Eric Locke – The Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week

In Play on Facebook

Eric Locke in recent action against the Oshawa Generals.
Photo by Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine

(Windsor) Rookie centre Eric Locke is the Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week as selected by the Spitfires coaching staff for the week ending Sunday, November 28, 2010. In three games last week, Locke scored four goals and added one assist for five points with a +5 plus-minus rating. Locke previously earned player of the week honours for the Spitfires on October 17th.

On Friday, Locke started the week with one assist in Windsor’s 5-2 victory against the Oshawa Generals at the WFCU Centre and the following night, he scored one goal in the Spitfires 5-2 road loss to the Saginaw Spirit. On Sunday, Locke finished the week strong, earning first star honours as he scored three goals and registered his second hat-trick of the season in Windsor’s 7-2 win over the Peterborough Petes at the WFCU Centre.

Locke, a 17 year-old native of Toronto, Ontario has been on a tear for the Spitfires of late, scoring at least one goal in four of his past five games and recording at least one point in each contest. During this span, he has nine goals and three assists for 12 points with a +7 plus-minus rating.

Overall, Locke has played 26 games for Windsor this season and is ranked second amongst all OHL rookies, and on the Spitfires in goals scored (14). His 21 points also have him tied for sixth overall in the OHL’s rookie scoring race.

The two-time defending MasterCard Memorial Cup and Rogers OHL Champions will host the Niagara IceDogs this Thursday (December 2nd) at the WFCU Centre. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. SUBWAY® restaurants will be teaming up with the Windsor Spitfires and AM 800 to conduct a Canned Food Drive prior to the start of the game. Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods, non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products to help support the Society of St. Vincent De Paul. Each contributing fan will be given a ballot at the SUBWAY®/AM 800 Kiosk located in the WFCU Centre’s main concourse to win special prizes offered by Subway and AM800.

2010-2011 Windsor Spitfires’ Players of the Week
Eric Locke – Nov. 22 – Nov. 28, 2010
Ryan Ellis – Nov. 15 – Nov. 21, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Nov. 8 – Nov. 14, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Nov. 1 – Nov. 7, 2010
Jack Campbell – Oct. 25 – Oct. 31, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Oct. 18 – Oct. 24, 2010
Eric Locke – Oct. 11 – Oct. 17, 2010
Zack Kassian – Oct. 4 – Oct. 11, 2010
Kyle Tarini – Sep. 27 – Oct. 3, 2010
Alexander Khokhlachev – Sep. 21 – Sep. 27, 2010

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Spitfires Ryan Ellis and Zack Kassian Invited to Canada's National Junior Team Camp

In Play on Facebook

THIRTY-NINE PLAYERS INVITED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP


TORONTO, Ont. – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced on Monday that 39 of Canada’s top junior-aged hockey players (born in 1991 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, December 12-15, 2010 at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, Ont.

Of the 39 players invited, three are returning players – Jared Cowen (Allan, Sask./Spokane, WHL), Calvin de Haan (Carp, Ont./Oshawa, OHL) and Ryan Ellis (Freelton, Ont./Windsor, OHL) helped Canada earn the silver medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Regina and Saskatoon, Sask. Ellis also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Ont. In addition, thirty-four of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2009 or 2010 NHL Entry Drafts, including eighteen first-round selections and four second-round picks.

Hockey Canada can still add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on December 12, in the event that NHL teams loan Canada’s National Junior Team junior-aged eligible players currently playing in the NHL.

"On behalf of Hockey Canada, we want to congratulate the players named to the camp roster today, along with their club teams, parents and minor hockey coaches that have helped them reach this level,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of hockey operations/national teams. “As well, we would like to thank the Canadian Hockey League for its partnership and support of the Program of Excellence.”

“Thanks to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, many of these players have already received the experience necessary to deal with high-paced international competition such as the World Juniors,” said Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada’s head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence. “The quality and skill of the 39 players invited to the camp next week is a testament to the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey systems.”

Prendergast, who was named head scout in September, travelled coast to coast during the early months of the 2010-11 season, assessing players in preparation for the selection camp.

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, I would like to congratulate all players who have been named to the selection camp roster,” said David Branch, president of the CHL. “This is a tremendous honour, and all have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today.”

Once the final roster is named at the conclusion of the selection camp in Toronto on December 15, Canada’s National Junior Team will play in three pre-competition games in southern Ontario prior to the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship, December 26 to January 5 in Buffalo, N.Y.

Canada will play its first game of the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26 versus Russia.

Canada has medaled at twelve straight IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2010 and bronze medals in 2000 and 2001.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Spits Explode in Third Period, Blow Out Petes

In Play on Facebook


Eric Locke has shown a knack for scoring in bunches this season. And today, was just one of those days.

The slick centreman had a hat-trick and Craig Duininck's first goal of the year proved to be the winner, as the Spitfires stormed back with six goals in the third period to top the Peterborough Petes, 7-2, in a Sunday afternoon matinee.

Jack Campbell was once again outstanding in goal, stopping 32 shots for the win.

Fresh off a sweep of the Michigan teams, it was the Petes that pulled ahead in the first period.

A great individual effort from Alan Quine - and some less than enthusiastic defensive work by the Spits - led to the game's opening goal.

Quine picked up a puck in the right circle and noodled his way through a maze of Windsor defenders before sliding one past Jack for a 1-0 Petes lead.

The Petes didn't wait long to extend their lead.

On a power play, Austin Watson took a brilliant cross-crease pass from Matt Puempel and beat a lunging Jack Campbell with just 16 seconds left in the opening period.

Locke cut the lead in half in the second, picking up a rebound and beating Peterborough goalie Andrew D'Agostini to make it 2-1, after 40 minutes.

That set the stage for an explosive third period.

Locke's second of the game, off a nice feed from Ryan Ellis, tied things up at 2-2 at the 7:46 mark.

Then, about 90 seconds later, Duininck's bomb from the left point beat D'Agostini cleanly to give the Spits their first lead of the game.

Then the onslaught really started.

Locke's third made it 4-2 at the 12:35 mark. Ellis, Zack Kassian and Kenny Ryan rounded out the scoring with goals in a three-minute span.

We're on our way over to interview Bob Boughner after the Blue Jackets-Red Wings game.

But check back later for more coverage of today's game, including a full HD quality video highlight package.

SCORING
FIRST PERIOD
PBO Quine, (10) (Mathers, Puempel), 16:32
PBO Watson, (7) (Puempel, Ekelund), 19:44 (PP)

SECOND PERIOD
WSR Locke, (12) (MacQueen, Posa), 14:32

THIRD PERIOD
WSR Locke, (13) (Ellis, Kassian), 7:46
WSR Duininck, (1) (Kassian, Kuhnhackl), 9:13
WSR Locke, (14) (Khokhlachev, MacQueen), 12:35
WSR Ellis, (9) (Kassian, Khokhlachev), 14:53
WSR Kassian, (12) (Khokhlachev, Ryan), 17:15
WSR Ryan, (6) (Johnston), 18:05 (PP)

The Windsor Spitfires return to the WFCU Centre on Thursday, December 2nd to take on the Niagara IceDogs. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. SUBWAY® restaurants will be teaming up with the Windsor Spitfires and AM 800 to conduct a Canned Food Drive prior to the start of Thursday’s game. Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods, non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products to help support the Society of St. Vincent De Paul.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Ellis, Campbell Shine as Spits Top Generals

In Play on Facebook

SPITS 5, GENERALS 2



Vice President and General Manager Warren Rychel presents Ryan Ellis
 the award with Ryan's parents. Photo By Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine

Ryan Ellis didn't disappoint the hometown crowd that honoured him Friday night, setting up three goals, as the Windsor Spitfires beat the Oshawa Generals at the WFCU Centre.
Zack Kassian scored twice, his 11th and 12th of the season, and Jack Campbell was outstanding, making 41 saves in goal, as the Spits tied a season high with their third straight win.

Following a pre-game celebration honouring Ellis becoming the franchise's all-time leader in points by a defenceman, the Spitfires (14-9-0-1) got down to business quickly.

Derek Lanoue bounced a puck in off Oshawa defenceman Colin Suellentrop, to open the scoring at the 3:34 mark of the first period.

Alexander Khokhlachev made it 2-0, just six minutes later, beating Generals goalie Kevin Bailie off a scramble.

Lanoue was at it again early in the second period. The reliable checking forward picked up a puck at his own blue line, grinded his way down the right wing, shedding Oshawa checkers before feeding Zack MacQueen in front to make it 3-0.

But Campbell was the big story of the second period, making 21 saves, including a world class glove save off Nick Jensen's point-blank chance.

Zack Kassian added a pair of insurance markers late in the middle frame, chasing Bailie, who didn't receive much support on the night.

Tony DeHart and Lucas Lessio scored in a losing cause for Oshawa (13-6-2-2).

NOTES
*GM Warren Rychel presented Ellis and his parents with a commemorative plaque in honour of his 230th career point.
*Since setting the record back on November 10th, Ellis has 13 points in just five games.
*Tom Kuhnhackl's streak of six straight games with at least one goal ended tonight.
*The team's streak of at least one power play goal also ended at nine games.
*Oshawa was tied with Mississauga for fewest road losses (2) in the league prior to tonight's game.

SCORING
FIRST PERIOD
WSR Lanoue, (2) (Ellis), 3:34
WSR Khokhlachev, (12) (Ellis, Kuhnhackl), 9:57

SECOND PERIOD
WSR MacQueen, (7) (Lanoue), 2:50
OSH DeHart, (2) (Jenner, Berger), 11:02
WSR Kassian, (10) (Locke, Ellis), 15:26
WSR Kassian, (11) (Duininck, Johnston), 17:52

THIRD PERIOD
OSH Lessio, (9) (Jensen), 8:12

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Ryan Ellis – The Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week

In Play on Facebook

Defenceman and Team Captain Ryan Ellis is the Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week as selected by the Spitfires coaching staff for the week ending Sunday, November 21, 2010. In two games last week, Ellis was tied for the team scoring lead with four goals and seven points along with a +5 plus/minus rating while leading the Spitfires to a perfect 2-0 record. He is also the reigning Precision Jewellers and Windsor Spitfires Player of the Month award winner, earning this honour for his outstanding play in October.

Ryan Ellis in action against the London Knights, November 10, 2010
Photo by Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine

On Friday, Ellis enjoyed a three point night with a two goal and one assist performance as he led the Spitfires to an impressive 7-3 road victory over the London Knights. The following night, he followed this up with a four point performance; scoring two goals and two assists including a dramatic overtime game-winning goal in Windsor’s 6-5 come from behind road win against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Ellis was selected as the game’s third star for his outstanding effort.

The 19 year-old Freelton, Ontario native has registered at least one point in nine of his past ten games for the Spitfires. Ellis was selected by the Nashville Predators with the team’s 11th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Most recently, he served as Team OHL’s Captain on November 15th for the 2010 Subway Super Series game played in Sudbury, Ontario and led the OHL to a 2-1 overtime shootout victory against Team Russia.

In 20 games this season, Ellis has 8 goals and 17 assists for 25 points, ranking him second amongst all OHL defencemen in scoring.

On November 10th, Ellis set the Windsor Spitfires all-time career scoring record by defencemen at 230 points, assisting on the Spitfires’ game-winning goal in Windsor’s 5-4 overtime victory against the London Knights. The two-time defending MasterCard Memorial Cup and Rogers OHL Champions will pay tribute to Ryan Ellis’ outstanding achievement and career this upcoming Friday (November 26) as part of “Ryan Ellis Night” at the Spitfires home game versus the Oshawa Generals.

Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. at the WFCU Centre.

2010-2011 Windsor Spitfires’ Players of the Week
Ryan Ellis – Nov. 15 – Nov. 21, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Nov. 8 – Nov. 14, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Nov. 1 – Nov. 7, 2010
Jack Campbell – Oct. 25 – Oct. 31, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Oct. 18 – Oct. 24, 2010
Eric Locke – Oct. 11 – Oct. 17, 2010
Zack Kassian – Oct. 4 – Oct. 11, 2010
Kyle Tarini – Sep. 27 – Oct. 3, 2010
Alexander Khokhlachev – Sep. 21 – Sep. 27, 2010

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Kitchener Collapse Never Happened

In Play on Facebook

By David Clark

One of the most entertaining playoff showdowns in OHL history took place last season with the Midwest Division leaders, the Kitchener Rangers (91 pts.) taking on the team from the West, the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires (106 pts.) in the Western Conference finals. The Rangers were confident that they would walk away victorious considering they lead 3 games to none in the series at one point but in a heartbeat, Windsor showed their prowess on the ice and sent the Rangers packing when they earned four straight to take the series.


A dejected Ranger team produced several budding stars last year who leapt into the NHL early this season. In particular, Jeremy Morin and Jeff Skinner successfully graduated to the next level this year. Most predicted that Kitchener would collapse when the two went away but other significant members of last season’s outfit had something to say about it.

The highly skilled Ranger team of 2010-2011 without Morin and Skinner are now fighting with the Owen Sound Attack for 1st in the Midwest (both with 33 pts.) and sitting 2nd in the Western Conference with the Attack behind Saginaw. Kitchener has a whopping 100 Goals For, 1st in the conference while the Attack are positioned at 98.

When Morin and Skinner vacated the premises early, Kitchener appeared to be shell-shocked for a while but regained their composure in a short period of time. Three equally impressive players on the team, Jason Akeson, Ryan Murphy and Gabriel Landeskog have all contributed heavily to the effort to reinvent the team when their best took the last train out.

Landeskog is presently the leading candidate as top prospect for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and Murphy landed the #8 position in the early rankings. At the top, Akeson leads the Rangers and the entire OHL in scoring at the moment with 12 goals and 34 assists for 46 points (Nov. 21, 2011).

The three high scoring prospects are all in the top 15 in scoring right now in the OHL and stepping up to the challenge of making this team a winner this season. So far, so good!

A good example of their competitiveness, Kitchener’s fabulous three (with 8 straight wins behind them) hosted a game on this day against the surging Ottawa 67’s that ended up in a shootout where the Rangers saw defeat (5-4). In the effort, Landeskog supplied the home team with 2 goals and 1 assist and Akeson put away 1 goal and an assist. Murphy was idle, still sitting at #6 on the OHL score sheet.

Most of the experts agree that the Kitchener Rangers will possibly go deep into the playoffs this season with the help of these three scoring leaders who harnessed the team when others predicted the worst.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Spits Stun Hounds in OT

In Play on Facebook


TOTALLY ... STUNNED

That's how the Windsor Spitfires left fans at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday night.

Ryan Ellis capped a late comeback with his second goal of the night, as the Spits overcame their third two-goal deficit to beat the Soo Greyhounds, 6-5 in overtime.

Windsor's all-world team captain added two assists, for a four-point night. Zack Kassian had three assists, while Eric Locke and Alexander Khokhlachev each had a goal and two helpers, as the Spitfires (13-9-0-1) won a huge road game for the second straight night.

Things looked bleak for the Spits after the Greyhounds (8-12-4-0) took a 5-3 lead on Trevor Morebeck's third of the year, near the midway mark of the third.

But having already overcome a pair of two-goal deficits in the first period, coach Bob Jones called a timeout, to settle his young club down.

"A great move by Bob," Ellis said, during a jubilant bus ride home. "He told us to relax a little and get back to playing our game. And we did. We won every puck battle after that ... and won it."

The move paid off with four minutes to go, with a little help from some shaky defensive play by the Greyhounds.

Ryan Ellis picked up a loose puck - after Carson Dubchak coughed it up in his own zone - and fed Khokhlachev, who beat Soo goalie Chris Perigini with a nifty backhand, to cut the lead to 5-4 at the 16:04 mark.

That set the stage for more of Locke's heroics.

With the Windsor net empty, the rookie centre sent the Spits bench into a frenzy, as he buried a slick pass from Kassian to tie the game at 19:43.

"Locker's been huge for us," Ellis said. "A hat-trick last night...a huge goal tonight. He seems to bury big chances a lot, and to make a key play for an assist when we need it. He's becoming a huge part of this team...as a rookie."

Big praise from a guy who knows all about big plays.

And, fittingly, it was the dynamic vet who capped the win, and the kid who set him up. Locke spotted Ellis darting in off the point, and he calmly beat Perugini in tight.

Brett Findlay had two goals in a losing cause for the Greyhounds. Brett Thompson and Jake Carrick added two assists each.

NOTES
*Several Spits exploded during this two-game road trip. Ellis (4G, 3A, +5), Kassian (7A, +2) and Locke (4G, 2A, +3) all played a huge role.

*Tom Kuhnhackl kept his hot streak going. He scored his team-leading 15th goal of the season in the Soo, giving him at least one in six straight games.

*The Spits scored twice on the power play, extending their streak to eight games with at least one PPG.

*Troy Passingham picked up both wins on the trip, improving his record to 6-2-0-1. Jack Campbell has seven wins in 15 appearances.

*The win gives Windsor five wins in 12 road starts and ends a stretch of eight games in nine away from the WFCU Centre.

SCORING
1. SSM Catenacci, (12) (Thompson, King), 5:22 (PP)
1. SSM Findlay, (5) (Carrick, Archibald), 7:45
1. WSR Ellis, (7) (Kassian, Khokhlachev), 11:12
1. SSM Cousins, (10) (Thompson), 13:08
1. WSR Kuhnhackl, (15) (Kassian, Ellis), 13:48 (PP)
1. WSR MacQueen, (6) (Locke, Johnston), 18:08 (PP)
3. SSM Findlay, (6) (Carrick), 6:31
3. SSM Morbeck, (3) (Cousins, Omelyanenko), 9:21
3. WSR Khokhlachev, (11) (Ellis), 16:02
3. WSR Locke, (10) (Kassian, Khokhlachev), 19:43
OT. WSR Ellis, (8) (Locke), 2:19

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Spitfires Defeat Knights 7-3

In Play on Facebook


Eric Locke had three goals and Zack Kassian chipped in four assists as the Spitfires thumped the Knights 7-3, before a packed house in London.

Ryan Ellis also scored twice and Tom Kuhnhackl had a goal and two assists.

But it was Locke's third goal that proved decisive.

With the Spits leading 4-3 in the third period, and shorthanded, Locke grabbed a Kenny Ryan pass in full stride and busted in on a partial breakaway, sliding one past Michael Houser to break London's back.

Alexander Khokhlachev scored his 10th of the year to make it 6-3, with a little more than two minutes to play.

Ryan Ellis added an amazing empty netter, to seal the 7-3 win.

Troy Passingham made 20 saves in the Windsor goal for the victory.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Khokhlachev Among Top NHL Prospects

In Play on Facebook

He leads the Windsor Spitfires in scoring and is second among OHL rookies with 28 points.

Alexander Khokhlachev
Photo by Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine

To fans in Windsor, it's been pretty clear from the minute he suited up for the Spits that Alexander Khokhlachev is a star in the making.

Well, as of today, the secret is out.

In its first rankings of the season, NHL Central Scouting has listed KoKo as the 12th best NHL prospect in the Ontario Hockey League.

Khokhlachev, a 17-year-old from Moscow, Russia, has displayed dynamic speed and excellent puck skills in his first season of hockey in North America. He has drawn comparisons to countrymen Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilny - one of Khokhlachev's hockey heroes, and the reason he wears number 89 for the Spitfires.



But as one NHL scout - who came to Windsor to see him - recently said, "Those guys were pure goal scorers...but Khokhlachev is a threat to do just about anything every time he touches the puck."

IN GOOD COMPANY

The top three ranked OHL players are Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener), Brandon Saad (Saginaw) and Dougie Hamilton (Niagara).

Ranked just one spot above Khokhlachev is fellow Russian Vlad Namestnikov of the London Knights. The two played together on Russia's Under 18 team at last year's World Juniors.

Also making the cut was Windsor native and former Spitfire, Austen Brassard. Ranked as the 25th OHL skater, Brassard has four goals and seven assists in 21 games this season for the Belleville Bulls.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
RANK
PLAYER
TEAM
POSITION
HEIGHT
WEIGHT

1-Gabriel Landeskog-Kitchener-LW-6-foot-1/4-207

2-Brandon Saad-Saginaw-LW-6-foot-1 1/4-208

3-Dougie Hamilton-Niagara-D-6-foot-4 1/4-193

4-Ryan Strome-Niagara-C-6-foot-1/4-183

5-Vincent Trocheck-Saginaw-C-5-foot-10-184

6-Tobias Rieder-Kitchener-C-5-foot-10 1/2-176

7-Boone Jenner-Oshawa-C-6-foot-3/4-194

8-Ryan Murphy-Kitchener-D-5-foot-10 1/2-176

9-Nicklas Jensen-Oshawa-LW/RW-6-foot-2 1/4-188

10-Matthew Puempel-Peterborough-LW-6-foot-198

11-Vladislav Namestnikov-London-C-5-foot-11 1/2-170

12-Alexander Khokhlachev-Windsor-C/LW-5-foot-10-188

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Ellis, Kassian Part of OHL’s 16th Straight Win at Subway Super Series

In Play on Facebook


Earlier tonight, Spitfire and Team OHL Captain Ryan Ellis along with Windsor and Team OHL Assistant Captain Zack Kassian took to the ice for the second leg of the 2010 Subway Super Series, played in Sudbury, Ontario. Team OHL swept the two game series against the Russians tonight, as they won a close 2-1 overtime shootout decision.

Team OHL had a 1-0 series lead entering tonight’s game, courtesy of a 4-0 victory over the Russians in London last Thursday.

This marks the third season in which Ellis and Kassian have participated in the Subway Super Series for Team OHL, as both players were part of the event last season and in 2008.

A spirited first period saw both teams play a physical, defensive minded game. Team OHL enjoyed the best chance of the period, with Matt Puempel (Peterborough Petes) jumping into the opposing zone on a partial breakaway before being stopped by Russian netminder Igor Bobkov (London Knights).

The rest of the period saw both goalies stand tall with Team OHL netminder Mark Visentin (Niagara IceDogs) and Russia’s Bobkov holding the fort for their respective sides. The first period ended in a 0-0 deadlock with Team Russia outshooting Team OHL 11-8.

The goalies continued to impress in the second period. After a hooking penalty was assessed to Nikita
Dvurchensky from Team Russia at the 6:27 mark, Team OHL enjoyed some great scoring chances on the power play. Ellis unleashed two mammoth blasts which were turned aside by Bobkov and the Russian side killed the man advantage.

Team Russia answered back with an excellent shift following the penalty kill and pressured the OHL side, ultimately scoring a goal which was disallowed midway through the period. Team OHL switched their goalies at the 10:30 mark, replacing Visentin with J.P Anderson (Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors).

Kassian enjoyed a great chance in the slot two minutes later and was robbed by the quick glove of Bobkov. The teams went back and forth before a Team OHL turnover led to the game’s first goal, with Artem Voronin converting a Nikita Dvurchensky feed at 13:54 to give the Russians a 1-0 lead.

Team OHL pressured the Russians for the rest of the frame with Bobkov continuing to make big save after big save. Bobkov’s stopped all 18 shots faced in the period, preserving a 1-0 lead for the visiting side after 40 minutes of play.

The third period opened with both teams enjoying chances in the first minute of play. Team OHL started to activate their defencemen in the Russian zone with the hopes of tying the game. The increased aggression resulted in an overzealous Devante Smith-Pelly (Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors) taking a tripping penalty for the OHL side at 4:27.

With their first power play, the Russians turned over the puck over at centre ice courtesy of some determined work from Justin Shugg (Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors). On the turnover, Team OHL evened the score at 1-1 on a shorthanded breakaway marker by Casey Cizikas (Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors) at 4:40.

The OHL dominated the rest of the final frame while putting the clamps on Team Russia. Russia was limited to just one shot in the frame with Team OHL enjoying many scoring chances and 14 shots on goal. However, Bobkov came to the rescue for the Russians yet again and his heroics sent the game to a five-man overtime shootout.

In the shootout, Russia took an early 1-0 lead on a nifty, top shelf marker by Maxim Kitsyn. Ellis wouldn’t let the game get away though, and tied the affair, deking out Bobkov and beating him on the forehand side.

The hometown hero Marcus Foligno (Sudbury Wolves), broke the deadlock, squeezing the puck past Bobkov on the backhand to give the OHL a 2-1 lead. J.P Anderson stopped all three remaining Russian shooters and Joey Hishon (Owen Sound Attack) ended the affair, roofing a backhand to clinch a 3-1 shootout win for the OHL.

The game ended with the OHL securing a 2-1 win.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Tom Kuhnhackl – The Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week

In Play on Facebook


Kuhnhackl Hat Trick - Third Player of the Week Honours in a Row
(Windsor) Centre Tom Kuhnhackl is the Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week as selected by the Spitfires coaching staff for the week ending Sunday, November 14th, 2010. In three games last week, Kuhnhackl led the team in scoring with six points in three games, scoring five goals and one assist. Kuhnhackl has earned this award for a team leading third time in four weeks and was also nominated for the current OHL Player of the Week award.

On Wednesday, Kuhnhackl scored two goals and registered one assist, including a dramatic game winning tally with seven seconds left in the contest as the Spitfires defeated the London Knights 5-4 in overtime at the WFCU Centre. Two nights later, he scored Windsor’s lone goal in a 2-1 road loss to the Plymouth Whalers before finishing the week with a two-goal performance as first star of the Spitfires 4-3 road loss to the Owen Sound Attack on Saturday.

Kuhnhackl has scored at least one goal in Windsor’s past four games and has recorded at least one point in seven consecutive contests. The 18 year-old native of Landshut, Germany is in his first season with Windsor and was selected by the Spitfires with the 24th overall pick in the 2010 CHL Import Draft. He was also selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fourth round, 110th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. In 21 games this season, he has a team leading 13 goals scored along with 6 assists for 19 points.

The two-time defending MasterCard Memorial Cup and Rogers OHL Champions will travel to London this Friday (November 19th) to take on the Knights before visiting the Greyhounds in Sault Ste. Marie the following night. Both game times are set for 7:30 pm. Each game can be seen on TVCOGECO (Cable 11 in Windsor) or fans can follow the action with Mike Miller, the voice of the Spitfires on AM800 CKLW.

Windsor will play their next home game at the WFCU Centre on Friday, November 26th against the Oshawa Generals. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.

2010-2011 Windsor Spitfires’ Players of the Week
Tom Kuhnhackl – Nov. 8 – Nov. 14, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Nov. 1 – Nov. 7, 2010
Jack Campbell – Oct. 25 – Oct. 31, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Oct. 18 – Oct. 24, 2010
Eric Locke – Oct. 11 – Oct. 17, 2010
Zack Kassian – Oct. 4 – Oct. 11, 2010
Kyle Tarini – Sep. 27 – Oct. 3, 2010
Alexander Khokhlachev – Sep. 21 – Sep. 27, 2010

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Majors Secure Top Spot with Former Spitfires in Tow

In Play on Facebook


By David Clark

Mississauga has been hanging around with elite teams in the CHL since the beginning of the season. As expected, the Majors are now ranked # 1 in Canada according to the BMO CHL Mastercard Top 10 Rankings for week eight. The Majors currently lead the OHL with an industrious 35 points.

With a former Spitfire contingent included, both Justin Shugg and Mark Cantin are competing favourably in a “Major” way this season.

Fresh off a Memorial Cup victory, both players were traded to Mississauga over the summer in favour of young defenceman Nick Ebert who will become a top prospect in the 2012 draft. He’s a first round pick, 17th overall. Also included in the deal were several second round picks that will help the Spitfires rebuild in the next few seasons.

With soft hands, Shugg is an underrated offensive powerhouse who put up great numbers with the Spitfires last year and is producing again in his new location. Previous to last year’s Memorial Cup win with Windsor, Shugg had conquered the regular season with a total of 79 points, 39 of them reached the back of the net. A proven playoff performer, Justin accumulated a total of 15 points during the playoffs last season and at the Memorial Cup he was positioned fifth in scoring with 7 points.

Justin was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2010 and is an overager with Mississauga right now, producing solid numbers so far this season including 11 goals and 13 assists. Justin was named OHL Player of the Week ending on October 31; Shugg tends to score in bunches having collected five goals and 3 assists in 3 games for that week. He is also a part of Team OHL in the Subway Super Series match on November 15 in Sudbury. Just recently, he was awarded the first star of the game on two occasions in OHL action.

Originally coming from the Belleville Bulls program, former Spitfire defenceman Marc Cantin is a tough blueliner who helped Windsor secure the Memorial Cup last year. At 20 years of age, Cantin is bringing leadership to Mississauga. He also has big game experience to offer.

As an overager, Marc is showing a more offensive game this season with 16 points at this time. He is presently a +15 in plus/minus with Mississauga.

In organized hockey at a young age, Marc first performed as a forward until he reached major junior. Some of that previous offensive skill is coming out at this moment.

About being traded to the Major’s, Cantin is excited about the possibility of winning another Memorial Cup. Mississauga will be the host team for the tournament in 2011.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Spits “Attack” Early, Fall Short Late

In Play on Facebook


A pair of goals late in the second period got them back in it. And Gemel Smith's marker early in the third period put the home side ahead for good, as the Owen Sound Attack beat the Windsor Spitfires, 4-3, on Saturday night.

Tom Kuhnhackl continued his red-hot play for the Spits, scoring his 12th and 13th goals of the season, while Joey Hishon had a goal and an assist for the Attack (14-4-0-1).

The Spitfires (11-9-0-1) got off to a quick start, as Kuhnhackl scored on the power play - at the 2:40 mark - to put the Spitfires up 1-0.

Windsor extended its lead just 11 seconds into the second period.

Streaking in on a 2-on-1, Stephen Johnston tried to slide a pass across to Brady Vail, but the play was broken up and the puck ended up right back on Johnston's stick. And he knew what to do with it, sliding it past Jordan Binnington, for a 2-0 Windsor lead.

After Cameron Brace made it 2-1, at the 6:28 mark, Kuhnhackl was the beneficiary of a nifty set up by linemate Alexander Khokhlachev.

Showing great speed and puck skills, KoKo juked past Attack defenceman Matt Stanisz, cut to the middle of the ice and fed Kuhnhackl, who deftly deked Binnington on the backhand, giving Windsor what looked at the time like a commanding, 3-1 lead.

But a 90-second lapse late in the period cost the Spits.

Joey Hishon's power play goal at 17:29 cut the lead to 3-2. Then, Andrew Fitsch scored on a quick shot from the slot just 1:25 later, after the Spits lost a key defensive zone face-off, to even things at 3-3.

Making matters worse, Michael MacIntyre took a four-minute high-sticking penalty in the final minute of the second.

And although Windsor was able to kill it off, thanks to some stellar work by goalie Troy Passingham, the Spits couldn't recapture the lead.

Smith's third of the season, at the 4:42 mark, put Owen Sound up for good.

And Binnington made the goal stand up, robbing Khokhlachev, Ryan Ellis and Nick Ebert, in succession, on a Windsor power play in the final four minutes.

NOTES
*Windsor D Craig Duininck left the game in the first period and did not return. Forward Brendan McCann played a few shifts on the blueline in his place.

*Kuhnhackl's first-period marker made it four straight games with at least one goal. The German rookie now has seven goals in his last four games.

*Alexander Khokhlachev's two assists give him 18 on the season. KoKo leads the Spits in points with 27, and is second among all OHL rookies.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Ryan Ellis Breaks Quenneville's 32 Year Old Record

In Play on Facebook


It took nearly 65 minutes of hockey. But the big moment finally came.

Needing just a single point to break Joel Quenneville's record for most points by a defenceman in franchise history, Ryan Ellis set up Tom Kuhnhackl's second goal of the night, with just six seconds left in overtime, to give the Windsor Spitfires a dramatic, 5-4 win over the London Knights Wednesday evening.

"It was pretty exciting," Ellis said after the game. "I was more concerned about getting the win than the point. And we did it in pretty dramatic fashion."

The wait was worth it for a packed house of 6,363 at the WFCU Centre, who came out to honour a player that has provided them with plenty of thrills in his four-year career.

And no single play has been any bigger this season, for a Windsor club that is finding its way with Ellis leading the charge.

The Spitfires (11-7-0-1) came back from three separate one-goal deficits to hand the Knights (9-5-2-1) their fourth straight loss. Kuhnhackl and Zack Kassian each scored twice, while Jack Campbell made 26 saves, as the Spits won for the eighth time in 11 games.

Trailing 3-2 late in the second period, Kassian took a pass from Alexander Khokhlachev and ripped a wrist shot past London goalie Michael Houser to even the score.

Windsor wouldn't trail again.

Kassian's ninth goal of the season put the Spitfires up 4-3 at the 13:07 mark of the third. But the Knights pulled even just 29 seconds later, as Vladamir Namestnikov pounced on a loose puck in the slot and buried his second of the night, and eighth of the year, past Campbell.

That set the stage of Kuhnhackl's heroics.

With time winding down in a Windsor power play, Ellis fed rookie defenceman Nick Ebert, who set up Kuhnhackl for a one-time blast that beat Houser to the glove side.

NOTES
*Quenneville had 229 points in 197 games from 1975 to 1978. Ellis reached 230 points in just 184 games since 2007.
*The Spitfires have now won three games in the final ten seconds of play in the last two weeks.
*Alexander Khokhlachev had two assists in the win, and moved into second in rookie scoring (9G, 16A) in the OHL.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Calvin de Haan and Ryan Ellis to Captain Team OHL in SUBWAY® Super Series

In Play on Facebook


Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the Ontario Hockey League today announced the players that will represent Team OHL as Captains and Assistants for the 2010 SUBWAY® Super Series games to be played in London on Thursday November 11 and in Sudbury on Monday November 15, 2010.

Two members of Canada’s silver medal winning National Junior Team Calvin de Haan of the Oshawa Generals and Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires will each Captain Team OHL with de Haan leading the squad in London and Ellis serving as Captain for the game in Sudbury. Kingston Frontenacs’ defenceman Erik Gudbranson and forward Ethan Werek will each serve as Assistant Captains for both games of the series, while Owen Sound Attack forward Garrett Wilson will be an Assistant in London, and Windsor Spitfires’ forward Zack Kassian will serve as an Assistant in Sudbury.

Both de Haan and Ellis are Captains of their respective clubs and represent the only current OHL players eligible to return to play for Canada at the 2011 World Junior Championship in Buffalo, New York. de Haan, a 19-year-old from Carp, ON, was selected in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft 12th overall by the New York Islanders. He is competing in the series for the second straight season. Ellis, a 19-year-old from Freelton, ON, Captained Team OHL to two wins last season in Barrie and Windsor. The Nashville Predators prospect selected 11th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft is competing in the series for the third straight season.

Frontenacs’ teammates Gudbranson and Werek both return to play for Team OHL for the second straight season. Gudbranson, an 18-year-old from Orleans, ON, was selected third overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers, with Werek selected by the New York Rangers in the second round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, 47th overall. Wilson, a 19-year-old from Elmvale, ON, will suit up with Team OHL for the first time on Thursday in London. The Florida Panthers prospect is among the OHL’s scoring leaders with 29 points in 17 games. Kassian, a 19-year-old from LaSalle, ON, returns for his second straight SUBWAY® Super Series when he suits up in Sudbury after recently signing a three-year entry level contract with the Buffalo Sabres who selected him 13th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

The 2010 SUBWAY® Super Series is supported by CHL associate sponsors, Bank of Montreal and CCM. All games will be broadcast nationally on Rogers Sportsnet with the two QMJHL games shown on RDS. The games are also available live on webcast at http://www.sportsnet.ca/.

2010 SUBWAY® Super Series Schedule of Games:
Game 1 – Monday November 8 at Saint John, NB (Russia 5 – Team QMJHL 4)
Game 2 – Wednesday November 10 at Drummondville, QC
Game 3 – Thursday November 11 at London, ON
Game 4 – Monday November 15 at Sudbury, ON
Game 5 – Wednesday November 17 at Kamloops, BC
Game 6 – Thursday November 18 at Prince George, BC

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Ellis Chases History, Spits Host Knights

In Play on Facebook


Few patrolled the blueline like Joel Quenneville.

Between 1975 and 1978, "Q" did it all for the Windsor Spitfires. And with 229 points in 197 games played, in three full seasons, he set the standard for all other defencemen to dawn the uniform.

Now in his fourth season with the Spits, Ryan Ellis has amassed a long list of accomplishments, including two Memorial Cup titles.

Ryan Ellis looks to make Spits history.
Photo by Joe lemire / In Play! Magazine

And tonight, he'll look to bag his 230th career point, in his 184th career game, to eclipse Quenneville's 32-year-old record.

"It's pretty exciting," Ellis told windsorspitfires.com. He's held this record for a long time. And he has accomplished a lot, both as a player and now a coach and is really well-known for what he has done in the hockey world. So it's a great honour to even have a chance at doing this."



Ellis will get that chance against Windsor's most storied rival.

The London Knights (9-5-1-1) come in looking to end a nasty, three-game losing streak. Coach Dale Hunter's club has given up 17 goals in those games - an unusual stretch for a team that had allowed just 39 in its first 13.

While the Knights have sputtered, the Spitfires (10-7-0-1) are among the hottest teams in the OHL, winning seven of their last 10 games. That stretch has included three road wins, none bigger than an improbable 3-2 victory in Saginaw on Saturday night.

"We came out with enthusiasm. We got pucks deep and really followed our game plan," said Spits coach Bob Jones. "Our big guys - like Kassian, Clouthier, our physical guys - needed to get physical and did. And I think we managed to back them off a little."

The Knights and Spitfires met back on October 9th - an entertaining game that ended in a 5-4 London win.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Ryan Ellis – The Precision Jewellers and Windsor Spitfires Player of the Month for October

In Play on Facebook

Team Captain Ryan Ellis is the Precision Jewellers and Windsor Spitfires Player of the Month for October, as selected by the coaching staff.



Ryan Ellis
Photo By Joe Lemire
 / In Play! Magazine

 The 19-year-old, fourth-year defenceman returned to the Spits in late September, after attending training camp with the Nashville Predators. Ellis led the team to a 9-6-0-1 record last month, putting up four goals and nine assists in 12 October games.

But the value of his experience and leadership far exceeds his statistics.

With 16 points on the season, Ellis is now just one away from breaking Joel Quenneville's record for most career points by a Spitfires defenceman (229). And he'll have a chance to break the record Wednesday night (7:05, WFCU Centre) when the Spits host the London Knights.

Next Monday, November 15th, Ellis and teammate Zack Kassian will represent the OHL in the Subway Super Series in Sudbury.

Prior to the commencement of a Spitfires home game in November, Ellis will receive a Bulova watch from Dan Thomas of Precision Jewellers for his outstanding performance in October.

Precision Jewellers and Windsor Spitfires Player of the Month, 2010-2011 season
Ryan Ellis – October 2010

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Tom Kuhnhackl – The Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week for 3rd Time in Last 30 Days

In Play on Facebook

(Windsor) Centre Tom Kuhnhackl is the Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week as selected by the Spitfires coaching staff for the week ending Sunday, November 7th, 2010. In two games last week, he scored two goals and registered two assists for four points. Kuhnhackl is the first repeat winner of this award, claiming his first honour two weeks ago.

Tom Kuhnhackl
Photo by Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine

On Friday, Kuhnhackl posted two assists and was selected as the game’s third star in Windsor’s 5-3 road loss to the Guelph Storm. The following night, he scored the first two goals for the Spitfires en route to earning first star honours in Windsor’s 3-2 road win over the CHL’s #4 ranked Saginaw Spirit.

Kuhnhackl, an 18 year-old native of Landshut, Germany is in his first season with Windsor and was selected by the Spitfires with the 24th overall pick in the 2010 CHL Import Draft. He was also selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fourth round, 110th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. In 18 games this season, he has eight goals and five assists for 13 points.

The two-time defending MasterCard Memorial Cup and Rogers OHL Champions will play their next home game at the WFCU Centre on Wednesday, November 10th as they welcome the London Knights to town. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.

2010-2011 Windsor Spitfires’ Players of the Week
Tom Kuhnhackl – Nov. 1 – Nov. 7, 2010
Jack Campbell – Oct. 25 – Oct. 31, 2010
Tom Kuhnhackl – Oct. 18 – Oct. 24, 2010
Eric Locke – Oct. 11 – Oct. 17, 2010
Zack Kassian – Oct. 4 – Oct. 11, 2010
Kyle Tarini – Sep. 27 – Oct. 3, 2010
Alexander Khokhlachev – Sep. 21 – Sep. 27, 2010

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Campbell Signs with Dallas Stars

In Play on Facebook

This past Thursday, the Dallas Stars announced that they signed Spitfire goaltender Jack Campbell to a three-year entry level contract. Campbell was selected by the Stars in the first round, 11th overall at the recent 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Jack Campbell Signs with the Dallas Stars
Photo by Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine

Campbell, an 18 year-old native of Port Huron, Michigan is in his first season with the Spitfires. The 6’2”, 182 pound netminder is the reigning player of the week for the Spitfires and has won his past four starts in goal for Windsor. In 12 games played this season, he has a 6-5-0-1 record, a 3.81 goals against average and .882 save percentage.

Prior to joining the Spitfires, Campbell played a major role in backstopping Team USA to a gold medal performance at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Saskatchewan. He also won gold medals as part of Team USA’s Under-18 squads at the IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championships in 2009 and 2010. Campbell is one of only two players in USA Hockey history to have won three IIHF gold medals during his career.

Campbell will play the remainder of this season with the Spitfires and is expected to attend the Stars’ 2011 Summer Development Camp and the team’s 2011 Training Camp.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Battle for the West: Owen Sound Attack vs. Saginaw Spirit

In Play on Facebook
by David Clark

A highly anticipated fight for first in the Western Conference recently took place, Game 1 of 3 this season between the streaking Owen Sound Attack and Saginaw Spirit. Going into the match, Owen Sound carried a 10-2 (20 Pt.) record while Saginaw was just ahead of those numbers; Saginaw sits with an 11-2-1 (23 Pts.) record, good enough for them to secure the top position in the league.

Last year was a tough year for the Attack who finished 9th in the Western Conference while Saginaw did a little better at 6th. Both teams have grown into a loftier position this year according to the BMO CHL Mastercard Top Ten Rankings where the Attack sit in the #5 spot and the Spirit are positioned at #3 in the country. Both teams were sleeping last year, not even getting close to the Top Ten.

The Spirit are pulling away from the pack in the OHL at this time but Owen Sound went into last night’s game on a six game winning streak, expecting to compete with a very strong Saginaw Spirit outfit.

After the game, the Attack had peppered goaltender Mavric Parks with 22 shots and 2 goals were taken out of that. On the other hand, the Spirit bettered that with 5 goals on 54 shots. Goalie Scott Stajcer of Owen Sound suffered his first defeat of the season but ended the game with a respectable 2.68 GAA and 8 wins – Stajcer relinquished 1 to the losing column after last night. Saginaw’s Mavric Parks is at the top of the OHL at the moment with a 2.08 GAA and a competitive 8-2 record to boast about. The score was in favour of the Saginaw Spirit at 5-2.

Two battle-hardened warriors in attendance last night were Joey Hishon of the Attack and Josh Shalla of the Spirit. Both contributed to the effort with 2 goals each.

The undisputed leader of the Owen Sound Attack, Joey Hishon is a savvy veteran who can decide a game for you when it counts the most. The Attack suffered last season when he was out due to injury in the early part of the year. This year, with Captain Garrett Wilson by his side, Hishon has deposited 9 goals and assisted on 6 with a total of 15 points for the season. Aside from Wilson, Joey is second on the team in goal scoring and became OHL Player of the Week for Oct. 18 to the 24th.

The Stratford, Ontario native has performed admirably with the Attack, the only team he has known since entering the OHL four years ago. He is a 1st round selection for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, 17th overall by the Colorado Avalanche. On Oct. 23rd, he also received the 1st star against the Sarnia Sting and will play for Team OHL at the 2010 Subway Super Series.

Garrett Wilson, formerly with the Windsor Spitfires (2007-2008) hails from Elmvale, Ontario and is playing his 4th season in the OHL as well, 3 with the Attack. He is 19 years of age and is a fourth round selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He’s a solid power forward at left wing showing a strong plus/minus right now, at + 14.

Garrett’s real claim to fame this season is his ability to find the net; he is second in league scoring just behind Ryan Strome of the Niagara Icedogs. He has 16 goals at the moment and a highly respectable 8 assists to go along with it. Like Joey Hishon, he has been the OHL Player of the Week (Oct. 11 to the 17th). Both Hishon and Wilson are featured in the “Mazda OHL Plays of the Week” contest with three highlight reel goals to show for their efforts. Wilson had two goals featured and Hishon had one.

Four Attack players have been selected to play in the Subway Super Series. Aside from Hishon and Wilson, Jesse Blacker, a defenceman and former Memorial Cup winner (2008-2009) with the Windsor Spitfires will be attending. The high-achieving, veteran goaltender Scott Stajcer will also join the group. Stajcer won the CHL Goaltender of the Week award for the week ending Oct. 3rd.

In the Spirit camp, after two goals last night at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre in Owen Sound, the veteran Josh Shalla deposited two in the net for the visiting team. Shalla is now tied with Brandon Saad for most goals on the team with 9. Saad is the overall point's leader on Saginaw with 16.

Brandon Saad is arguably one of the best American-born players to be active in the OHL. He was recently featured in USA Today because of his talent. He is expected to be a top pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.

It seems that the goals for Saginaw are spread around the roster somewhat. Brandon Saad, Captain Jordan Szwarz, Vincent Trochek and Michael Sgarbossa are all relatively close in the stats. With Owen Sound, you have a team with a couple of natural goal-scorers but Saginaw isn’t top heavy. The Spirit is a hard-working team where many score but its spread throughout the roster not by two or three individuals.

One of the real success stories this season for the Spirit is goaltender Mavric Parks who came in this year when Edward Pasquale graduated to better things after last season. Parks is a proven overage goalie who has a deep resume including an entire career playing with elite teams. With Kitchener, he performed very well with a 14-3-1 record and a 2.39 GAA but he really shone brightly with the Barrie Colts last year where he held a 2.34 GAA and sported a 25-5-1-1 winning record.

Parks is a veteran netminder from Eganville, Ontario who leads the OHL in GAA and Save Percentage at 2.08 and 0.939 respectively. His 8-2 record is second only to Scott Stajcer of the Attack who is at 8-1.

An honourable mention, import player Ivan Telegin has 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points and is positioned at centre on the top line for Saginaw. He has two seasons of Spirit hockey under his belt.

The Spirit take Round 1 but the Attack have two more opportunities to defeat the high-flying Spirit this season who are going in the right direction in a big way, early in 2010-2011. Coming from behind, Kitchener, London and Windsor could possibly inch their way in there if given the opportunity to do so because it’s still early in the campaign.

On Saturday, October 30th, Saginaw and Owen Sound were both defeated in a Shootout. The Saginaw Spirit were beaten by the London Knights by a score of 6-5 and Owen Sound was bested by an up and coming Kingston Frontenac team, 5-4. Owen Sound sent Hishon and Wilson into the Shootout but both of them came up empty. Like Kitchener and Windsor, The Knights are legitimate contenders in the West who showed the league’s best in the Saginaw Spirit that they know how to become a contender. This ain’t over yet!

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Buffalo Sabres Agree to Terms with Zack Kassian

In Play on Facebook

Zack Kassian playing defence against the Soo Grey Hounds.
Photo by Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine

(Windsor) This past Monday, Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced that the Buffalo Sabres signed Spitfire right-winger Zack Kassian to a three year entry level contract. Kassian was selected by the Sabres in the first round, 13th overall at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Kassian, a 19 year-old native of LaSalle, Ontario is in his second season with the Spitfires and is listed at 6’3” and 215 lbs. He currently leads the Spitfires and is tied for 13th in the OHL’s scoring race with 20 points (7 goals and 13 assists) in 11 games. He will be representing the Spitfires at the upcoming Subway Super Series game to be hosted in Sudbury, Ontario on November 15th.

Kassian spent the earlier part of this season with the Buffalo Sabres as he attended their training camp and participated in exhibition games with the Sabres before being returned to the Spitfires.

In 168 career OHL games, Kassian has netted 52 goals and added 83 assists for 135 points as a member of the Spitfires and the Peterborough Petes. The Windsor Spitfires acquired Kassian in a trade with the Petes last season and he was a key member of Windsor’s 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup and Rogers OHL championship run, registering 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in the OHL Playoffs before adding 2 goals and 3 assists in the MasterCard Memorial Cup.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Jack Campbell – The Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week

In Play on Facebook

(Windsor) Goaltender Jack Campbell is the Windsor Spitfires Player of the Week as selected by the Spitfires coaching staff for the week ending Sunday, October 31st, 2010. Campbell led the Spitfires to a perfect 3-0 record last week, posting a 2.33 goals against average and .925 save percentage in three games played.

On Thursday, Campbell stopped 23 of 25 shots faced in Windsor’s 4-2 victory over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds at the WFCU Centre. The following night, he turned in a masterful performance, making 36 saves in helping lead the Spitfires to their first road victory of the season as they defeated the Erie Otters 3-2. In the team’s third game in three days, the Spitfires travelled to Niagara on Saturday to take on the IceDogs. Campbell once again came up big with a 27 save performance before stopping all three of Niagara’s shooters in the overtime shootout, providing Windsor with a 4-3 overtime shootout win.



Jack Campbell
Photo by Joe Lemire / In Play! Magazine



Campbell, an 18 year-old native of Port Huron, Michigan is in his first season with Windsor and was selected by the Spitfires in the sixth round of the 2008 OHL Priority Selection. He was also the first goalie selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft as the Dallas Stars took him in the first round, 11th overall.

Prior to joining the Spitfires, Campbell played a major role in backstopping Team USA to a gold medal performance at the most recent 2010 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Saskatchewan. He also won gold medals as part of Team USA’s Under-18 squads at the IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championships in 2009 and 2010. Campbell is one of only two players in USA Hockey history to have won three IIHF gold medals during his career.

The two-time defending MasterCard Memorial Cup and Rogers OHL Champions will travel to Guelph this Friday to take on the Storm. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. The game can be seen on TVCOGECO (Cable 11 in Windsor) or fans can follow the action with Mike Miller, the voice of the Spitfires on AM800 CKLW.

Windsor will play its next home game at the WFCU Centre on Wednesday, November 10th as they welcome the London Knights to town. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. Tickets for all Spitfire home games can be purchased from the TekSavvy.com Box Office (Gate 2 at the WFCU Centre), by calling (519) 254-5000 or online at windsorspitfires.com.

2010-2011 Windsor Spitfires’ Players of the Week

Jack Campbell – Oct. 25 – Oct. 31, 2010

Tom Kuhnhackl – Oct. 18 – Oct. 24, 2010

Eric Locke – Oct. 11 – Oct. 17, 2010

Zack Kassian – Oct. 4 – Oct. 11, 2010

Kyle Tarini – Sep. 27 – Oct. 3, 2010

Alexander Khokhlachev – Sep. 21 – Sep. 27, 2010

Read In Play! Magazine Here