Attack No Quit Mentality on Display in 7-5 Loss to CHL#6 Ranked Spitfires

The Owen Sound Attack took to the ice at the WFCU Centre on Thursday night looking to avenge a 4-1 loss from last Saturday night.  The Attacks No Quit mentality was on full display but unfortunately the Bears came up short dropping their decision 7-5 to the CHL’s 6th ranked Windsor Spitfires.  Leading the way for the Attack was overage forward Landen Hookey with 2 goals, while Sam McCue, Ben Cormier, and Pierce Mbuyi each added a goal.  Windsor answered back with goals from Noah Morneau, Liam Greentree, Ilya Protas, Ethan Garden and a hat trick from Jack Nesbitt.

As it can when teams play back-to-back games against each other, tonights game saw that intensity carry over from this past Saturday, with both teams not willing to let up.  It was the Spitfires who opened the scoring when a Noah Morneau shot from the slot eluded Matthew Koprowski hit the post and spun for a second before crossing the goal line.  The Attack pushed back immediately and were rewarded a minute later when Ethan Kindree dropped the puck off to Sam McCue inside the Windsor blue line.  McCue opted to take the shot through traffic and beat Carter Froggett to even up the score at 1.  The Attack’s penalty kill was put to the test shortly after, but continued to perform, killing off a double minor and keeping the score tied at 1.  While both teams had their chances in the remaining part of the first period neither team was able to break the tie before the break.

Windsor didn’t waste any time getting on the board in the second period scoring just 20 seconds into the middle frame off a breakaway for Liam Greentree.  Just under four minutes later Ilya Protas extended the Windsor lead to 3-1 completing the cross ice passing play past a sprawling Koprowski.  The Attack continued to battle and were rewarded when Landen Hookey cut into the Spitfires zone and beat Froggett clean over the blocker to cut the deficit to 3-2.  Unfortunately, under a minute later the Spitfires were able to get a short-handed break and Jack Nesbitt converted on the cross ice pass to extend the Windsor lead to 4-2.  Despite some quality opportunities for both teams, the score did not change in the final 8 minutes of the period.

Once again the Spitfires were able to strike early in the period, this time it was Jack Nesbitt with his second of the night to make it 5-2, just over 2 minutes into the third period.  As the commentators kept saying the Attack wouldn’t call it quits and move onto their next game early and then were rewarded in the middle of the period.  It all started with a solid forecheck from Russian Import Rafik Varosyan who stole the puck from the Windsor defender and found Pierce Mbuyi, who had set up in the perfect support position and moved to the front of the net when Varosyan took possession, then he buried the pass from Varosyan past Froggett to cut the Spitfires lead to 2 with just over 10 minutes to play.  A minute and a half later Sam McCue brought the puck up the side board and shot the puck towards the Spitfires net where a streaking Ben Cormier was charging to the net.  The puck banked off the crest on Cormier’s jersey past Froggett to make it a one goal game with 9 minutes to play.  While the Attack continued to push, the Spitfires were able to generate an odd-man rush and convert to make the score 6-4 with 5 minutes play.  But once again, the Bears would not quit and cut the lead to one with three minutes and thirty seconds to play when Landen Hookey finished off a pretty passing play for his second of the game and the power play marker.  Unfortunately, this was as close as the Attack would get with Jack Nesbitt completing the hat trick on an empty net goal with eight second left in the game, making the final 7-5 for the Spitfires.

Up next for the Attack is a rare off-day on the road on Friday, before heading to Michigan to take on the Flint Firebirds on Saturday night and the Saginaw Spirit on Sunday night.  Both of these games will be carried on CHLtv and 560 CFOS Bear Radio, but will not be on Rogers Television Grey County.  After Sunday, the Attack will begin a 5-game homestead that will see them play Saginaw on Saturday, November 2 at 4pm, the London Knights on Sunday, November 3 at 2pm, the Sarnia Sting on Wednesday, November 6 at 7pm, the Kitchener Rangers on Saturday, November 9 at 7pm and the Sudbury Wolves on Sunday, November 10 at 2pm.  The two Sunday games will be Investment Planning Counsel Sundays with skates with the team following both games, November 2nd is Special Olympics night and November 9th is the annual Hockey Fights Cancer Game.

Tickets for all Attack home games can be purchased in person at the MacVicar & McComb Sutton Realty Attack Box Office, over the phone at 519-371-7452 or online anytime at tickets.attackhockey.com.