Windsor Spitfires End 2022 on Modest Winning Streak
The Windsor Spitfires finished the 2022 portion of their 2022-2023 Ontario Hockey League season by winning two out of of their last three games of the year.
The team dropped a 5-3 decision to the Guelph Storm at the WFCU Centre before returning the favour with a 3-2 road win over the Storm at the Sleiman Centre two nights later and then finished 2022 with a New Year’s Eve day with an overtime win over the Kitchener Rangers back in Windsor.
Matthew Poitras scored three goals and Jake Karabella and Hunter MacKenzie added single markers as the Storm defeated the Spitfires 5-3 at the WFCU Centre on Wednesday, December 28. Alex Christopoulos, Colton Smith and Matthew Maggio, with his team-leading 25th goal of the season, all replied for the Spitfires, who were masking their return to action after a 10-day holiday break.
Jacob Oster made 27 saves to pick up the win in net for the visitors while starting Windsor netminder Matt Onuska made 17 saves before being replaced after the end of the second period. He was replaced by Joey Costanzo who stopped all six shots he faced in a relief effort.
Two nights later, Costanzo made 33 saves, many of them spectacular, as the Spitfires defeated the Storm 3-2 in the rematch at the Sleiman Centre. Costanzo, who has consistently performed well all season while establishing himself as the best rookie goaltender for the Spitfires since 2017 Memorial Cup hero Michael DiPietro, was named the game’s first star in the second of back-to-back games against the Storm.
Maggio and Smith both scored again for the Spitfires while rookie Noah’s Morneau’s fourth marker of the season in the third period stood up as the winning goal. Danny Zhilkin and Cooper Walker both replied for the Storm while Brayden Gillespie made 18 stops for the home team.
In Windsor’s year-ending game Christopoulos scored the overtime winner on an unassisted effort and Onuska made 28 saves as the Spitfires defeated the Kitchener Rangers 5-4 in a New Year’s Eve day game at the WFCU Cemtre.
Overage defenceman Michael Renwick paced the Spitfires offensively with two goals while Liam Greentree and Ethan Martin, with the first of the season and second of his career, added single markers. Carson Rehkopf, Francesco Pinelli, Reid Valade and Matthew Sop replied for the Rangers. Marcus Vandenberg made 31 saves for the visitors.
The Spitfires return to action on Wednesday night when they host the Saginaw Spirit with the opening face-off set for 7:05 pm. After travelling to take on the Sarnia Sting at the Progressive Auto Sales Saremna on Friday night, Windsor will return to the WFCU Centre to host the Flint Firebirds on Sunday, January 8. That game starts at 4:05 pm.