The Windsor Spitfires might have found some traction to their game.

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The Windsor Spitfires might have found some traction to their game.

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After playing .500 hockey for 10 games, the Spitfires have bounced back with two dominating performances.

The West Division-leading Spitfires held a 37-15 advantage in shots on Saturday, but needed overtime to beat the East Division-leading Brantford Bulldogs 3-2 before a crowd of 4,666 at the WFCU Centre. That followed Friday’s 7-2 win over the Sarnia Sting where the Spitfires held a 46-19 edge in shots.

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“The record was 5-5, but I think for us it was kind of about understanding that we are one of the big dog teams,” Spitfires’ defenceman Anthony Cristoforo said. “We’re a team that’s a force to be reckoned with and for us it was kind of understanding we are that team. We had to go out and play with that swagger and I think we’ve done that the last two games.”

Against a very structured and patient Brantford squad, the Spitfires were relentless in their pressure against the Bulldogs.

“I really like the way we’re playing,” Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters said. “We’re generating a lot of shots right now and keeping the other team to a very minimum.”

Brantford’s power play was the only thing that kept the Bulldogs in the game with Marek Vanacker converting just 24 seconds into a manpower advantage to open the scoring.

The Spitfires continued to press and captain Liam Greentree got the equalizer with 87 seconds left in the opening period after he stripped Bulldogs’ defenceman Thomas Budnick and went in alone.

“We held them to under 20 shots, against a team like that, you’re pretty happy,” Cristoforo said. “Two power-play goals, but five-one-five we were almost perfect.”

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Cristoforo’s power play goal had the Spitfires up 2-1 after 40 minutes and poised for the win when forward Ilya Protas got his stick up and clipped a Brantford player resulting in a four-minute minor for drawing blood

“I think I was praying for a bit there,” Protas said. “It’s always tough, especially when you want to win this game and especially when you’re up one goal and (get) four minutes, it was tough.”

Windsor nearly escaped the jam, but Ben Lardis fired home his league-leading 52nd goal of the season with 14 seconds left in the second Protas minor to force overtime.

“Third period, eight minute left, I can’t take penalties like that, but it was unfortunate,” Protas said.

The Washington Capitals’ prospect would earn redemption in overtime. Playing three-on-three, Noah Morneau got in front of Bulldogs’ defenceman Owen Protz to force a turnover. He walked in alone and was stopped, but Protas buried the rebound over Brantford goalie Ryerson Leenders.

“Noah was great on the forecheck,” said Protas, who is fourth in league scoring with 79 points in 46 games. “I just decided to go (to the net) and maybe there was a rebound and it did and I just got lucky. It was pretty big time for me.

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“I’m just happy we won the game. It’s tie game, overtime, coach trusts you and puts you out there. You want to win this game and it went through my mind I have to score.”

With 17 games left in the regular season, the Spitfires sit 19-point s up on the Saginaw Spirit as Windsor takes aim at its third division title in four years.

“It was big time for us because I think we played better and deserved that win,” Protas said. “It was big for the team because, if we want to take first place, we have to win these types of games.”

Windsor returns to action on Thursday against Sarnia when the club will end a stretch of seven games in a row at home. Game time at the WFCU Centre is 7:05 p.m.

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Game Summary

Saturday Result

Spitfires 3 Bulldogs 2 (OT)

Brantford 1 0 1 0 – 2

Windsor 1 1 0 1 – 3

First period: 1. Brantford, Vanacker 14 (O’Brien, Thomas) 14:31 (pp), 2. Windsor, Greentree 35 (unassisted) 18:33. Penalties: Abraham W (hooking) 14:07.

Second period: 3. Windsor, Cristoforo 12 (Nesbitt, Greentree) 18:03 (pp). Penalties: O’Brien B (hooking) 10:18, O’Brien B (interference) 17:09.

Third period: 4. Brantford, Lardis 52 (Vanacker, Thomas) 15:29 (pp). Penalties: Gallacher B (delay of game) 5:42, Protas W (double minor high sticking) 11:43.

Overtime: 5. Windsor, Prtoas 35 (Morneau) 1:50. Penalties: None.  

Game stats – SOG – Brantford 3 5 7 0 – 15 Windsor 11 18 6 2 – 37 Goal (shots-saves) – Brantford: Leenders (L,19-11-3-0) (37-34). Windsor: Costanzo (W,28-8-1-1) (15-13). Power play (goals-chances) – Brantford 2-3. Windsor 1-3. Referees: David Elford and Jack Hennigan. Linesmen: Phil Nadeau and Geoff Rutherford. Att.: 4,666 at the WFCU Centre.

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