Spitfires Beat Erie 7-5
WINDSOR, ON.
The Erie Otters were in town for a Tuesday night March Break game as Scooby Doo took over the WFCU Centre. It was the fourth and final matchup between the two teams. The Spitfires had a season series lead of 2-1-0 heading into the game. It was an important game for the Otters for playoff positioning, they sit 7 points behind Saginaw with two games in hand for 4th place and are 7 points ahead of Flint. For the spitfires, they have solidified themselves in the 2 spot as winners of the West Division. On Tuesday, the Spitfires got out to a big lead and were able to hang on securing the 7-5 win.
In the first period, it was all Spitfires as they took the pace to the Otters. The Spitfires opened the scoring on the powerplay as Greentree scored his 46th goal of the season on a great individual play. Just two minutes later, the Spitfires would have another powerplay and capitalize with a tic-tac goal as Protas passed to Cristoforo and he found Nesbitt in front of the net for the tally. Just two and a half minutes later, the Spitfires would strike again. Greentree had a 2 on 1 chance and he kept the puck and faked the shot before tucking it behind the netminder for a highlight reel goal. With under four minutes in the period, the Spitfires would strike again, Hicks passed behind the Spitfires net to Woodall and he made a sweet 2 line feed up to Abraham for a breakaway and he went five-hole. Just two minutes later, Spellacy would fly down the wing and score his 17th goal of the season to make it a 5-0 Spitfires lead. The Otters would strike just 9 seconds after the Spellacy tally and we were headed to the 2nd with a 5-1 score.
In the second period, the Otters started to take over as the Spitfires sat back. The Otters would rally off two goals in 5 minutes to make it a 5-3 game. Late in the frame, Protas would score his 46th goal of the season on a sweet move in tight to make it 6-3. With just 3 seconds left in the period, the Otters would score and make it 6-4 heading into the intermission.
In the third period, it was a close game as the next goal was a big one. The Otters would have a late powerplay opportunity and pull the goalie making it a 6 on 4 advantage. Erie would convert making it a 6-5 game. The Spitfires would hold on and add an empty net from Morneau to seal the 7-5 victory.
The Spitfires are back in action Thursday when the Soo Greyhounds come to town. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm.
