As the Windsor Spitfires prepare for their 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season, their home arena, the WFCU Centre, is getting ready for a milestone. Later this year, it’ll celebrate its 15th anniversary and what a ride it’s been. From big goals to historic events, there have been a handful of moments that’ll never fade from memory.
For over 80 years, the City of Windsor knew one major hockey spot – the Windsor Arena. Affectionately known as “The Barn”, it was the Spitfires’ home until they moved to the WFCU Centre in December 2008. While the club made thousands of memories at the old arena, they’ve started making plenty of great ones at their new home. Let’s count down the top five moments from the WFCU Centre as we head towards the big 15th anniversary.
5. WFCU Centre Opens in 2008
While the WFCU Centre has had many fantastic moments, including several that we’re going to bring up shortly, the idea that it even opened in the first place was remarkable.
The 4,400-seat Windsor Arena has stood on the corner of Wyandotte Street and McDougall Avenue since 1924 and, through the late 1990s, residents had little faith that the City of Windsor would be able to get a deal done on a new rink. They tried multiple locations at multiple points in time but it always fell through… until one day in 2006. At a city council meeting on Oct. 4, city officials decided that it was time to create their own legacy. This was their golden chance. After discussion and planning, the shovels hit the ground near the city’s east border on Jan. 22, 2007. It was the moment that Spitfires’ fans had waited decades for.
Related: Saying Goodbye to an OHL Original: The Windsor Arena
On Dec. 11, 2008, the Spitfires officially opened the 6,450-seat WFCU Centre as they hosted the Belleville Bulls (who have since become the Hamilton/Brantford Bulldogs). Local dignitaries and hockey minds took part in a pre-game ceremony and it was a huge party. Unfortunately, the visitors got the last applause as they came away with the 3-0 win.
However, after decades of dashed hopes, hurt dreams, and lessening patience, it was tough to spoil the hometown’s spirits. They had their shiny new rink and the future of the organization was bright.
4. Spitfires Win the 2022 OHL Western Conference Championship
Coming in fourth is an event that, while unexpected, was completely embraced.
When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, nobody knew what would happen from month-to-month. Fast forward to September 2021 with the league re-opening and the team looked vastly different than fans remembered. From heavy graduation to a new head coach in Marc Savard (who has since moved on to the Calgary Flames), it created a lot of uncertainty.
However, that didn’t phase the club. Savard created an atmosphere that players excelled in and wanted to be a part of every day. General manager Bill Bowler then brought in the necessary talent to complement a roster that was already showing signs of incredible growth. The team beat the Sarnia Sting to get into the second round for the first time since 2011, then took out the Kitchener Rangers in five games. They were full of confidence while fans were just eager to see how far this wave would go.
In the Western Conference Championship against the Flint Firebirds, they won Game 6 in overtime on the road to force a Game 7 at home. It was on Wed., June 1, giving Spitfires’ fans a little thrill – actually playing hockey in June.
Despite the nerves and pressure of playing such an important game at home, the Spitfires’ veterans took over. Daniel D’Amico scored a hat-trick, topped off by an empty-net goal late in the third, as the club captured the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as 2022 Western Conference Champions.
After all of the COVID-19 chaos, the uncertainty with the roster and new coach, and the lack of playoff success in the previous decade, this was a moment everyone soaked in. The organization deserved it, the players deserved it, and the fans deserved it.
3. Wellwood’s 2009 Conference Clinching Overtime Goal Against Knights
Next, at number three, is a goal that finished off one of the best series the club has seen at the WFCU Centre.
In 2009, the Spitfires were three seasons into their new rebuild. They finally found success, loaded up at the trade deadline, and finished their 68-game schedule with 115 points. After getting through Rounds 1 and 2 with ease, they battled their arch-rivals, the London Knights, who also loaded up for a title run. This was a conference championship that is still talked about to this day.
The teams went toe-to-toe in every game with neither side gaining any real advantage. In fact, every game leading up to the deciding game went into overtime. Fortunately for the Spitfires, they managed to win three of four before heading home for Game 5.
While the Knights took the lead, captain Harry Young tied the game midway through the third period, setting up another classic overtime. It took 10 minutes before we got the winner, too. Off a faceoff, the puck was thrown towards Knights’ goaltender Trevor Cann. Before he could get it, though, it bounced around to Spitfires’ veteran forward Eric Wellwood. He swatted at the puck and watched it sail past Cann’s glove as the red light turned on. That was the game – the Spitfires took a dramatic 4-3 win to take the conference and punch their ticket to the OHL Championship series. (The game-winning play starts at 4:40 in the clip below)
The Spitfires and the City of Windsor hadn’t seen an OHL Championship series since 1988 so this was a much-needed breath of fresh air. The party didn’t stop, though, as we hit number two on our list…
2. Spitfires Win the 2009 OHL Championship
Wellwood’s goal was a huge part of Spitfires’ history, not only defeating an arch-rival but getting to the league championship. However, the club managed to one-up that event shortly after.
In 2008-09, there were four elite teams – the Spitfires and Knights in the West with the Bulls and the Brampton Battalion (first and second, respectively) in the East. When the dust settled, the Spitfires and Battalion faced off for the chance to go to Rimouski, Quebec for the 2009 Memorial Cup.
The Spitfires came out with something to prove, taking Game 1 by a 10-1 count at home. While the next three games were much closer, the series wasn’t. They won Games 2 and 4 and prepared to possibly win the series at home in Game 5.
The Battalion weren’t going to be pushed around and got an incredible defensive performance including 34 saves from veteran goaltender Thomas McCallum. However, the Spitfires were used to pressure situations after the Knights series.
With the teams tied 1-1 after regulation, overtime was the only answer. A Matt Duchene penalty early in the extra frame sent the Spitfires to the power play. After a short play, Hall found a rebound on McCallum’s blocker side and fired the puck into an open cage, sending the WFCU Centre into bedlam. (The overtime starts at 2:43 in the clip)
The Spitfires had won their first championship since 1988, won their first title at the WFCU Centre, and were off to Rimouski to battle for the Memorial Cup (which they won for the first time in franchise history). After years of frustration and heartbreak, the organization not only had a new arena but an OHL Championship to celebrate in it. You can’t ask for much more than that. Well, other than our number one pick, that is…
1. 2017 Memorial Cup Win
After losing the 2011 Memorial Cup hosting bid to the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, despite a loaded team and a new rink, the Spitfires made sure they were all-in for the 2017 tournament. They won that bid on May 2, 2016, and then-GM Warren Rychel immediately went to work.
Unfortunately, despite the talent, they finished fifth in the Western Conference with 90 points in 68 games and ran into an experienced fourth-seeded Knights club in the first round. The Knights were down 3-1 but their experience paid off, taking the series at home in Game 7. It was a heartbreaking loss for the Spitfires.
Following the loss, critics said the club didn’t deserve to be in the tournament and you would see an asterisk next to their name. However, that was just motivation. When the Memorial Cup started, then-Spitfires’ head coach Rocky Thompson had them mentally and physically ready for a week-long battle. They got their opening win and went 3-0 in the Round Robin, silencing the aforementioned critics. This team was for real and wasn’t backing down.
The Spitfires earned a bye to the Championship game against the OHL’s Erie Otters in front of a packed WFCU Centre. These clubs went back and forth with multiple lead changes. However, those changes finally ended when veteran Aaron Luchuk gave the Spitfires a 4-3 lead early in the third period. The club tightened up defensively, goaltender Michael DiPietro made a few massive stops with seconds to go, and the buzzer sounded…
The Spitfires captured the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup on home ice. It was a party that lasted for weeks to come. We’re also giving it the top spot on this countdown as winning the Memorial Cup at home is something every team dreams of.
Memories Made, Memories to Come
It was just 20 years ago that Spitfires fans packed the Windsor Arena in hopes of a few hours of entertainment, whether it was a win, a physical affair, or just good times with friends and family. A new arena was only a dream. Now, 15 years into a new rink and the organization has seen some brilliant moments on their new ice. From major goals to making history, this list could have gone on for a while. Here’s to some incredible memories over the last 15 years and creating many more in the future!
