When you’re rebuilding, every game is a lesson. The Windsor Spitfires showed that they’re eager to be good students, taking a big win on home ice against a division rival.
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The club had plenty of momentum heading into last month’s Christmas break, but wanted to keep building on that as their 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) schedule turned the page to January. After a pair of tough losses last weekend, where they saw multiple leads slip away, they knew they couldn’t afford a repeat. Wednesday night’s game at the WFCU Centre against the Flint Firebirds, who were just six points ahead and in the final playoff spot, was a golden chance to get back on track. Here are four takeaways from the big 5-3 win.
Holding Off Firebirds Builds Confidence
Being a young team that struggles at times can be mentally exhausting. Last weekend, the Spitfires held leads against the Saginaw Spirit and Sarnia Sting, only to lose both games in extra time. This was different, though.
The Spitfires jumped out to a 3-1 lead thanks to goals from veterans Noah Morneau, Jacob Maillet, and Valentin Zhugin. While the Firebirds came back to tie, rookie defenceman Conor Walton’s first OHL goal with three minutes left in the third period sent everyone into a frenzy. The home side added an empty netter for a much-needed 5-3 win. After the game, interim head coach Casey Torres said this was bigger than just two points.
“It’s a really important win for our team,” he said. “We had moments in the game that were really positive and other moments where we were back on our heels, hanging on as much as you don’t want to. Then we had a real important goal, and a timely one, for Conor’s first goal.”
The Firebirds and Spitfires are big West Division rivals and, with the teams battling it out for the final playoff spot, there’s going to be a playoff feel. Torres said their mental toughness really showed.
“(The Firebirds are) holding down the last playoff spot so trying to get that win in regulation is really important,” he said. “The other team is allowed to make plays in a hockey game and they did that. We took some punches but showed some pretty good resiliency and mental toughness to hang in there. We executed under pressure in a big spot with a couple of minutes left to go up. Then, I thought we did a really good job with the goalie out, defending in our own zone, getting the puck out…”
Walton Gets First OHL Goal
Part of the rebuild process has been getting younger on defence. Right before the season opener, that included general manager Bill Bowler acquiring Walton, 17, from the Sudbury Wolves. While he’s more known for his physical, defensive play, he proved Wednesday that he can chip in on the scoresheet, too.
Related: Spitfires Trade Veteran DeAngelis to Wolves for Youth, Picks
Late in the third period, Walton took a puck off the boards, saw he had open space, and fired it towards Firebirds’ goaltender Nathan Day. It found daylight and the rookie had his first OHL goal. After the game, he was all smiles and said Torres has been telling them to just fire it on goal and see what happens.
“It feels awesome,” he said, laughing. “You’re in the locker room, you’re just waiting, seeing guys around you, you’re happy for them, just waiting for your time. I took a nice little four-iron from the blue line and it went in … I saw (Ryan) Abraham draw two guys so he’s got two and my guy was nowhere to be seen. Casey said to fire pucks on net, didn’t matter how hard it was, just put it on net.”
The 6-foot-4, 208-pound Toronto native had four goals in 46 games for the Espanola Paper Kings Junior B team last season before going pointless in four games with the Wolves. Since the trade to the Spitfires, he had five assists in 30 games. After the game, Torres said Walton’s really improved over the last couple of months and has more puck skills than the kid maybe wants to admit. What’s the plan with the puck?
“It’s in my stall,” Walton said with a smile. “I’m framing that thing and in about 20 years, my kids are going to hear about a one-timer bar-down from the slot or something.”
Costanzo Returning to Form
From day one this season, 18-year-old Joey Costanzo has been the Spitfires’ starting goaltender. After winning that role last season over then-veteran Mathias Onuska, the youngster was eager to take the reins. However, it’s been a battle.
After posting a 3.03 goals-against average (GAA) and a .901 save percentage (SV%) last season, he’s been struggling to get the GAA below five and the SV% above .840 this season. He knows he has more in his game and his numbers have improved since late November, allowing four goals or more just three times in nine games. He added another stellar performance on Wednesday, stopping 34-of-37 shots. Torres said you can see his confidence building.
“Joey was really confident tonight,” he said. “Just the way he was catching pucks, even just his body language after whistles, he felt in control all night. We struggled in the second period … and I thought Joey really locked it down for us.”
From trying to maintain the starter’s role to NHL attention, the pressures on and off the ice can be a lot for a kid. After the game, he said he’s been working on his mental and physical well-being.
“At the start of the season, I felt like I was chasing the puck a bit,” Costanzo said. “Lately, I’ve been trying to take a little pressure off myself. I feel like I’ve been playing more to my strengths, doing the best I can, and I feel a lot better (recently) … It’s mental and physical. I’ve been putting extra hours at the rink; always do my best to be first one in, last one out. On the mental side of things, I’ve got to give it to my mental instructor … I’ve been working closely with him for a couple of months.”
Torres Ready for the Road
Winning on the road has been a tale of two teams for the Spitfires. They started 1-7 including losing back-to-back games against the Erie Otters and Kitchener Rangers in November by a combined 18-3 score. However, after coaching changes in late November, including Torres taking over for head coach Jerrod Smith, the team is 5-2-1 away from the WFCU Centre. Now, they get ready for another major test.
The Spitfires hit the road this weekend to take on Carey Terrance and the Otters on Saturday and then the Niagara IceDogs on Sunday, who gave them a heartbreaking 7-6 overtime loss at the WFCU Centre in October. The Erie Insurance Arena is one of the loudest, toughest rinks to earn points. However, Torres said you have to approach it like every game from the last month.
“It’s focusing on the same processes,” he said. “I’ve certainly heard some of these stories of the rinks being difficult. For me, it’s new with just one trip to Erie so far this season. That scar tissues isn’t something I’ve experienced yet, so we’re going to go in and approach it like the last 14 games.”
While the Otters are 8-8-2-0 at home, they give everyone fits and you can’t walk into the Erie Insurance Arena and think you’re getting an easy game. The same can be said for the IceDogs on Sunday afternoon. They’re 5-10-3-0 at the Meridian Centre but, despite being last in the OHL, they’re not going to hand the Spitfires anything.
Fortunately, this win gives Torres’ club some much-needed confidence. They’re now just four points back of the Firebirds for the final playoff spot. That road continues Saturday in Erie.
