‘Huge rivalry’: Windsor Spitfires draw confidence from 3-2 win over No. 1 London Knights

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WINDSOR – It’s a victory the Windsor Spitfires will not allow anyone to diminish in any way, shape or form.

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The Spitfires were full marks in a comeback 3-2 victory over the league-leading London Knights on Saturday before a crowd of 5,666 at the WFCU Centre.

“What a performance the kids put on,” said Spitfires head coach Greg Walters, whose team fell 4-2 in London on Friday. “They were mad at themselves and disappointed more and understanding the things that have made us successful and we lost that in London.

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“I knew these kids would respond and I didn’t know in that fashion because they just dominated a very good hockey team.”

Sure the Knights were without Team Canada campers Easton Cowan, Sam Dickinson, Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey, who was cut on Friday, but not in the lineup on Saturday.

“There’s obviously a huge rivalry there,” said Spitfires forward Cole Davis, whose team was without injured Owen Outwater and Ethan Belchetz. “Probably the biggest rivalry in the OHL. With the effort we came with (Saturday), it wouldn’t have mattered who they had. It was just pure domination and we needed that.”

Windsor’s 42 shots on net were the most given up by the Knights this season while the 15 directed at the Spitfires’ net marked a season low for London.

“It’s tough, obviously it’s a competitive sport and you hate to lose,” Knights forward Blake Montgomery said. “They’re a hard-nosed team, they play hard and got the better of us.”

It was Knights rookie goalie Aleksei Medvedev that allowed London to stay in the game.

“He was amazing,” Davis said of Medvedev. “It wasn’t easy to get by him.”

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Twice the Knights built a one-goal lead with Knights defenceman Henry Brzustewicz opening the scoring with Davis countering for Windsor to tie the game after one period.

Montgomery had the lone goal of the second period and the Knights boasted a 19-1 mark going into the third period this season when holding the lead.

“I think we played awesome,” Spitfires centre Jack Nesbitt said. “We were outworking them, playing physical and getting shots to the net. We just don’t like to give up. Walters always pushes us to keep working and I think it shows.”

A.J. Spellacy pulled Windsor even 100 seconds into the final period with a shot that beat Medvedev to the short side.

With time winding down, Nesbitt picked up a loose puck that was knocked off the stick of Liam Greentree and fired home the winner from the slot with just under three minutes to play.

“Our goal was just to outwork them,” Davis said. “They’re obviously a great hockey team, so are we, so it just came down to whoever could produce more quality (chances) and worked hard and we deserved that.”

There’s still four more meetings left this season between these two teams with Windsor back within a point of the Knights, who have two games in hand.

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“I think we’re right up there with them,” said Davis, whose team is ranked No. 7 in the Canadian Hockey League. “I think we deserved to be there as well and we’re just going to continue to play our game and hopefully get to that No. 1 position.”

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Game Summary

Spitfires 3 Knights 2

London 1 1 0 – 2

Windsor 1 0 2 – 3

First period:

1. London, Bzustewicz 5 (Nurmi) 9:20, 2. Windsor, Davis 10 (Hicks) 14:32.

Penalties:

Julien L (check to head) 5:49, Nesbitt W (delay of game) 10:57, Sim L (roughing), Greentree W( roughing) 18:07.

Second period:

3. London, Montgomery 7 (Nicholl) 4:23.

Penalties:

Brzustewicz L (fighting), Greentree W (fighting) 3:52, O’Reilly L (hooking) 6:38.

Third period:

4. Windsor, Spellacy 11 (Woodall, Lemieux) 1:40, 5. Windsor, Nesbitt 13 (Greentree, Hicks) 17:38.

Penalties:

Brzustewicz L (holding) 5:06, Brzustewicz L (tripping) 11:08.

Game stats – SOG –

London 5 5 5 – 15 Windsor 17 12 13 – 42

Goal (shots-saves) –

London: Medvedev (L,11-4-0-0) (42-39). Windsor: Costanzo (W,19-5-1-1) (15-13).

Power play (goals-chances) –

London 0-1. Windsor 0-4.

Referees:

Ryan Ebers and Connor Mallon.

Linesmen:

Brad Horan and Geoff Rutherford.

Att.:

5,666 at the WFCU Centre.

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