The Windsor Spitfires reaffirmed their status as a formidable force against teams from the Ontario Hockey League's Eastern Conference, claiming a hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory against the visiting Niagara IceDogs on Friday night.
Garden's Gritty Winner Seals the Deal
With less than a minute remaining in the extra frame, second-year forward Ethan Garden delivered the decisive blow. The play developed as defenceman Wyatt Kennedy fired a shot toward the Niagara net. Garden, demonstrating relentless determination, fought his way to the front of the crease, where the puck banked off his skate and into the goal at the 17:17 mark of overtime. The goal was confirmed following an extensive video review by officials.
This marked Garden's third game-winning goal of the season, tying him with teammates Cole Davis and Liam Greentree for second on the team. He now sits just one behind team leader Ethan Belchetz, who has four.
Newlove Steps Up Between the Pipes
With starting goaltender Joey Costanzo owning the league's best goals-against average, backup Michael Newlove made the most of a rare start. Newlove turned aside 20 of 21 shots to backstop the Spitfires to victory. His only blemish came near the end of a four-minute Niagara power play in regulation.
"Newlove was good when he had to be," said Spitfires' head coach Greg Walters. "Joey has played so well, but we have a lot of belief in Michael and you saw (Friday) that he's a good goalie." The win was Newlove's first since November 28th and improved his season goals-against average to 2.93.
Defensive Discipline and Eastern Conference Dominance
Coach Walters praised his team's structured play, particularly in limiting the IceDogs to just 21 shots on goal. "Defensively, we were good," Walters stated. "It's a good two points for us."
The victory extended Windsor's winning streak to four games and simultaneously snapped Niagara's own four-game run of success. More significantly, it improved the Spitfires' record against Eastern Conference opponents this season to an impressive 10-2-1, translating to a dominant .808 winning percentage.
The team now shifts focus back to Western Conference play, with a Saturday night matchup scheduled on the road against the Erie Otters.
Additional Notes: Prior to the game, Spitfires defenceman Anthony Cristoforo was named the OHL's Defenceman of the Month for December. In eight games during the month, Cristoforo recorded six goals and 12 points, adding an offensive spark from the blue line.
