Game Preview: Wolves in town for Saturday Night Clash
Windsor, ON – The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Spitfires are poised to make a playoff push for the back half of the season. The Spitfires have been struggling as of late losing to Erie in a shootout, in Niagara 5-2 and then suffering a lopsided loss to the Saginaw Spirit 11-3. The Spitfires currently sit seven points out of the final playoff spot with a game in hand. They have their eyes set on the Sudbury Wolves this weekend. Puck drop is set for 7:05 pm on Saturday at the WFCU Centre.
- TV: YourTV Windsor
- Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV
- Radio: AM800
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Head-to-Head:
The Spitfires head into Saturday’s game placed last in the OHL’s Western Conference with a 12-22-3-1 record just 4 points behind Sarnia and seven behind Flint. The Sudbury Wolves are currently placed 1st in the Eastern Conference with a 20-12-3-2 record. Most recently, they faced the Mississauga where they lost 2-1.
Saturday’s contest will be the first of two meetings this season between the two clubs. Over the past five seasons, the Spitfires are 4-2-0-0 overall against the Wolves and 3-0-0-0 at home.
During the 2022-23 season, the teams split the two games with Windsor winning 5-4 at home and Sudbury winning 3-2.
Scouting the Spitfires:
Liam Greentree (NHL draft eligible) leads the Spitfires in points (53), goals (23) and assists (30). Greentree has an eight-game point streak going with 14 points in during that span (4 goals, 10 assists).
Valentin Zhugin is second in scoring with 27 points. He has collected 3 points in his last four games.
Ryan Abraham has been on a heater as of late as he has a ten-game point streak. He has collected 15 points over that span (9 goals, 6 assists).
Max Donoso was acquired by the Spitfires off of waivers from the Ottawa 67s, he has been stellar for the 67s however they went a different route with their overage situation. Donoso is from Windsor and happy to be with his hometown team.
Djibril Toure will face his former team as he was traded from the Wolves to the Spitfires at the trade deadline.
Scouting the Wolves:
Their last time out, the Wolves lost to the Mississauga Steelheads 2-1. Landon McCallum scored his 14th on the season and the lone goal.
David Goyette (Seattle Kraken) currently leads the Wolves with 56 points (21G, 35A). He has eight points in his last six games.
Quentin Musty (San Jose Sharks) is currently second in points with 45, he has 18 goals and 27 assists this season. He is currently on a seven-game point streak with 4 goals and 4 assists.
Zacharie Giroux was acquired at the deadline and currently sits third in points on the Wolves with 15 goals and 22 assists in 37 games with Flint. He returns to his hometown team for the final few months of his overage season.
Nick DeAngelis the former Spitfire will make his return to the WFCU Centre. He had an 18-game point streak but snapped it a few games ago and has since been scoreless. He will be looking to get on the scoresheet against his former team.
Looking at the tenders, they have an interesting situation with 3 goalies on the roster. Jakub Vondras won a bronze medal at the World Juniors with team Czechia and has returned to the Wolves. They also acquired Marcus Vandenberg from the IceDogs ahead of the deadline. He has the most games played between the three of them with 22. The third goalie is 05 born Nate Krawchuk, he has appeared in 13 games for the Wolves.
Next Up:
The Windsor Spitfires will have a practice on Sunday and have a day off on Monday before they play the Soo Greyhounds on Thursday Jan 18th at the WFCU Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm.
