The Windsor Spitfires are learning from their mistakes. After losing three straight on home ice, the club grabbed an important win at home on Thursday, showing they’re not backing down.
The WFCU Centre has often been home-sweet-home for the Spitfires. Since the start of the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season, the club had gone 43-7-4-2 entering Thursday night’s game against the North Bay Battalion. However, they had lost three straight at the WFCU Centre, including two straight losses that were from blown third-period leads. Battling the Kitchener Rangers and Flint Firebirds for the top seed in the Western Conference meant something had to change. Fortunately, the team stepped up. Here are four takeaways from the WFCU Centre.
Spitfires Find Their Shutdown Game
The Spitfires came into the game tied with the Firebirds for first in the West Division and a point back of the Rangers for first in the conference, with a game in hand. However, the Battalion were going for home ice in the Eastern Conference and had just knocked off the Ottawa 67’s and Brantford Bulldogs, who are tied for the top seed in the East, earlier this month. This was going to be a showdown.
While the Spitfires were without three top forwards in John McLaughlin (injury), Nathan Villeneuve (illness), and Jack Nesbitt (illness), they made no excuses. The game started as a physical, defensive battle. Scoring chances were rare, but the Battalion managed to open the scoring in the first period. That didn’t last long, though.
Spitfires’ forward Anthony Cristoforo tipped home a Carson Woodall point shot to tie it 1-1. While the visitors took a 2-1 lead late in the second, Spitfires’ captain Liam Greentree (Los Angeles Kings) scored with 99 seconds left, and 2.3 seconds left, to give the home side a 3-2 lead heading into the third.
This is where the Spitfires have struggled, when they have a one-goal lead in the third period. However, rookie Caden Harvey gave them some insurance with his eighth midway through the frame. While Sebastien Gervais made it interesting with a late-period power-play goal, the Spitfires shut the door for a 4-3 win.
A pair of goals from captain Liam Greentree helped the Windsor #Spitfires earn a 4-3 win over the North Bay #Battalion at the WFCU Centre on Thursday evening. #OHL pic.twitter.com/8Uao4Yr5t0
— Dave Jewell (@DaveJewellOHL) January 30, 2026
After the game, Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters gave his club credit, along with the visitors as well.
“We played really hard,” he said. “Having three of our four centres out is tough but our guys battled through. I loved the work ethic and compete level … The Battalion played hard with their full lineup. They played (the Bulldogs) really hard. They were right there with the Soo (Greyhounds) in two games. Their coaching staff is really good; they’re a structured team.”
Greentree Steps Up Again
It hasn’t always been an easy season for Greentree. After recording 119 points in 64 games last season, he started this season with 27 points in his first 15 games. However, there was a 12-game stretch from late November until mid-January where he had just eight points. While the reason was unclear, he found his form in January. Since a road game against the Brampton Steelheads on Sat., Jan. 17, where he had three points, he’s been red hot. That continued on Thursday.
The captain had two goals, giving him five goals and nine points in his last five games. His first goal came when he skated into the zone, was given plenty of room, picked his spot, and beat goaltender Jack Lisson glove side. Then, to end the period, he took a loose puck in the slot and put home his second of the night. Walters said this was classic Greentree.
“Greentree was back to himself again, dominant right from his first shift,” he said. “He got into a fight and scored two huge goals for us.”
The second goal gave Greentree 297 career points, passing Spitfires’ great Blair Barnes for third all-time on the franchise’s point list. He is now just 17 points away from second spot, which is held by defenceman Ryan Ellis (314 from 2007-11). He’s also just 17 goals away from second all-time on the team, which is held by current general manager Bill Bowler (149 from 1991-95).
Greentree reflected on his 297th point after the game and said how much the city, as a whole, means to him.
“Windsor, not just the organization but the city, means so much to me,” he said. “The fans are so supportive, and I couldn’t have done it without a lot of people in the room. It’s been an honour to play here, and I’ve loved every second of it. To be recognized for that is something special.”
While he hasn’t put up the same points as last season, he’s been focused on the team and his future. He credited one person with really helping him.
“I haven’t really focused too much on being a huge point getter this season,” he said. “I’m really just trying to round out my game and be a more professional player. Bill (Bowler) has really helped me with that. If I can pass him in goals, that would be something special.”
Next Man Up Philosophy Continues to Pay Off
While Greentree stepped up with a pair of goals, he couldn’t do it alone. The club lost McLaughlin to an upper-body injury earlier in January, but they also lost Villeneuve and Nesbitt to a flu bug this week.
As a result, the club called up veteran Shawn Costello from LaSalle Junior B, and he joined depth forwards Cole Dubowsky and Nathan Gaymes on the fourth line.
It also gave their younger players a bigger role that paid off well. Players like Harvey and rookie Belksultan Makysh saw more ice time. Harvey scored his eighth, putting home his own rebound, while Makysh brought his usual blend of speed, creativity, and physical play. He didn’t factor into the scoring, but it wasn’t from a lack of effort.
Having the trio out isn’t ideal. However, Greentree said the others have stepped up, and there aren’t any worries in the room.
“We had a lot of younger guys that stepped up for us, especially Harvey getting the game-winning goal,” he said. “We really lean on those younger guys, and they’ve done really well this season … We’re coached very well. It doesn’t matter who’s in the lineup for us; we get things done. I knew that our team, even with them out, was going to be fine. We play a very structured game.”
Walters has often used the “next man up” philosophy. He did it last season when the team was down eight regulars in the playoffs, and he continues to use it. He said their depth is essential in a time like this, and with some help from assistant coach Casey Torres, it even helped their power play.
“We know what we went through last season, but the team is built on depth,” Walters said. “I was happy for (the youngsters) to get some more ice time, which they deserved. You saw them on the power play. I thought our power play was probably the best our power play has looked all season. All of one chance (laughs), but we had a lot of good looks.”
Costanzo Remains a Rock on Goaltender Night
Thursday night was Goaltender Appreciation Night, which included all four goaltenders – Joey Costanzo and Michael Newlove for the Spitfires, plus Lisson and Cole Vreugdenhill for the Battalion – getting flowers plus taking the ceremonial puck drop.
Thursday night was Goaltenders Appreciation Night at the WFCU Centre, including pre-game flowers for all four goaltenders (two Windsor #Spitfires, two North Bay #Battalion), plus the ceremonial puck drop. #OHL pic.twitter.com/anzUvRmnwg
— Dave Jewell (@DaveJewellOHL) January 30, 2026
However, once the puck dropped, Costanzo was all business. Despite a pair of power-play goals against, the 20-year-old Toronto native was a rock. He made multiple important saves, including in the third period, to preserve the win.
After the game, Walters said Costanzo was the goaltender that they needed in this situation.
“He was awesome,” Walters said. “…He’s been our backbone all season.”
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Greentree has been with Costanzo since 2022-23. They’ve seen a lot together. The captain said they trust him and he was their guy, not only Thursday, but heading into a tough stretch before the playoffs.
“I’ve been with Joey for a long time now,” Greentree said. “He’s been a great guy, a great leader in the room. He does a lot for our team. He’s been great this season … We really trust him back there.”
Greentree, Costanzo, and the rest of the Spitfires have no time to rest. They hit the bus on Friday to face the Rangers with first place in the conference on the line. The last time the clubs met, the Rangers came from behind to beat the Spitfires 3-2 in overtime at the WFCU Centre on Wed., Jan. 21.
