Spitfires Win Thriller 4-3 in Overtime over IceDogs
On Sunday, January 5, 2025, the Windsor Spitfires faced off against the Niagara IceDogs at the Meridian Centre in a thrilling game that ended with Windsor claiming a hard-fought 4-3 overtime victory.
Both teams battled hard in the opening period, but strong defensive efforts and solid goaltending at both ends of the ice kept the scoreboard blank. Neither team was able to convert their chances, and the period ended in a 0-0 tie.
In the second period, the IceDogs came out strong and took control early. Ryan Roobroeck opened the scoring for Niagara, giving the home crowd something to cheer about. Shortly after, Noah Van Vliet doubled Niagara’s lead with another goal, putting the IceDogs up 2-0.
Windsor, however, refused to back down. Tanner Winegard scored his first career OHL goal, providing a spark for the Spitfires and cutting the lead to 2-1. Winegard’s goal was assisted by Ethan Garden and Ethan Martin. Momentum began to shift, and Windsor capitalized again when Ethan Belchetz netted his 12th goal of the season on the powerplay. Jack Nesbitt and Carson Woodall provided the assists, and the game was tied at 2-2 heading into the third period.
In the third period, the IceDogs regained the lead early in the thanks to Max Crete’s goal, which put Niagara ahead 3-2. The Spitfires faced significant pressure as they worked to mount another comeback.
Late in the period, Windsor’s Josef Eichler found the back of the net for his second goal of the season. Assisted by Ryan Abraham and Noah Morneau, Eichler’s goal tied the game at 3-3 and sent it into overtime.
Overtime began with high stakes and a carryover penalty against Niagara from the final moments of regulation. The Spitfires took full advantage of the power play opportunity.
Liam Greentree, delivered the game-winning goal, scoring his 29th of the season. Greentree’s decisive goal came off assists from Anthony Cristoforo and Jack Nesbitt, securing a dramatic 4-3 victory for the Spitfires.
With the win, Windsor improved to 29-7-2-1, maintaining their strong position in the OHL standings. Niagara fell to 23-12-2-1 after the tough loss.
The Spitfires will look to continue their momentum on Friday, January 10, 2025, when they hit the road to face the London Knights in what promises to be another exciting matchup. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00pm.
