Spitfires rally for weekend split at Erie

With a sigh of relief, the Windsor Spitfires rode home Saturday with a much-needed split of back-toback road games in Erie against the Otters.

In the two games, the Spitfires held a lead just once. That came on captain Will Cuylle's game-winning goal in overtime on Saturday to rally Windsor to a 5-4 win at Erie Insurance Arena.

“They were tough, for sure,” said Spitfires forward Matthew Maggio, who scored late on a Windsor power play with the goalie on the bench to force overtime.

“All year, Erie has been tough competition for us and especially with a three (games) in three (days) schedule, We knew it was going to be a challenge.”

The win snapped Windsor's fivegame losing skid on the road and marked the team's first win away from home since Jan. 28.

“I'm not worried about it,” Spitfires head coach Marc Savard said of the team's recent road struggles. “It's not haunting us and it's not like we can't play on the road.”

It was just Windsor's second win in five meetings with the Otters this season, with both victories coming in overtime.

“I'm proud of the guys,” Savard said. “What a win.”

Windsor never held a lead in Friday's 6-4 loss to the Otters and on Saturday the Spitfires were forced to chase much of the game.

Noah Sedore had the Otters on the scoreboard just 39 seconds into the game on a wrist shot from the circle that beat Windsor goalie Matt Onuska.

OHL scoring leader Wyatt Johnston, who had three points, pulled the Spitfires even by the end of the first period by tapping home a rebound.

Erie's Nathan Sauder and Carey Terrance scored to put the Spitfires in a 3-1 hole less than seven minutes into the second period.

“Just a couple of defensive breakdowns, but we stuck with it,” Savard said. “We felt good about our game and we stayed with our game plan.”

Alex Christopoulos forced a turnover and got the Spitfires back within a goal just 99 seconds after Terrance's goal and defenceman Daniil Sobolev's shot from the point found its way behind Erie goalie Nolan Lalonde to tie the game 3-3 after 40 minutes.

As the teams were exiting the ice at intermission, Windsor's Andrew Perrott and Erie's Cameron Morton dropped the gloves. Perrott was given the instigator on the play and a game misconduct by officials, who felt he left the bench to get involved. Savard said Perrott was merely trying to exit the ice. League officials will review the play, but Perrott and Savard face an automatic two-game suspension from the call.

Brendan Sellan put the Otters back on top just after the instigator penalty expired to give Erie a 4-3 lead.

“Obviously, we don't like to play from behind, but I feel like, with the group we have, there's a sense of no panic and no quit,” Maggio said. “In the locker-room, it's a positive atmosphere Even when we're behind, we know we have the talent to come back.”

With a late power play and Onuska on the bench for a sixon-four advantage, Maggio beat Lalonde from the faceoff circle to force overtime.

“That late in the game, I think the focus on the power play is getting pucks to the net,” Maggio said. “I knew Cuylle and (Daniel) D'amico were going to be doing their job screening the goalie and I just had to get it there.”

Off a faceoff in overtime, two Erie players went at Johnston, who made a perfect feed to a wide-open Cuylle in front for the winner.

The Spitfires remain on the road for a Tuesday match in Sarnia against the Sting. Game time is 7:05 p.m.