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The Windsor Spitfires gave followers loads of reminiscences in 2022.
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The membership closed out the calendar yr with another memorable efficiency on Saturday in a 5-4 comeback win in time beyond regulation over the Kitchener Rangers earlier than a season-high crowd of 6,251 on the WFCU Centre.
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“That was the sport plan,” Spitfires’ head coach Marc Savard mentioned. “Let’s end this yr on a profitable word.
“It’s been such an awesome yr in Windsor and the fan assist was implausible. We had an awesome yr and we need to have one other in 2023.”
Windsor received 31-of-41 video games within the second 2022 portion of the 2021-22 season after which went on to achieve the Ontario Hockey League remaining for the primary time in over a decade.
Saturday’s comeback win was the membership’s twenty first in 33 video games this season and ninth within the final 11 video games because the membership stays within the thick of the race for high spot within the Western Convention.
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“Reminded quite a lot of the blokes of the playoffs final yr,” Renwick mentioned of Saturday’s sport. “It was nice ambiance on New Yr’s Eve. It was an awesome sport to be part of. It was a great way to finish off the yr.”
Whereas Kitchener got here into the sport preventing for a playoff spot within the convention, the Rangers have been wheeling and dealing in current weeks trying to get again into competition and had 13 of a doable 16 factors in its final eight video games.
“We knew coming into this that it was going to be a battle as a result of they’ve made a few trades,” mentioned Spitfires’ ahead Alex Christopoulos, whose crew has received all three conferences with the Rangers this season.
The Spitfires regarded a bit weary Saturday with the membership taking part in its third sport in 4 days after an eight-day break for Christmas.
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“We used quite a lot of guys in Guelph (on Friday in a 3-2 win), some guys quite a lot of minutes they usually have been taxing minutes, particularly as a result of we’d been off,” Savard mentioned. “We requested them to step up once more they usually proceed to not stop and it’s superb.
“It felt like at instances the sport was getting away from us, however they caught with it and received the ultimate outcome we wished.”
Windsor held its personal for 2 durations with rookie Liam Greentree getting the membership on the board first. Carson Rehkopf’s power-play objective pulled the Rangers even after 20 minutes.
Renwick restored Windsor’s lead solely to see Francesco Pinelli draw the Rangers even once more simply 56 seconds later. Nonetheless, Ethan Martin, who has spent a lot of this season taking part in junior B in LaSalle, responded 92 seconds later as he put dwelling a rebound after rookie A.J. Spellacy had hit the publish to place Windsor up 3-2 after 40 minutes.
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“We simply actually needed to work,” Christopoulos mentioned. “Undoubtedly a personality (win) as a result of all the blokes have been working collectively.”
That might get examined within the third interval because the Spitfires tried to enhance to 17-0 when taking a lead into the ultimate 20 minutes.
Reid Valade and Matthew Sop scored to place the Rangers up for the primary time at 4-3, however Windsor would power time beyond regulation on its solely power-play probability late within the sport.
Renwick’s wrist shot from the purpose discovered the again of the online with simply over two minutes left in regulation.
“I type of noticed a little bit gap in between a couple of guys,” Renwick mentioned. “I at all times belief my shot and (Greentree) was nice in entrance of the online. He does a great job screening the goalie. The goalie didn’t have an opportunity to see it.”
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That received the sport to time beyond regulation the place Christopoulos broke up a play on the Windsor blue line, went down the wing and ripped a shot over the blocker Rangers’ goalie Marcus Vandenberg simply over two minutes into further time to win it.
“Additional time winners are at all times particular, particularly in entrance of a packed crowd,” mentioned Christopoulos, who shares the league lead with six game-winning targets and is tied for third total within the league with 24 targets. “I used to be searching for the cross, nevertheless it was 50-50. The defenceman type of took the cross away and I simply felt I had a taking pictures lane.”
Windsor will now flip its calendar to 2023 with the membership’s first match on Wednesday towards the Saginaw Spirit, who sit two factors forward of the Spitfires for first place within the West Division. Sport time on the WFCU Centre is 7:05 p.m.
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Sport Abstract
Saturday End result
Spitfires 5 Rangers 4 (OT)
Kitchener 1 1 2 0 – 4
Windsor 1 2 1 1 – 5
First interval: 1. Windsor, Greentree 10 (Cristoforo, Maillet) 7:19, 2. Kitchener, Rehkopf 18 (Valade, Arcuri) 13:52 (pp). Penalty: Spellacy W (blindsiding) 13:27.
Second interval: 3. Windsor, Renwick 8 (Sobolev, Greentree) 5:38, 4. Kitchener, Pinelli 21 (Arcuri) 6:34, 5. Windsor, Martin 1 (Spellacy) 8:06. Penalties: None.
Third interval: 6. Kitchener, Valade 13 (Arcuri, Zidlicky) 3:29 (pp), 7. Kitchener, Sop 8 (unassisted) 8:36, 8. Windsor, Renwick 9 (Maggio, Maillet) 17:56 (pp). Penalties: Maggio W (excessive sticking) 1:41, Pinelli Ok (tripping) 16:59.
Additional time: 9. Windsor, Christopoulos 24 (unassisted) 2:08. Penalties: None.
Sport stats – SOG – Kitchener 8 13 10 1 – 32 Windsor 10 14 10 2 – 36 Purpose (shots-saves) – Kitchener: Vandenberg (L,4-2–10) (36-31). Windsor: Onuska (W,13-6-3-0) (32-28). Energy play (goals-chances) – Kitchener 2-2. Windsor 1-1. Referees: Ryan Hutchison (20) and Joe Monette (25). Linesmen: Kyle Flood (66) and Geoff Rutherford (62). Att.: 6,251 on the WFCU Centre.
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