Windsor Spitfires Win Twice but also Taste Defeat in Regulation for first time in 2022-2023
Colby Saganiuk had a four-point game and Kyle Downey made 23 saves as the Erie Otters (6-4-0-2) defeated the Windsor Spitfires 7-4 at the Erie Insurance Arena on Saturday, October 29. The loss was the first in regulation for the Spitfires, who handily won their previous two games of the weekend.
Liam Gilmartin, Carey Terrance, Kaleb Smith, Spencer Sova and Brett Bressette had the other goals for the Otters (record) while AJ Spellacy, Matthew Maggio, Thomas Johnston and Oilver Peer all replied for the Spitfires (8-1-3-0) Michael Renwick chipped in offensively for Windsor with a pair of assists while Saganiuk and Bressette both had a pair of helpers for the home team.
Matt Onuska made 18 saves while taking the loss in net for the visitors.
The Spitfires took a 3-1 lead just under a minute into the second period on Maggio’s sixth goal of the season but that advantage evaporated when Bressette replied just seconds after Maggio’s marker and Smith, Gilmartin and Tecumseh’s Sova scored in a span of 29 seconds late in the middle frame. The Spitfires never challenged the Otters after that point of the game.
Renwick, Maggio, Johnston, Alex Christopoulos, Colton Smith and Liam Greentree all scored once as the Spitfires kicked off their weekend with a 6-3 win over the North Bay Battalion on Thursday, October 27 at the WFCU Centre.
Nikita Tarasevich, Justin Ertel and Wyatt Kennedy replied for the Battalion (5-4-0-0), who were playing their first and last game in Windsor during the 2022-2023 Ontario Hockey League regular season.
Onuska made 23 saves for the Spitfires (7-0-3-0) while Dom DiVincentiis made 18 saves before being pulled after the second period. Charlie Robertson stopped both shots he faced in his third period relief effort for North Bay.
The following night in St. Catherines the Spitfires put on an offensive display in a 11-3 win over the Niagara IceDogs at the Meridian Centre.
Ryan Abraham, Christopher O’Flaherty and Renwick all scored twice to pace the Spitfires (8-0-3-0) while Daniil Sobolev, Jacob Maillet, Peer, Maggio and Anthony Cristofaro, with the first of his OHL career, added singles.
Rookie netminder Joey Costanzo made 29 stops to pickup his second win in October over the IceDogs (3-6-3-0) who traded him to Windsor in the pre-season.
Josh Rosenzweig made 13 saves before being chased and replaced by Owen Flores, who made 17 stops in a relief effort after entering the midway through in the second period.
The Spitfires, who sit atop the OHL’s West Division standings, are off until Thursday night when they host the Sarnia Sting at the WFCU Centre. Opening face-off is set for 7:05 pm.