Spits hit a bit of a tailspin
The week did not end as well as it started for the Windsor Spitfires. After erasing the Erie Otters 9-1, the Spitfires salvaged a point from a 3-2 overtime road loss to the Saginaw Spirit before returning home to be cuffed 7-3 by the Brantford Bulldogs.
Windsor 9, Erie 1. Presumptive 2026 National Hockey League first round draft pick Ethan Belchetz netted the hat trick — he now has 25 goals on the season — and newcomer Nathan Villeneuve, acquired earlier in the week in a major Ontario Hockey League trade with the Sudbury Wolves, tallied twice to pace the Spitfires.
Saginaw 3, Windsor 2. The Spitfires outshot the Spirit 40-20 but gave up a 2-0 third period lead and lost in overtime to lowly Saginaw. Caden Harvey and Liam Greentree scored for Windsor.
Brantford 7, Windsor 3. The visiting Bulldogs busted open a one goal game with a three goal, third period barrage in a span of four minutes, 30 seconds to stun the Spitfires. Adam Benak scored three goals — including two in the final frame — to spark Eastern Conference leading Brantford to its 28th win of the season. The Bulldogs scored three times on the power play and now have a league leading success rate of 33.9 per cent with the extra man. Notably, Brantford was without a pair of NHL first rounders for the match — forward Jake O’Brien and defenseman Ben Danford, both out with injuries. A.J. Spellacy, Alex Pharand and Nathan Villeneuve handled the scoring for Windsor, which outshot the visitors 31-26.
SHOWDOWNS AHEAD
With 27 contests to play on the regular season slate, the Spitfires now sit three points back of the Flint Firebirds for top spot in the Western Conference with Windsor holding a game in hand. The Spitfires will face Flint on four more occasions this season, will play the third seed Kitchener Rangers four times and have three more games with the fourth place Soo Greyhounds. Buckle up!