Windsor Stings Sarnia in Overtime
Gabriel Vilardi scored the overtime winner and Mario Culina made 18 saves as the Windsor Spitfires knocked off the Sarnia Sting 2-1 at the WFCU Centre in Windsor Friday night.
Culina, making just his second start at home this season and his first in the Spitfires’ last six games, was not tested much throughout the game but was steady if unspectacular when called upon.
Meanwhile, the Spitfires (14-4-2-0) fired a season-high 41 shots at Aiden Hughes in the Sting (12-7-3-0) net and in fact the game would have never gotten to extra time if it had not been for Hughes’ heroics.
Despite out shooting the visitors 19-7 in the first period, the Spitfires trailed 1-0 after Windsor native Anthony Salinitri’s 10th goal of the season.
Just over five minutes into the second period Windsor defenceman Sean Day scored on the team’s league-leading powerplay to knot the affair at 1-1. Things stayed that way for the remainder of regulation time.
Vilardi scored the game-winner when he broke in on an odd man rush with Mikhail Sergachev and wired a wrist shot past the outstretched blocker of Hughes.
The game marked the Spitfires’ third overtime decision in less than a week and was the team’s first win after losses against Flint on the road and Owen Sound at home on Thursday night.
The contest was also the team’s last at the WFCU Centre as the team vacates the WFCU Cemtre for their next 13 games on the road as the venue plays host to the 2016 Fina World Swimming Championships December 6-11.
The game also marked the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss for Sparky’s Toy Drive.
The Spitfires return to action Sunday night for a game against the London Knights at the Budweiser Gardens.
Check out game photos by Tim Jarrold HERE.