DIPIETRO REGAINS TOP FORM AS SPITFIRES BLANK KNIGHTS
Goalie Mikey DiPietro shook off the National Hockey League camp cobwebs to once again show why he was named the Ontario Hockey League’s goalie of the year.
The 19-year-old DiPietro earned his first win of the season with a 32-save shutout performance against the London Knights, who are ranked No. 2 in the Canadian Hockey League. The effort, in a 2-0 win over the Knights before 3,621 at the WFCU Centre, enabled the Vancouver Canucks prospect to tie Thomas McCollum for the OHL career shutout mark with 16. “London’s been a team that’s always eluded me for a shutout, even in minor hockey, so it’s nice to do it in this fashion,” DiPietro said.
“Every (shutout) is different and every one is unique, but doing it in front of my hometown crowd and my parents, I’m really happy.”
DiPietro wasn’t the only veteran to find his groove on Thursday. Six-foot-nine Curtis Douglas, who was a healthy scratch on Saturday, got Windsor on the board first with the eventual game-winning goal and his first of the season.
“It showed how much the coaches care and it was kind of a kick in the butt,” Douglas said of sitting out Saturday’s loss to Kitchener. “I had to pick things up and think I did.” Douglas stripped London’s Sergey Popov in front of the Knights’ net and beat Joseph Raaymakers for the only goal in the opening period.
“To say I was in a bit of slump, it’s only a couple of games,” said Douglas, a Dallas Stars prospect. “I knew the goals would come if I kept working. I finally got the bounce to get it in.”
The game stayed scoreless until late in the third period, with DiPietro and Raaymakers both forced to make several tough stops.
“I think we really needed Mikey to play well, but we could have had some more luck around the net,” Douglas said. Clinging to a 1-0 lead, DiPietro was at his best in the third period. He slid over to deny Cole Tymkin off a rebound. He later went post-to-post to deny London’s Liam Foudy
But the Spitfires didn’t back off and simply try to defend the lead. Captain Luke Boka was stopped by Raaymakers on a breakaway and Tyler Angle had a high-end chance in the third period that was also denied.
“We feel we’re a four-line team and that’s our strength,” Spitfires head coach Trevor Letowski. “That won’t change because of one goal. In a tight game, guys are excited to get out there.” Windsor finally found some breathing room with just under six minutes to play when Cole Purboo, who has also battled an early scoring slump, tipped home his first goal of the season. “Purbs has been good and you can see how hard he’s working,” Letowski said. “When it’s not going your way, that’s all you can do.”
London pulled Raaymakers with over three minutes to play and also had a late power play chance, but couldn’t put a puck behind DiPietro.
“I came into this game with more vinegar and grit to prove I’m back and that I want to take a step forward,” DiPietro said. “The first (win) is always the hardest to get.
“I think I fought for pucks hard and reacted well. October’s a new month and that’s the way I approached it.”
DiPietro became the first goalie to shutout the Knights since Jaroslav Pavelka in 2012.