• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Other Leagues
CHL
OHL

Windsor’s Historic Road Trip

By Dave Jewell November 18th, 2016

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Road trips are a part of life in the OHL and most teams expect to play three games in a weekend at least once or twice during a season. The Windsor Spitfires, though, are about to embark on a road trip that will challenge historic OHL records.

The FINA World Swimming Championships are being held at the WFCU Centre in Windsor from Dec. 6-11, kicking the Spitfires out of their home for over a month. Windsor and the OHL had to get creative when finalizing their 2016-17 schedule and the result was one of the longest numbers of consecutive road games in league history.

Life Away from WFCU Centre

Road trip through Western Canada

Road trip through Western Canada

Starting on Sunday, Nov. 20 in London against the Knights, the Spitfires will play 13 straight games on the road. The road swing ends on Dec. 28 when they play the Spirit in Saginaw.

Their total road schedule is as follows:

  • Nov. 20 in London
  • Nov. 24 in Peterborough
  • Nov. 25 in Ottawa
  • Nov. 27 in Kingston
  • Nov. 30 in Sault Ste Marie
  • Dec. 3 in Flint
  • Dec. 4 in Saginaw
  • Dec. 8 in Barrie
  • Dec. 10 in Sudbury
  • Dec. 11 in North Bay
  • Dec. 16 in Erie
  • Dec. 17 in Niagara
  • Dec. 28 in Saginaw

In Good Company

Since the start of the 2003-04 season, several teams have embarked on stretches that involve five, six or even seven straight games on the road. Where do 13 straight games land on the historic scale?

Here are the top five numbers of consecutive road games for a team since the 2003-04 season:

1. Windsor Spitfires – 13 – 2016-17 – due to FINA World Swimming Championships

2. Peterborough Petes – 10 – 2003-04 – renovations at the Peterborough Memorial Centre

T – 3 – North Bay Battalion – 9 – 2003-04 – finishing renovations at North Bay Memorial Gardens

T – 3 – Ottawa 67s – 9 – 2012-13 – finishing renovations at Lansdowne Park, where the 67s rink is located

T – 5 – Kitchener Rangers – 8 – 2012-13 – renovations at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium

T – 5 – London Knights – 8 – 2005-06 – reason unknown

T – 5 – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – 8 – 2006-07 – finishing off the newly-built arena

Check out this video of the North Bay Memorial Gardens being renovated to accommodate the Battalion:

Make the Most of It

While the month-long endeavor will clearly be a challenge for the Spitfires players, management and fans, you have to look at the positives. The team has recently acquired two big names – forward Graham Knott and defenceman Sean Day – and there hasn’t been a great opportunity for those two to get out of the city and really bond with the team.

Road trips are a way for teams to get to know each other off the ice, better than they would in day-to-day living, and become a solid, formidable unit.

With the Spitfires hosting the Memorial Cup this season, it’s also a chance for management to really get a good look at the roster. You get away from the hometown fans and see how players perform under pressure and in different situations.

Photo Courtesy: Dave Jewell

Photo Courtesy: Dave Jewell

The team currently sits 10-1-1 at home but is 3-3-1 on the road. If they play to their potential, 10 wins in the 13 games isn’t out of the question, and it could help them maintain their spot near the top of the Western Conference standings.

They will rely on the leadership of the veterans as well as the always-strong goaltending of Michael DiPietro (pictured, above right) and Mario Culina to get the job done.

It’s going to be a long month for Spitfires fans but they can be rest assured that, while they won’t see many home games in December, those will be made up at the end of May. That’s a trade-off almost anyone in the OHL would take.

  • Tags
  • Windsor Spitfires
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 18th 5:55 PM
Other Leagues

Ducks Will Benefit From Gulls’ Temporary Relocation to Irvine

Jan 18th 5:45 PM
Minnesota Wild

Wild Weekly: A Pair Of Comeback Wins Against The Kings

Jan 18th 5:10 PM
Column

Canucks News & Rumors: Edler, Hughes, Miller, Benn & Höglander

Jan 18th 4:35 PM
St Louis Blues

Blues Need Hoffman on Top Power Play Unit

Jan 18th 3:55 PM
Other Leagues

Windsor Spitfires’ 2010 Grubauer Trade Cemented OHL Dynasty

Jan 18th 3:45 PM
Archives

The Strangest Superstitions in NHL History

Jan 18th 3:35 PM
Florida Panthers

Newest Panthers Make Their Mark in the Season Opener

Jan 18th 3:25 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Prospects News & Rumors: Robertson, Caufield, Clarke & Harrison

Jan 18th 3:10 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Oilers News & Rumors: Yamamoto, Kahun, Bear, Goalie News, More

Jan 18th 3:00 PM
Column

Flyers Who’s Hot & Who’s Not: Konecny, Hart, Voracek & More

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information