‘Character’ win for Spitfires
WINDSOR 4, SAGINAW 0 It’s the response a head coach can only dream of. Windsor Spitfires head coach Trevor Letowski called Thursday’s home loss to last-place Sudbury one of the most disappointing performances of the season. On Saturday, the Spitfires responded with what Letowski said might have been one of his team’s best in a 4-0 win over the Saginaw Spirit before 4,816 at the Dow Event Center.
“For sure, that’s a game that we should have won if we had worked hard,” Spitfires centre Tyler Angle said of Thursday’s loss. “I think we’ve had some off nights like that, but it’s good we bounced back in a big game.”
“It’s been consistent. Anytime we’ve had a setback, this team responds, so I do trust that they will,” Letowski said. “It is really encouraging because that was probably our most disappointing game against Sudbury and we followed it up. That’s the most proud of this group I’ve been all season long with that effort tonight.” Despite the youngest roster in the league, the Spitfires also managed to pick up their 15th road win this season. That’s one more than last year’s Memorial Cup championship team, which was loaded with veterans.
“It’s really kind of funny, but it’s good,” Spitfires goalie Mikey DiPietro said. “That’s pretty cool to be that successful. Winning on the road is not easy. I think it shows a lot of character.”
It took more than half a period for Windsor to record a shot on goal, but Angle stepped around his defender to score and put the Spitfires up 1-0 after 20 minutes. The game turned in the second period after DiPietro stopped Saginaw’s Mason Kohn and then got a right pad over to deny the rebound. Windsor countered off the play with rookie Cody Morgan scoring to put the Spitfires up 2-0. “All the boys were saying it was a great save, but it’s kind of my fault I had to make that save,” DiPietro said. “It was kind of a bad rebound by me and I put it on a platter for him, so I better have got over and got the puck or we had a whole new hockey game.”
The Spitfires dominated the third period and held Saginaw to just three shots with Luke Boka and Luke Kutkevicius adding insurance goals.
“I thought we managed the puck better then we had all season, specifically in the third period ,” Letowski said. “In my opinion, that’s a clinic on protecting the lead.” DiPietro finished with 20 saves for his league-leading seventh shutout of the season and he moved into second on the OHL’s all-time list with 15, one back of the record held by Tom McCollum. “You can tell he was ready,” Letowski said of DiPietro. “He’s a leader and he showed our leadership along with Boks (Boka) and Purbs (Cole Purboo). They led the way, but really everyone played well.”