SmartStop Post Game Recap – Steelheads Show Fight in Windsor but Fall 6–3 After Third-Period Push
Windsor, ON — The Brampton Steelheads showed tremendous resilience on Saturday night in Windsor, battling back from an early three-goal deficit to tie the game before ultimately falling 6–3 to the Spitfires at the WFCU Centre. Luke Johnson (#96) made the start for Brampton, while Michael Newlove (#30) was in goal for Windsor in their lone meeting of the season.
Windsor opened the scoring just 2:02 into the first period on their very first shot of the game. Jean-Christoph Lemieux (#22) broke loose on a clean breakaway and slid a shot through Johnson’s five-hole, assisted by Max Brocklehurst (#42). The Spitfires doubled their lead at 8:31 after another quick passing play as Lemieux buried his second of the night off a feed from Jack Nesbitt (#71) and Brocklehurst. Brampton’s first dangerous look came midway through the frame when Kieran Witkowski (#13) ripped a wrist shot on goal from the right circle, but Newlove made the stop.
The Steelheads had to kill a penalty midway through the period when Troy Patton (#77) was called for hooking at 9:25, and Windsor made them pay. On the ensuing man advantage, Nesbitt scored his sixth of the season off a feed from Anthony Cristoforo (#44) to make it 3–0. Despite the early hole, Brampton continued to push, outshooting the Spitfires 9–7 through the first twenty minutes. Mason Zebeski (#19) created a pair of quality scoring chances, while Joshua Avery (#89) and Jakub Fibigr (#5) fired dangerous point shots that forced rebounds. Late in the period, Ian Inskip (#16) went off for hooking, giving Brampton a chance on the power play, but despite heavy traffic in front from Gabriel Chiarot (#20), the Steelheads couldn’t find the back of the net.
The second period began with Brampton carrying over their late energy, drawing an early slashing penalty to Ethan Belchetz (#61) just one minute in. Although the Steelheads couldn’t capitalize, they controlled possession early, forcing Windsor back into their own end. Moments later, Patton was assessed a high-sticking call at 2:47, leading to brief 4-on-4 play before Windsor went back on the power play. Johnson came up big in net, robbing Liam Greentree (#66) on a backhand try and getting help from the post on another shot to keep the deficit at three.
At 4:25, tempers boiled over when Parker Von Richter (#6) dropped the gloves with A.J. Spellacy (#8) after a hard, clean hit along the boards. Spellacy drew an instigator penalty and a 10-minute misconduct in addition to the fighting major, while Von Richter earned a major for fighting. That sequence sparked the game’s most physical stretch as both benches ramped up the intensity.
At 5:57, Cristoforo took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and William Eggleton (#18) was called for interference, sending both teams to 4-on-4 play. Shortly after, Andrew Robinson (#27) went off for cross-checking at 8:53, and Brampton made it count. On their fourth power play of the night, Matej Stankoven (#97) converted off a clean setup from Fibigr and MacGregor Richmond (#73) at 9:58, giving Brampton life and trimming the Windsor lead to 3–1.
The goal seemed to flip the momentum entirely in Brampton’s favor. Just seconds later, rookie Reed Gee (#8) dropped the gloves with Jonathan Brown (#5) in what was Brown’s first OHL fight, energizing both benches and the Steelheads’ forecheck.
The comeback continued when Chiarot scored at 12:52, jumping on a rebound from a Zebeski shot that handcuffed Newlove. Then, just over a minute later, Zebeski drove hard to the net and slid a perfect feed across the crease to Chiarot, who buried his second of the period to tie the game 3–3 at 14:13. The Steelheads had erased a three-goal deficit in under ten minutes.
The emotion carried on when Patton and Conor Walton (#28) got tangled along the boards and dropped the gloves at 14:26. Both received fighting majors and misconducts, while the Spitfires lost another defenseman. Brampton’s energy and structure began to dictate the pace, and they controlled most of the remaining minutes in the frame. A late interference call against Chiarot at 16:51 put Windsor on the power play, but the Steelheads’ penalty killers — led by Stankoven, Dragusica, and strong goaltending from Johnson — blocked shots and cleared pucks with confidence.
After two periods, Brampton had completely turned the tide, outshooting Windsor 20–15 and entering the third tied 3–3 in one of their most determined efforts of the season.
The final frame opened with Brampton carrying the same fire that fueled their comeback. Richmond registered the first shot of the period just 50 seconds in, forcing Newlove to make an early save. The Steelheads hemmed the Spitfires in their own zone for extended shifts, with Chiarot battling along the boards to create possession and Zebeski nearly breaking through on a backhand chance that required a sharp pad save from Newlove.
Windsor tried to spark its top line, but Brampton’s defensive play and puck movement through the neutral zone continued to frustrate them. A slashing penalty to Julian Demiglio (#9) at 8:00 gave Windsor a crucial power play, and despite a strong effort from Justin Bottineau (#11), who generated a 2-on-2 shorthanded chance, the Spitfires eventually broke through. With just nine seconds left on the man advantage, Greentree (#66) ripped a wrist shot over Johnson’s glove from the far circle at 9:51, assisted by Nesbitt and Belchetz, giving Windsor a 4–3 lead.
Still, Brampton didn’t back down. They killed off another Windsor power play following a Luke Dragusica (#23) cross-checking penalty at 11:12, forcing clears and limiting second-chance looks. The game remained tight until the final minutes, with both teams trading physical play and quick transitions.
At 15:47, Patton and Lemieux were sent off together — Patton for cross-checking and Lemieux for embellishment — setting up two minutes of four-on-four play. Windsor managed to regain their rhythm in the closing minutes, and at 17:56, Lemieux completed his hat trick, one-timing a backhand pass from Caden Harvey (#11) and Beksultan Makysh (#80) into the slot to restore Windsor’s two-goal lead.
Brampton pulled Johnson for the extra attacker with 1:30 remaining, but Greentree struck again, finding the empty net at 19:10 with help from Nesbitt to seal the 6–3 final. Johnson returned to the crease for the closing seconds as the Spitfires secured the win.
The Steelheads outshot Windsor 26–20 overall and played with undeniable determination throughout the night, showing their ability to claw back into games against strong opponents. Despite the loss, Brampton’s middle-frame rally — powered by Chiarot’s two goals and Zebeski’s two assists — was one of their most complete efforts of the season.
Final Score: Windsor 6 – Brampton 3
Shots on Goal: Brampton 26 – Windsor 20
