Injuries are one thing. Attacks are a whole different story.

Article content

Dealing with injuries is one thing. Dealing with attacks is a whole different story.

Article content

Article content

The Windsor Spitfires have been battling the injury bug throughout the playoffs, but the club takes exception with what appears like some targeted hits in the second round of the playoffs against the Kitchener Rangers.

“Some of their guys aren’t really classy, but you just keep playing,” Spitfires overage forward Ryan Abraham said.

Article content

The Spitfires made the Rangers pay with a pair of power-play goals in a 5-1 win over the Rangers before a crowd of 5,699 at the WFCU Centre on Saturday.

 “You’ve got to stay on that line,” Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters said. “I thought (Kitchener) went over it. That’s hockey, that’s playoff hockey and those things happen.

“The refs took care of it and our power play took care of it. The best way to limit that is for our power play to keep clicking.”

Windsor scored twice on the power play on Saturday and is now four-for-12 (33.3 per cent) with the man advantage in this series after the Rangers killed off all 22 power-play chances in the first round against Flint.

“We’re rolling right now,” Spitfires’ defenceman Conor Walton said. “It’s playoff momentum and we have momentum right now and a 2-0 series lead is nice.”

Now up 2-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series, Game 3 is set for Monday in Kitchener.

“A 2-0 lead is really what you want going into an away game,” Abraham said. “When the dog’s in the corner, they’re going to fight back, so we have to go there prepared.”

Article content

Article content

There were words exchanged between the two benches in the second period on Saturday after Rangers’ six-foot-three, 205-pound Matthew Hlacar was given a head checking major and a game misconduct that will likely draw a suspension for a hit on Windsor’s five-foot-10, 184-pound forward Cole Davis. He had to be helped from the ice, but did return for the third period.

The Spitfires also weren’t pleased with a head check by six-foot-six, 208-pound Kitchener forward Trent Swick on six-foot, 180-pound defenceman Anthony Cristoforo. Swick was only given a minor penalty on the play and Cristoforo sat out the third period.

“Obviously, I thought (Kitchener) got a little frustrated there, tried to take some liberties with our guys,” Walters said. “Our guys stuck together and really proud of them.”

Many wondered if the Windsor offence would be able to crack a solid defensive Kitchener team in this series, but the Spitfires jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first period.

Article content

Ryan Abraham chipped a shot in to open the scoring and Walton snuck in from the blue line to slide home the eventually game-winning goal.

It was Walton’s first career playoff goal and fifth of his career and four have been game-winning goals.

“We have some pretty offensive defencemen in Cristoforo and (Carson) Woodall, so I’m trying to learn from those guys and improve my offensive game,” Walton said.

Noah Morneau’s power-play goal had Windsor up 3-0 after 20 minute and Abraham’s second goal of the game pushed the lead to 4-0 midway through the second period.

“I don’t think I’ve ever scored against Kitchener, so I was pretty excited,” Abraham said.

Luca Romano ended Joey Costanzo’s shutout bid, but that was the only goal to beat the Windsor netminder with Liam Greentree’s power-play goal closing the scoring in the third period.

“Just so proud of how these guys have bought into defence first,” said of Walters, whose team held the Rangers to a single goal for the second game in a row and under 20 shots once again. 

Article content

[email protected]

twitter.com/winstarparker

Game  Summary

Saturday Result

Spitfires 5 Rangers 1

Kitchener 0 1 0 – 1

Windsor 3 1 1 – 5

First period: 1. Windsor, Abraham 3 (Davis, Kennedy) 5:06, 2. Windsor, Walton 1 (McNamara, Garden) 14:53, 3. Windsor, Morneau 11 (Protas, Cristoforo) 16:44 (pp). Penalties: Cristoforo W (roughing) 3:24, Lam K (high sticking) 4:51, Andonovski K (tripping) 15:28, Andonovski K (cross checking) 18:41, Swick K (roughing), Nesbitt W (double minor roughing) 19:49.

Second period: 4. Windsor, Abraham 4 (Davis, Nesbitt) 9:29, 5. Kitchener, Romano 2 (Campbell) 18:32 (sh). Penalties: Swick K (head check) 4:17, Greentree W (high sticking) 10:41, Vermeulen K (hooking) 11:31, Hlacar K (head check major, fighting, game misconduct), Mercer K (misconduct), Nesbitt W (instigator, fighting, misconduct), Abraham W (misconduct) 16:20.

Third period: 6. Windsor, Greentree 9 (Protas, Hicks) 1:17 (pp). Penalties: Gaymes W (holding) 2:26, Dirracolo K (roughing) 16:32.

Game stats – SOG – Kitchener 9 5 5 – 19 Windsor 10 11 6 – 27 Goal (shots-saves) – Kitchener: Parsons (L,4-3-0) (27-22). Windsor: Costanzo (W,6-0-1) (19-18). Power play (goals-chances) – Kitchener 0-4. Windsor 2-7. Referees: Mike Cairns and Ryan Harrison. Linesmen: Brett Heaman and Justin Noble. Att.: 5,699 at the WFCU Centre.

Article content