Setting up the Spitfires
They have size. They have skill. They have depth. To be sure, the Spitfires are set up for this season and next as genuine Ontario Hockey League contenders.
Windsor, which has a 20 point lead atop the West Division and is among the top three teams in the overall standings of the OHL, is a well constructed active roster of 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies.
Age wise, the Spitfires are heavy in the 2006 birth date category and light in the 2007 birth year group. But all in all, savvy Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler has Windsor in contention as a formidable force for the foreseeable future.
On the current roster of Spitfires are three players with 2004 (overage) birth dates, five who are born in 2005, nine more in 2006, a pair in 2007, and four others in 2008. The 2008 birth year group is especially promising for down the road with two others who are not on the current roster but are signed prospects and developing with the Spitfires Jr. B affiliate in nearby LaSalle.
Besides skilled players such as high scoring forwards Liam Greentree, Ilya Protas, Jack Nesbitt, Noah Morneau, Ryan Abraham and Cole Davis and defenseman Anthony Cristoforo, what stands out on the Windsor roster is the number of players who are 6 foot 3 and taller.
The list of sizeable Spitfires includes defensemen Tanner Winegard (6 foot 6), Wyatt Kennedy (6 foot 5), Conor Walton (6 foot 5), Tnias Mathurin (6 foot 3) and forwards Ilya Protas (6 foot 5), Ethan Belchetz (6 foot 5), Jack Nesbitt (6 foot 4), Liam Greentree (6 foot 3), A.J. Spellacy (6 foot 3) and Luke McNamara (6 foot 3.) If that isn’t enough, backup goalie Carter Froggett is 6 foot 4.
Size. Skill. And oh yes, the Spitfires also have one of the OHL’s better starting goalies in veteran Joey Costanzo.
SPITFIRES 8, FIREBIRDS 6
Windsor continued its mastery of Flint with a wild 8-6 Saturday night road victory over the Firebirds. Windsor had a 6-1 lead at one point in the game but Flint fired back to put a scare into the Spitfires. At any rate, the soaring Spitfires have now won all four of their meetings with the Firebirds this season.
The Spitfires, who now boast a record of 30-8-3, have won nine of their last 10 games.
Ilya Protas propelled the Spitfires to victory with three goals, giving him 29 on the season. Liam Greentree with his 30th, Noah Morneau, Ryan Abraham and defensemen Carson Woodall and Anthony Cristoforo all scored solo goals for the Spitfires.
Between the pipes, Joey Costanzo made 23 saves for his league leading 24th victory of the season.
Next action for the Spitfires is a Thursday, January 16 home match against the Sudbury Wolves with opening face off at 7:05 p.m. at the WFCU Center.