before the Spitfires could get on the board. Kitchener’s offensive attack was led by standout performances from Trent Swick and Christian Humphreys, who each recorded three points on the night.
Despite being outshot 23-21, the Rangers capitalized on their scoring chances and received stellar goaltending from Jackson Parsons, who turned aside 21 shots to secure the victory. The Spitfires’ netminder Joey Costanzo stopped 18 of 22 shots in the losing effort.
Scoring Breakdown
First Period
- 5:28 – KIT 1, WSR 0: Jack Pridham (4) from Christian Humphreys
The Rangers got off to an ideal start when Jack Pridham found the back of the net just over five minutes into the contest, converting a setup from Christian Humphreys to give Kitchener the early momentum.
Second Period
- 8:14 – KIT 2, WSR 0: Trent Swick (5) from Jack Pridham and Christian Humphreys
- 13:02 – KIT 3, WSR 0: Christian Humphreys (3) from Trent Swick and Matthew Andonovski
- 16:46 – KIT 3, WSR 1: Ilya Protas (5) from Noah Morneau and Andrew Robinson
- 18:26 – KIT 4, WSR 1: Luca Romano (3) from Luke Ellinas
The second period saw a flurry of scoring action, with the Rangers extending their lead to 3-0 on goals by Swick and Humphreys before Windsor’s Ilya Protas finally got the Spitfires on the board. However, Luca Romano responded quickly for Kitchener, restoring the three-goal advantage before the intermission.
Third Period
- 5:14 – KIT 4, WSR 2: Josef Eichler (1) – Unassisted
- 19:02 – KIT 5, WSR 2: Trent Swick (6) from Matthew Andonovski – Empty Net
Windsor’s Josef Eichler scored his first goal of the playoffs early in the third period to give the home crowd some hope. However, the Spitfires couldn’t mount a further comeback, and Swick sealed the victory for the Rangers with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
Key Statistics
- Shots on Goal: Kitchener 21, Windsor 23
- Power Play: Kitchener 0/5, Windsor 0/4
- Faceoff Win Percentage: Kitchener 45%, Windsor 55%
Standout Performances
Trent Swick (Kitchener): The Rangers forward was named the game’s first star after tallying two goals and one assist, including the empty-netter that sealed the win. Swick now has six goals in the playoffs.
Christian Humphreys (Kitchener): Contributing a goal and two assists, Humphreys earned second-star honors with his three-point performance.
Matthew Andonovski (Kitchener): The Rangers captain was a rock on defense, finishing the game with a +4 rating while adding two assists, including a helper on the empty-net goal.
Jackson Parsons (Kitchener): The goaltender turned in a solid performance with 21 saves on 23 shots, helping his team stay alive in the series.
Ilya Protas (Windsor): Named the game’s third star, Protas scored his fifth goal of the playoffs and was one of Windsor’s most dangerous forwards throughout the contest.
Series Outlook
With the win, the Rangers have now forced a Game 6, which will be played at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Sunday, April 20, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The Spitfires still lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 but have now lost two consecutive games after taking a commanding 3-0 series lead.
The winner of this series will advance to the OHL Western Conference Finals, moving one step closer to the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a berth in the Memorial Cup tournament.
Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine
