Storm Stall Spitfires’ Engines

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No pigskin inside the WFCU Centre, just fast-moving black rubber. Unfortunately, it did not favour the Windsor Spitfires. The Guelph Storm left the Spitfires out of commission Sunday afternoon, as the visiting Storm blew through the Spits 6-3.

Spitfires and Storm Split Home-and-Home

Heading into today’s game, Windsor definitely had the momentum. Friday night, the Spitfires were in Guelph for the first game of a home-and-home series. Windsor was shorthanded players and even had to play Brady Vail on the defense. Vail replaced an injured Patrick Sieloff. It was a game in which the Storm held the Spits to only 15 shots, while firing 47 of their own. In the end though, it was the Spitfires who earned the 3-1 victory.

Contrary to Friday’s game, Guelph started this one on a positive note by scoring the opening goal. Scott Kosmachuk burst between the defenders on a breakaway. He finished the play with a backhand behind Jordan DeKort. The Storm nearly put the Spits in a bigger hole shortly after when they were awarded a penalty shot. Fortunately, the shot hit the post and stayed out. Also fortunate for Windsor, the Spits scored the next goal. On the power-play, Trevor Murphy passed to Alex Aleardi, who then returned the pass. Murphy fired a rocket straight in to beat Garret Sparks. Later, Windsor had some (unsuccessful) chances on the 5-on-3, while Guelph kept great pressure during the last minute. The Storm had the Spitfires chasing, but the home team held on. Both teams skated off the ice with a goal apiece after the first 20 minutes.

The early bird gets the worm

Twice this afternoon, Guelph was able to score early on in the period. In the second, it only took Brock McGinn and the Storm 13 seconds to take the lead. Like the second, Guelph added another goal early in the third period. Zack Mitchell scored just 1:37 after the drop of the puck.

After McGinn put his team up 2-1 early, his teammate extended the lead. Tyler Bertuzzi was able to put the puck past Dekort. Despite the quick goals, Windsor tried to bring some energy back to the fans, and get back into the game with a goal. Alex Aleardi centered a pass to Alexander Khokhlachev, whose backhand went high and wide. Aleardi picked up the puck, skated around the net, and slid a pass to Khokhlachev. His quick shot squeezed through the goalie’s pads. However, what went up for Windsor, seemed to go down. Closing in on the end of the period, Jason Dickinson came out from the corner, lifted a shot over DeKort’s shoulder and in. Guelph took a 4-2 lead to the locker room.

Again, like the previous period, Windsor had to fight off a quick goal; Mitchell scored within under two minutes to start the period. The Spitfires did respond later in the third; Aleardi and Khokhlachev connected again. Khokhlachev spun back in the left circle and slid a pass to the point to Ben Johnson. He let a shot go that hit bodies in front of the net. Aleardi was there to pick up the scrap and slide the puck behind Sparks. With only five minutes to go though, the Spitfires could not do much. Eventually, the Storm scored an empty-net goal to seal the game. Guelph handed Windsor their third straight loss at home by a score of 6-3.

The Spitfires aren’t back on home ice until Friday, February 15^th when they battle the struggling Sarnia Sting. The Sting have lost six of their last ten, and the Spitfires will try to take advantage.