By Chris Lucas
In Play Magazine
Fans were able to throw their stuffed toys on to the ice after the Spits first goal due to the WCFU Centre playing host to the Sparky Toy Drive. However home fans didn't get the satisfaction of seeing the Spits win as Kitchener defeated them 5-2.
Justin Shugg scored early which flooded the ice with stuffed toys. That was the only goal of the period which sent the Spits into the dressing room with a one goal lead.
However in the second, Chris MacKinnon sniped a shot from the hash-marks to put Kitchener on the board. Ryan Murphy and Jeff Skinner would also score in the period to give Kitchener the 3-1 lead going into the third.
Shugg roofed his second goal of the game to start off the third and bring the Spits within one. But Jeremy Morin powered a slap-shot past Troy Passingham to extend Kitchener's lead to two. Passingham then made a few big saves following that but it wasn't enough as Skinner put in an empty netter to seal off the win for Kitchener. Windsor out shot Kitchener 49-34.
This has been the first time that the Spits have lost since Oct. 11th against the Sarnia Sting. Windsor also lost another player (Richard Panik) to the World Junior Hockey Tournament.
Shugg, who scored two goals in today's game, explains to In Play! how he is one of the players that need to step up their game due to the loss of some of their players. “D.J came up to me and told me that he's counting on me as a goal scorer.”
Today's In Play! Magazine player of the game goes to Mavric Parks of Kitchener. He made 47 saves against Windsor including a few clutch saves. He flashed the leather and showed off his quick reflexes in today's game as he played a key role in his teams win.
Windsor will have their rival London Knights come to the WFCU Centre next Thursday. Game time will start at 7 p.m.
Special Game Notes
- Today’s loss is Windsor’s first in regulation since October 11th against the Sarnia Sting and snaps a 24-game point streak for the Spitfires, during which time the team went 21-0-0-3. This was also the team’s first regulation loss at home in 13 games and only the second loss suffered by the Spitfires at home in regulation time this season.
- Forward Justin Shugg scored both goals for the Spitfires today and is averaging one point per game this season with 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points in 34 games
- Spitfire players currently occupy seven of the top eleven spots in the OHL for plus/minus rating (1st Cundari +32, tied for 2nd Fowler +26, tied for 4th Henrique and Hall +25, tied for 8th Wellwood +22, tied for 10th Young and Nemisz + 21)
- Three Spitfires are ranked in the top ten for the OHL Scoring Race (1st Hall – 59 points, 2nd - Henrique – 53 points, tied for 5th – Nemisz – 48 points)
- Forwards Taylor Hall, Greg Nemisz, Adam Henrique and defenseman Ryan Ellis are currently out of the lineup for the Spitfires as they are attending Team Canada’s World Junior Selection Camp in Saskatchewan
- Defenseman Cam Fowler missed today’s game with an upper body injury, he is still ranked first amongst OHL defencemen in scoring and 14th overall in the league with 40 points in 32 games
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