The Windsor Spitfires are enjoying their first taste of playoff hockey in two seasons. On Thursday, they started their 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) first-round series against the Soo Greyhounds with a major statement in Game 1.
It’s been two seasons since the Spitfires were in the playoffs, three if you look at playoff wins. Last season, they missed it entirely, finishing 10th in the Western Conference. In 2022-23, they finished in the first seed but were swept by the eighth-seeded Kitchener Rangers in the first round. Their last playoff win was June 13, 2022, in Game 6 of the 2021-22 OHL Championship against the Hamilton (now Brantford) Bulldogs. Now, they’ve got the second seed, facing the seventh-seeded Greyhounds, and they’re not taking this for granted. The underdogs aren’t going to make life easy but the Spitfires’ depth and drive were in full gear. Here are four takeaways from the WFCU Centre.
Spitfires’ Depth Shines
All season, Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters has emphasized that strong defence leads to good offence. Play 60 minutes and the wins will come. That was the case on Thursday.
Right after puck drop, the Spitfires went to work. They played strong in the Greyhounds’ zone and made life tough for goaltender Nolan Lalonde. Just two minutes in, Carson Woodall opened the scoring and he was followed by Cole Davis for a 2-0 lead and a solid start.
Liam Greentree (Los Angeles Kings) made it 3-0 early in the second. However, the Greyhounds responded with two, including one from Owen Allard. Before the period ended, Noah Morneau restored the two-goal lead. In the third, Morneau, Greentree, and Luke McNamara all scored within five minutes as the Spitfires took Game 1, 7-2. The final shots were 37-16 Spitfires.
From the start, Walters rolled three lines and everyone in their top-nine had at least one point. Depth is a significant tool for them. After the game, Morneau said that when teams focus on the top line, everyone else can step up.
“Teams are going to try to shut Greentree and (Ilya) Protas down,” he said. “That’s going to be a lot of teams’ game plan. That’s probably what the Soo wants to do. When we can score throughout the lineup, we’re so dangerous because of how well we defend. If we’re getting points from everybody, it’s massive.”
Walters has been all about the secondary scoring this season. He said multiple players had impressive outings.
“It’s awesome, the next man up mentality,” he said. “(A.J.) Spellacy was physical with speed, Davis with a great goal taking that to the back post. McNamara had a good one. I thought (Jack) Nesbitt was one of our best players, competing 200-feet and had some good looks.”
Spitfires’ Trio Keeps Producing
While the depth was shining, the line of Morneau (two goals), Greentree (two goals, two assists), and Washington Capitals’ prospect Protas (four assists) had another 10 points. The Greyhounds tried to contain them but were unsuccessful.
While Greentree and Protas have received most of the spotlight this season, Morneau has made the most of this opportunity. He said their talent levels allow him to relax a bit more on the ice, which helps his game.
“They’re such good players, they’re so easy to play with,” he said. “Two of the best people I know and that goes a long way. For me especially, not being afraid to make mistakes. It’s so cool to play with them and to see what they do on the ice.”
Morneau was the Spitfires’ 15th-round pick in 2020 and made the club in 2022-23. After 13 goals and 34 points last season, he exploded for 32 goals and 73 points in 68 games this season. Walters said the 20-year-old is a gem.
“He’s everything to this team,” Walters said. “He’s everything that I stand for as a coach. He’s our hardest worker, pays attention to detail, blocks shots, skilled enough to make plays with them, and he’s so reliable defensively, it allows Protas and Greentree to be a little more offensive … It’s quite fun to coach that kid.”
Greentree has been with Protas for much of the season, save for a few games where Walters split the duo up. He said the trio has a great bond off the ice, too, and he takes pride in playing with them.
“The bond we’ve created off the ice and throughout the season is something special,” he said. “That’s a line that I take a lot of pride to be on. We play really well together.”
A Game Two Seasons in the Making
While the 2022 OHL Championship run was amazing, the only player left is forward Ryan Abraham. It was the next season that players like Greentree, Morneau, and others joined the roster. They were a part of the first-round sweep at the hands of the Rangers. Then, last season, they missed the playoffs entirely. That meant Thursday was two seasons in the making.
Related: Spitfires Eliminated from 2023-24 OHL Playoff Contention
From the moment the puck dropped, you could tell that the Spitfires had plenty of pent-up energy. They wanted to get into this game with everything they had. Morneau, who’s in his final season, said they had to harness their energy as best they could.
“It’s so fun, there’s so much energy on both sides of the ice and in the building,” he said. “I was just really excited. A lot of nervous energy. We hadn’t been to the playoffs in two seasons. I tried to control that as best I can, just take that energy into excitement. I thought I did a good job, I thought our team did a good job.”
Thursday night at the WFCU Centre, the Windsor #Spitfires saw 11 players earn at least one point in a 7-2 win over the Soo #Greyhounds during Game 1 of their #OHL first-round series. Game 2 goes Saturday. pic.twitter.com/3Uyxx2i3hu
— Dave Jewell (@DaveJewellOHL) March 28, 2025
Greentree has been a leader on the team since the sweep and was named captain last season. Not making the playoffs left a sour taste in their mouth and talking about it is tough. However, it’s all led up to this energetic moment and he said they’re eager to keep going.
“Going into this one, I was a little nervous but mostly excited,” Greentree said. “Getting on the board, coming up with that three-goal lead… That was a huge game for us. (We) have to keep that going. Our team wants to go far and (eliminate) these guys as fast as we can. Our plan is to go four-in-a-row. It’s going to be tough, but a game like that really helps us.”
It’s Just One Game
On paper, the game unfolded as it should have. The Spitfires used their top line, depth, and defence to give the Greyhounds issues for the entire 60 minutes. The visitors worked hard and pressed the forecheck, but didn’t have any answers. Without Lalonde, it might have reached double digits. However, the Spitfires can’t forget – it’s just one game.
Whether the Spitfires won 7-2 or 2-1, or the Greyhounds won by the same scores, the result is still the same. It’s a 1-0 series. Walters said they’re well aware of that and are expecting the visitors to have an answer in Game 2.
“Our guys know that,” he said. “It was a hard-fought game … They’re well coached, they compete, they work hard, and, as you saw at the end, they never give up. This could be a long series.”
A performance that dominates on the scoreboard and the shot-clock is a great start and where the Spitfires want to be. Greentree said they’re eager to keep going because nothing is done yet.
“We don’t want to stop right now,” He said. “That’s a game that sets the tone for the rest of the series. We kind of put them down on the ground. 7-2 is a huge game for us. I’m excited what we can do for these next three games but obviously it’s not over yet.”
The Spitfires know what they can do when they play a full 60 minutes. It was clear on Thursday that they’re the more talented team. However, the Greyhounds won five straight to end the season and were a thorn in the Spitfires’ side every time they played. They’re not going anywhere until the buzzer rings on a fourth win. Game 2 is Saturday night at the WFCU Centre.
