Head coach Greg Walters saw it coming, but his Windsor Spitfires could not prevent it. A failure to match the London Knights' expected physicality from the opening puck drop led to an early two-goal deficit and, ultimately, a costly 3-2 overtime loss on Saturday night at the WFCU Centre.
A Costly Failure to Listen
Walters had explicitly warned his team about the Knights' mindset following a 4-1 loss to Windsor just one night prior. "I told them they were going to come out physical, they always do after a loss, and they were definitely more physical," Walters stated bluntly after the game. His prediction proved accurate, as the Spitfires' sluggish start allowed London to capitalize on two Windsor miscues, building a 2-0 lead by the end of the first period.
"I didn't like our start," Walters admitted, pinpointing the root of the defeat. The Spitfires, who had earned consecutive victories over the defending Memorial Cup champions earlier this season, were caught off guard by a determined Knights squad. London forward Evan Van Gorp, who assisted on the overtime winner, summarized his team's simple, effective approach: "I thought we just stuck to the system. No one tried to dangle around. We just kept it simple, made plays when they were there and it worked out for us."
A Valiant Comeback Falls Short
To their credit, the Spitfires battled back. Defenceman Conor Walton ignited the rally in the second period, becoming the seventh Windsor blueliner to score this season. The goal came off a clean faceoff win by rookie Johnny McLaughlin, who fed Walton at the point for a shot through traffic.
"I was pretty fired up," said Walton, who celebrated the rivalry goal. "It's a rivalry for sure. I love these games, they're like playoff games. Getting one on those guys is such a good feeling." Jack Nesbitt then tied the game in the third period, forcing overtime and securing a critical point for Windsor in the standings.
Despite the comeback, the Spitfires could not complete the job in the extra frame. Walters chose to focus on the positive, noting, "Really proud of the guys to comeback down 2-0 against them. Three points out of four against the London Knights is not a bad weekend."
Young Players Step Up
The game highlighted contributions from younger Spitfires. Rookie Johnny McLaughlin's pivotal faceoff win and relentless play earned him praise and more ice time. "He's an animal," Walters said of his first-round pick. "He looks like he's 12, but he's one of the hardest workers and usually leads our team in hits. We have to get some other guys to do it. He needed some extra ice (time)."
McLaughlin's effort was rewarded with a promotion to the wing on the third line alongside Ethan Garden and Caden Harvey for the final period. While the result was a disappointing loss, the Spitfires' resilience and the emergence of key young players provided silver linings from a hard-fought OHL battle at the WFCU Centre.
