Windsor Spitfires 2024 - 25 Season Thread, Part V

Appears to be a weak crowd for the game tonight. I see a lot of seats that are taken by season ticket members in the regular season that are available.

Many STH's apparently are not doing the pay-as-you-play option. Also, I assume businesses that have season tickets don't buy playoff tickets.

Should get about 6,000 for Saturday, though.

Anyways, Kitchener does not dominate its opponents. A stunning 19 of their games went to OT this season. This is a squad that relies on Parsons to win them games. A lot of their games are decided by one goal. Sometimes, all it takes is an elite goalie in the playoffs. If the Spits can solve Parsons, they can win this series.
Oddly enough this will be the Spits 3rd time in 4 seasons seeing the Rangers m in the Playoffs..

2022, 2023 and Now 2025. Parsons saw some ice in 22’ but if memory serves me right, he was out injured in 23’

I don’t expect those high scoring games we got in Round 1, but I also don’t think Kitchener brings the physicality the Soo did. If we can have those high scoring, shootout games, I think it benefits us.

Injuries/Returns to Look for:
Woodall/Spellacy
Reid/Misaljevik
 
I don’t expect those high scoring games we got in Round 1, but I also don’t think Kitchener brings the physicality the Soo did. If we can have those high scoring, shootout games, I think it benefits us.

The series against Flint was extremely physical and the Rangers answered. However, Rangers are more likely to match what the opponent is doing. They won't come out flying with hits if the Spits don't either.
 
Appears to be a weak crowd for the game tonight. I see a lot of seats that are taken by season ticket members in the regular season that are available.

Many STH's apparently are not doing the pay-as-you-play option. Also, I assume businesses that have season tickets don't buy playoff tickets.

Should get about 6,000 for Saturday, though.

Anyways, Kitchener does not dominate its opponents. A stunning 19 of their games went to OT this season. This is a squad that relies on Parsons to win them games. A lot of their games are decided by one goal. Sometimes, all it takes is an elite goalie in the playoffs. If the Spits can solve Parsons, they can win this series.
Crappy outside and got to watch spending.
 
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Game 1 of round #2. Happy the spits were able to close it out in 5 against the Soo and able to rest up. As a few mentioned happy a few players are back into this line up but will it be enough to beat this Rangers squad which had more points in the standings this year then the spits and are going to be a tough team to get by.

Going to take this whole team buying into the game plan, covering their man and playing hard every shift. Costanzo just needs to play solid and make the saves needed. How well can the Spits top offensive players get it done against this defensively sound Kitchener team which is one of the besat teams in the league at keeping the puck out of their net.

Just want to see a strong compete level from our team tonight and hopefully can come out on top in a big game 1 to get this series started.

Go Spits Go.
 
Reid back in for KIT, Spellacy back in for WSR. Both teams have an extra in Warm-Ups.

Woodall out, which is concerning. Got a Week off + from a high stick? 😬

No Misaljevic for KIT. He was their point leader thru the regular season.

Costelllo/Gaymes/Lemieux is a high hitting aggressive line if none of them sit in place of Spicer.

Odd note: Robinson has played more playoff games than regular season.
 
Good for Robinson! Getting him his first goal in his 10th game I felt really inspired the Spits.

Thought Joey looked great, had a few key saves early that could’ve made the difference then did what he had to. Pretty fine with 1GA on a PK with 2 minutes left… off the post and in… with our Top PK Guys not out there.

Abraham and Davis I thought were the most impressive tonight. Abraham back to some of his old school antics, which I enjoyed. Davis buzzing around like crazy. He’s a reverse Maggio. Quiet in the regular season, Loud in the Playoffs. lol.

We had home ice and the lines, but we play like that, I think we have a good shot at the conference finals. Solid game all around. I’m impressed with Windsors composure in their Own zone/behind the net. Not forcing anything and really trying to increase possession time.

I feel bad about Joey’s shut out, but having our 4th line ruffle some feathers and match off with Andonovsky and Swick, are trades I’ll take all day.
 
A great win to begin the series. The defense was sharp and Costanzo was solid. The defense is proving to be a strength in the playoffs. Didn't give up many scoring chances. Walters deserves credit, everyone is in good position most of the time.

Robinson and Hicks are going to be elite. Robinson already plays like a 19-year-old d-man. Hicks owns the ice when he's out there. Breaking up plays, leading rushes, etc. When you are winning playoff games and two of your best players are rookie d-man you are in great shape.

Some bad news on Woodall, it's his leg, and it doesn't sound good. Don't expect to see him the rest of the season by what I was told, but who knows. That's a big hit.

I see Kitchener already making the injury excuses, but the Spitfires are without #1 and #4 d-man and Belchetz.

Made Parsons look mediocre. Crowd was getting on him. If he is shaky on Saturday, the crowd, which should be near 6,000, will be on him big time. We might have some vintage chants on Parsons similar to the Matt Hackett ones.

Abraham was a beast tonight. If they can continue to play the way they did tonight, they should win this series. Protas only had three points tonight instead of his usual four, hehe. To no surprise, he leads the CHL in playoff scoring.
 
A few thoughts...

- Not the biggest crowd but they were loud. A buddy commented that it had Windsor Arena vibes to it. Keep that going!
- Very defensive first period. Energetic and physical but nobody was giving any space. That's kind of what I expected.
- Congrats to Robinson for his first OHL goal. A nice pinch, a solid pass from Abraham, and it's in. He said after the game that he blacked out and didn't remember the celebration. But, he's trying to soak it all in because it's all been a rush. He's going to be a fun one!
- Morneau with a pair, including a PPG. How the Rangers didn't stop him on the open-net tap in, I'll never know.
- Greentree scores the first PPG against Kitch all playoffs. It WAS a 5on3 but still.
- Kitchener's penalties were self-inflicted wounds. Windsor's weren't much better.
- I didn't think the officials were too bad. I'm not a big fan of officials looking at a pretty clear penalty and shaking their head... it's like they know everyone hates it but they have to interject.
- Costanzo played well; had some Grade A chances against him. You can't ask for much more.
- Spicer took warmups but didn't dress. I'm not sure where you'd put him right now, anyway. There wasn't a bad player on the ice for Windsor tonight.
- The Cristoforo goal was impressive. Blocked shot, regains his composure, battles Dirracolo all the way to Parsons, then one-handed into the goal. I don't think anyone can say that was a bad goal. Heck, he even had a big hit near the benches.
- Both teams missing plenty of players; would they have made a difference? I don't know.
- Parsons is human. Not completely; you can't tell me he's not at least 25% robot.

- OHL Draft is tomorrow and Saturday so hopefully they can get a few picks to the arena to show them around and see the game. If I remember right, that's part of what sold the 2022 class on the team.

- I'm expecting 6,000+ on Saturday; not a lot of tickets left outside of the east end.

Onto the next...
 
This Kitchener team is poop. You have to squint real hard and use your imagination to see anything resembling an impact player on their roster. This is going to be quick and painless.
 
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Nice win last night vs Kitchener, Spits now have won 14 straight at home,the last 10 regular season home games and the 1st 4 home playoff games.
Solid game from Joey Costanzo faced 19 shots overall allowing only 1 and that was on a PP.
His average after 6 games in the playoffs is 1.96 with a 917 save per centage,to go along with a 5-1 record.
Geez only 7 points from the Protas line lol but 3 goals,2 by Morneau, 1 by Greentree, excellent game by Abraham 2A, and being his usual presence though I didn't like #14 from Kitchener spitting on him as he passed the bench in the 3rd classless.
Very solid games from the likes of Robinson, Hicks,Garden and Lemieux, Christoforo btw winds up with the winner.
Should mention something about Costanzo,he has not lost a home game in regulation since the team's 17th game of the regular season.
Team playing very well despite roster shortage especially the D,team sho drawing so far amazing depth and resolve.
Before game 2 my favorite time of the OHL
Draft,tonight and tomorrow ,a deep draft which should yield even more promising players to Windsor's stable.
A great time to be a Spits fan.
 
Ok so yea i was wrong. Woodall is not good to go… bad info sorry guys.
Might have been the most complete game ive seen the team play. That said first period was blah, passes were off, both teams just feeling it out. Honestly i felt like theres more offense still! Parsons looked very human. Joey was real good, confidence is up! Refs were real good until the third.
Now lets see how the team responds, they often get over confident and sloppy after that kind of game. That was 1 game. Come back and do it again before anyone gets to giddy.
 
Nice win for Windsor. They did an effective job of keeping Kitchener on the perimeter. That was not the Rangers best effort however. They will be coming much harder on Saturday. Time to really put the pedal down hard.
 
Good win for Windsor
They had s good game plan
Joey played well
Top 3 guys put up points and carried the team.
I would like them to shoot the puck in more sbd retrieve it or hit more. Rangers r standing at the blue line.
Windsor can't dusted in with puck.
Davis git lucky with the knee call.
Rangers were frustrated that game.
I expect they play different next game though. Windsor will have to adapt.
 

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