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Defenceman Conor Walton’s first Ontario Hockey League goal could not have come at a better time for the Windsor Spitfires.
The six-foot-four, 208-pound Walton would not describe the shot as a bullet drive, but it succeeded in killing the comeback hopes of the Flint Firebirds, who are trying to hold off the Spitfires for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
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“When it comes, it’s awesome,” Walton said of the goal. “Got a big one, too, not a meaningless one, not an empty-netter. I was very happy with it. It might have been a little bit of a four-iron from the point, but it went in, right?
“Knuckle puck, but it went in. It went over (Flint goalie Nathan Day’s) glove and I was hyped. I’m not a big celly (celebration) guy, but boy was I happy.”
The Spitfires added an empty-net goal to seal a 5-3 victory over Flint on Wednesday before 4,638 at the WFCU Centre and moved to within four points of the Firebirds for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a game in hand.
“One hundred per cent I consider us in the hunt,” said Spitfires interim head coach Casey Torres, who has guided the team to a 8-4-2-0 record in 14 games. “I knew it was going to take time, we had some growing pains and we tripped a few times, but we’ve got a lot of runway left and I’m going to keep focusing on how we have to find ways to get better and improve.”
After opening an early two-goal lead, the Spitfires stumbled again on Wednesday as Flint rallied to tie the game at 3-3. It marked the third-straight game the Spitfires have allowed the opposition to tie the game in the third period. After losing the previous two games in overtime, the Spitfires found a way to regroup this time.
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“What matters is the score after 60 minutes and not 55,” said Spitfires’ goalie Joey Costanzo, who finished with 34 saves. “Getting the two points and taking two away from them is huge.”
The Spitfires have now produced at least a point in the last five games with eight of a possible 10 points over that stretch.
“We’re going to make the playoffs, I have no doubt about that,” said Walton, who also picked up an assist for his first multi-point OHL game. “You just feel it. We’re just clicking. Everyone’s going with it and we’re finally hitting our stride.”
Noah Morneau and Valentin Zhugin, on the power play, had the Spitfires up 2-0 after the first period, but the Firebirds dominated play in the second period with a 15-6 edge in shots and pulled to within a goal at 3-2 after 40 minutes as Nolan Dann sandwiched a pair of Flint goals around one by Jacob Maillet.
“They certainly tilted the ice on us in the second period after a good first period,” said Torres, whose team was outshot 37-26. “They took it to us.”
Nathan Aspinall tied it midway through the third period, but Walton answered with just over three minutes left in regulation.
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“That was the biggest goal of the year for us,” Costanzo said. “We love Wally. He’s a great guy in the room and guys love him.”
Maillet added an empty-net goal for the Spitfires, who now hit the road for a Saturday game in Erie against the Otters at 7 p.m. followed by a Sunday road match against the Niagara IceDogs at 2 p.m.
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Game Summary
Wednesday Result
Spitfires 5 Firebirds 3
Flint 0 2 1 – 3
Windsor 2 1 2 – 5
First period: 1. Windsor, Morneau 3 (Smith) 16:42, 2. Windsor, Zhugin 14 (Peer, Maillet) 17:30 (pp). Penalties: Bertucci F (slashing) 2:32, Davis W (tripping) 7:43, C.Pitre F (instigator, fighting, misconduct), Abraham W (fighting) 17:07, Zhugin W (high sticking) 19:14.
Second period: 3. Flint, Dann 13 (Bertucci, Giroux) 15:45 (pp), 4. Windsor, Maillet 11 (Greentree, Walton) 16:19, 5. Flint, Dann 14 (K.Pitre, Smith) 17:27. Penalties: Mancini W (hooking) :53, Maillet W (high sticking) 14:43.
Third period: 6. Flint, Aspinall 9 (Jenken, Giroux) 9:07, 7. Windsor, Walton 1 (Abraham, Greentree) 16:52, 8. Windsor, Maillet12 (Greentree, Peer) 19:23 (en). Penalties: None.
Game stats – SOG – Flint 12 15 10 – 37 Windsor 12 6 8 – 26 Goal (shots-saves) – Flint: Day (L,12-17-0-1) (25-21). Windsor: Costanzo (W,7-12-1-0) (37-34). Power play (goals-chances) – Flint 1-4. Windsor 1-2. Referees: Nicolas Bet (27) and Ryan Jenken (36). Linesmen: Will Lamoureux (85) and Kurtis Pare (70). Att.: 4,638 at the WFCU Centre.
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