SWEET START FOR SPITS
Windsor scores two late goals to beat the visiting Spirit 3-1 in first game of season
Brady Gilmour of the Saginaw Spirit, left, and Kirill Kozhevvnikow of the Spitfires battle for the puck during their OHL regular-season opener at the WFCU Centre in Windsor on Thursday. The Spitfires went on to win 3-1.
There might be a little more offensive potential on this rebuilding Windsor Spitfires roster than people think.
It took some late-game heroics, but the Spitfires were able to get a couple of goals in the final two minutes of regulation to win the team’s opener 3-1 over the Saginaw Spirit before 5,083 at the WFCU Centre.
“It’s nice to get the first (win) out of the way and even better for the young guys to get their first win at home and feel the atmosphere,” said Spitfires centre Luke Kutkevicius, who got the game-winning goal on the power play with 1:48 left in regulation.
Captain Aaron Luchuk raised the Memorial Cup for the crowd one more time before the game, but the Spitfires have turned the page on last year’s title and began the work of breaking in 14 new faces on the roster.
“That was a gutsy win for everyone involved,” Luchuk said. “Young guys stuck together and really stepped up big with minutes they might not be used to.
“It’s a testament to how good this team’s going to be and hopefully, we can use this as a step forward.”
Despite the changes, the Spitfires produced plenty of offensive chances against the Spirit, but struggled to convert against Saginaw overage goalie Evan Cormier.
Saginaw had the only goal of the opening period when defenceman Marcus Crawford’s point shot went off the post and in.
“I thought we started well and with nine guys playing their first OHL game, get the jitters out,” said Spitfires goalie Mikey DiPietro, who made 26 saves. “Unfortunately, we got down one early and you never like that, but the morale in the room was pretty high. I think we kept our momentum throughout.”
Rookie Mathew MacDougall was denied from the slot and Kutkevicius could not convert a breakaway chance in the opening period.
Cole Purboo also failed to convert a breakaway and Igor Larionov had another great chance to convert in front in the second period, but was unable to finish before Austin McEneny’s point shot was redirected in by Boka to tie the game at 1-1 after two periods.
“As long as we’re getting chances,” Luchuk said. “As long as we’re getting chances you’re happy and eventually they’ll go in.”
After a DiPietro save in the
final two minutes, he was bumped and that gave Windsor the later power-play chance with 1:55 to play. It took just seven seconds for Kutkevicius to get the game-winning goal. He had a shot go off him and into the boards, but turned in time to catch the rebound and put in the winner.
“It’s tough, but you always have the guys talking to you and let you know what’s going on,” Kutkevicius said.
“It was a pretty hard shot, so I expected something to bounce and it bounced on my tape and I put it in, so it was a lucky bounce.”
Newcomer Jake Smith added an empty-net goal to seal the win for the Spitfires, who held a 35-27 edge in shots.
Young guys stuck together and really stepped up big with minutes they might not be used to.