Windsor Spitfires vs. Saginaw Spirit Game Review November 21, 2025
Final Score: Windsor Spitfires 4, Saginaw Spirit 1
The Windsor Spitfires demonstrated why they’re among the OHL’s top contenders this season with a commanding 4-1 victory over the Saginaw Spirit at the WFCU Centre on Friday night. The home team wasted no time establishing dominance, scoring just 23 seconds into the contest and never relinquishing control.
Game Flow and Highlights
First Period:
Windsor came out flying with A.J. Spellacy finding the back of the net in the opening minute after receiving a perfect backhand pass from Cole Davis in the slot. Conor Walton picked up the secondary assist on the play. The Spitfires dominated possession throughout the period, outshooting Saginaw 11-3.
Second Period:
The Spitfires extended their lead to 2-0 at 7:22 when standout forward Liam Greentree capitalized on a Spirit turnover, beating goaltender Stepan Shurygin with a glove-side shot from the slot for his 13th goal of the season. Windsor continued to press, and at 10:26, Ethan Garden broke free on a breakaway and converted for his fifth goal of the season, pushing the lead to 3-0. Anthony Cristoforo and Andrew Robinson collected assists on Garden’s tally.
Third Period:
The Spirit showed signs of life early in the final frame when James Guo scored his first goal of the season at 3:17, firing a wrist shot from the point past Joey Costanzo. Nikita Klepov and Egor Barabanov assisted on the play. However, any hopes of a Spirit comeback were dashed when Greentree sealed the victory with an empty-net power-play goal at 19:09, assisted by Cristoforo.
Standout Performances
Liam Greentree continued his stellar season for Windsor with a two-goal performance, marking his 10th multi-point game of the 2025-26 campaign. Anthony Cristoforo was also impressive, collecting two assists.
In goal, Windsor’s Joey Costanzo turned away 22 of 23 shots for a .957 save percentage. Saginaw’s Stepan Shurygin stopped 23 of 26 shots in a losing effort.
Special Teams
The Spitfires went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Spirit were unsuccessful in their lone man-advantage opportunity.
Impact on Standings
With this victory, the Windsor Spitfires improved their record to 16-4-2-1 (35 points), strengthening their position atop the OHL’s West Division. The Saginaw Spirit fell to 7-10-3-3 (20 points), remaining in the lower half of the division standings.
Looking Ahead
The two teams were scheduled to face off again the following night (November 22) at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw, giving the Spirit a quick opportunity for revenge on home ice.
Fan and Media Reaction
The WFCU Centre crowd was treated to a dominant performance by their Spitfires, who have established themselves as serious contenders for the OHL championship this season. Local media highlighted Greentree’s continued excellence and the team’s strong defensive structure, which limited Saginaw to just 23 shots throughout the contest.
This victory serves as further evidence of the Spitfires’ championship potential, while the Spirit continue to search for consistency in what has been a challenging season thus far.
Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine
