Extra point continues to elude Spitfires
Brantford Bulldogs get late goal en route to shootout victory at WFCU Centre
Extra time has not been kind to the Windsor Spitfires this season.
Wednesday marked the eighth time the Spitfires have gone into extra time this season and for the sixth time the club could not gain the extra point.
“We just haven't been too lucky with that,” Spitfires centre Ryan Abraham said.
The Brantford Bulldogs, who scored late to force extra time, had the only two goals in the shootout to beat the Spitfires 5-4 in front of a WFCU Centre crowd of 3,906.
“It sucks not getting two points there,” said Spitfires defenceman Conor Walton, who had two assists. “Obviously, you're not totally frustrated. You got the one (point), but frustrated because we need points for a playoff push.”
The Spitfires are 10 points back of a playoff spot in the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference and a little more success in overtime and shootouts would have the club closer to that goal.
“They're all important (points) for us at this point and we have to try to find a way to steal points any way we can,” Spitfires interim head coach Casey Torres said.
Wednesday was an opportunity against the East Division-leading Bulldogs, who trailed the Spitfires 2-0 after the first period.
A.J. Spellacy got Windsor on the board just 78 seconds into the game and Abraham stretched the lead.
But the club has struggled in the second period in recent games and four penalties in the middle frame along with a penalty shot allowed the Bulldogs to get momentum and back in the game.
“I think we had eight penalty minutes in the second period,” Abraham said. “I don't think that was on our side, but we battled back.”
The Bulldogs held a 23-9 edge in shots in the second period, and 5426 overall, and pulled even after 40 minutes on goals by Floridan Xhekaj and Adrian Rebelo.
Patrick Thomas scored on Brantford's fifth power play of the game just 93 seconds into the third period to put the Bulldogs up 3-2, but the Spitfires would battle back.
Abraham scored back-to-back goals to complete a hat trick and give Windsor a 4-3 lead with a little more than four minutes left in regulation.
That lead lasted just 36 seconds with Xhekaj scoring to force overtime.
“I thought our goalie was really good,” Torres said of Joey Costanzo, who made 49 saves. “He gave us a chance to win and we had a chance to win against a really good team.”
But unable to convert on two shootout attempts while the Bulldogs converted both shots, the Spitfires fell to 1-for-4 in shootouts, which is the same record the club has in overtime. Only the Mississauga Steelheads have struggled in extra time more than the Spitfires in the 20-team OHL.
“You just have to keep your head up,” Abraham said.
The Spitfires begin a stretch of three games in three days on Saturday with a match in Flint against the Firebirds at 7 p.m. The team returns home Sunday to face the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds at the WFCU Centre at 4:05 p.m. The club heads to London for a Family Day match against the Knights on Monday at 2 p.m.