It is Spitfires v. Firebirds
Only two points separated the Windsor Spitfires and Flint Firebirds during the ’25-26 Ontario Hockey League regular season. And now the no. 2 seed Spitfires and the no. 3 seed Firebirds will face off in a best of seven Western Conference semi-final.
The Spitfires capped off a regular season record of 44-15-9 with a four game sweep of the Guelph Storm. And the Firebirds added on to a regular season record of 44-17-7 by obliterating the Owen Sound Attack in four straight.
To be sure — and as their regular season records clearly indicate — there isn’t much to choose from between the two teams. Both Windsor and Flint are well managed, well coached and have skill and depth on the forward lines and defense . And both teams have workhorse overage goalies with Joey Costanzo defending the net for Windsor and Mason Vaccari tending the twine for Flint.
It truly is unfortunate that one of the teams is going to be packing their bags after this series. Which is where the home ice advantage that the Spitfires have for the series just may be the determining factor.
Outlook. I absolutely love both teams. Windsor has shown it can win without injured scoring star Ethan Belchetz while the secondary scoring that Flint has was on full display in the first round shellacking of Owen Sound.
X-Factors. Goalies and defensemen aside, in this particular situation, forwards who could have the most significant impact on the outcome of the series are Liam Greentree, Jack Nesbitt and Nathan Villeneuve of the Spitfires and Nathan Aspinall, Jacob Battaglia and Kevin He of the Firebirds. Notably, Villeneuve, Battaglia and He were all trade deadline acquisitions.
And the winner is. Windsor, in a one goal, Game 7 thriller on home ice.
Following is the second round playoff schedule.
Game 1 – Friday, April 10 | 7:05 PM – WFCU Centre, Windsor
Game 2 – Sunday, April 12 | 4:05 PM – WFCU Centre, Windsor
Game 3 – Tuesday, April 14 | 7:00 PM – Dort Financial Centre, Flint
Game 4 – Thursday, April 16 | 7:00 PM – Dort Financial Centre, Flint
Game 5* – Saturday, April 18 | 7:05 PM – Windsor
Game 6* – Sunday, April 19 | 4:00 PM – Flint
Game 7* – Tuesday, April 21 | 7:05 PM – Windsor
*if necessary
