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windsorspitfires.com staff reports
It looked like an easy win on paper. But it turned into an all-night struggle on Saturday, as the Spitfires needed three goals in the third to post a 5-2 victory over the Barrie Colts
Ryan Ellis scored twice, including the winner, Kenny Ryan had a goal and an assist and John Cullen won in his first start in goal, as the Spitfires won their fifth straight game.
Ellis' first goal was the 62nd of his Spitfires career - breaking Joel Quenneville's record for most all-time by a defenceman in franchise history.
Former Colts centre Taylor Carnevale scored early against his old team, giving the Spits a 1-0 lead just 3:36 into the first period.
It would be the only goal of the opening 20 minutes.
Ellis put Windsor up a pair with a shorthanded goal early in the second.
But Barrie answered quickly, as Mark Scheifele cut the lead in half just more than a minute later. And the Colts carried the play for much of the second period. Their efforts paid off late, as Dylan Smoskowitz bagged his 12th of the year, on the power play, to knot things at 2-2 after 40 minutes.
The Spitfires struggled to get on a track in the third. But Ellis put his club up for good with a power play goal - his 14th of the year - at 7:56.
Late goals by Craig Duininck and Kenny Ryan rounded out the scoring.
NOTES
-Ellis' goals gave him 23 points in his last 11 games.
-Winger Jake Carrick left the game with an ankle injury in the first period and did not return.
-The Spits are right back at it tomorrow afternoon at 2PM in Owen Sound.
SCORING
FIRST PERIOD
WSR Carnevale, (26) (Johnston), 3:36
SECOND PERIOD
WSR Ellis, (13) (Johnston), 2:21 (SH)
BAR Scheifele, (11) (Behenna, Ezekiel), 3:06
BAR Smoskowitz, (12) (Beyers, Ashman), 17:45 (PP)
THIRD PERIOD
WSR Ellis, (14) (Ebert, Khokhlachev), 7:56 (PP)
WSR Duininck, (5) (Ryan), 16:42
WSR Ryan, (13) (Posa), 19:49 (EN)
