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windsorspitfires.com staff reports
There wasn't much left to say after blowing a four-goal lead in the biggest game of the year. But Assistant Coach Dave Matsos managed to say it perfectly.
"We lost our groove."
After building a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes, then scoring what looked like a dagger fourth goal early in the second, the Spits started a parade to the penalty box that caused things to unwind.
"We spent 10 minutes in the penalty box in the second, on, I think some selfish minor penalties," Matsos said. " That got our penalty killers tired. And the rest of the guys got stale sitting on the bench. So we stopped hitting. We stopped forechecking."
The Rangers cut the Windsor lead in half with a pair of second-period markers. Matthew Tipoff scored on the power play at the 8:10 mark. Then, just 2:12 later, Tyler Randell made it 4-2 on another man advantage.
The Spitfires had a golden chance to widen their lead, during a lengthy 5-on-3 at the end of the second and into the beginning of the third period.
But instead, they looked disorganized and frazzled. And that opened the door for the Rangers, who struck less than two minutes into the frame.
Tipoff's second of the game and 20th of the season cut the lead to 4-3.
The Rangers then tied it - fitting on the power play - seven minutes in, on Michael Catenacci's 14th of the season.
Andrew Crescenzi completed the improbable comeback, scoring the winner at 16:20, tipping home a harmless looking point shot from Cody Sol.
It all left Matsos, and the rest of the Spits coaching staff, at a loss.
"There's no one to blame but ourselves."
SCORING
FIRST PERIOD
WSR Kuhnhackl, (24) (Robertson, Ellis), 10:27 (PP)
WSR MacQueen, (13) (Carnevale), 11:00
WSR Brown, (11) (Carnevale), 19:37
SECOND PERIOD
WSR Duininck, (6) (Robertson, Ryan), 6:01 (SH)
KIT Tipoff, (19) (Doornbosch, Murphy), 8:10 (PP)
KIT Randell, (13) (Akeson, Murphy), 10:22 (PP)
THIRD PERIOD
KIT Tipoff, (20) (Akeson), 1:42
KIT Catenacci, (14) (Doornbosch, Murphy), 7:12 (PP)
KIT Crescenzi, (10) (Sol), 16:20
SHOTS ON GOAL
WINDSOR 13 - 6 - 7= 26
KITCHENER 6 - 18 - 16 = 40
POWER PLAYS
WINDSOR 1-FOR-6
KITCHENER 3-FOR-6
