Spits save season with 2-1 victory over Rockets

In a game that the Windsor Spitfires desperately needed to win to stay alive in the Memorial Cup, their big guns stepped up in securing a victory over the Kelowna Rockets 2-1.

With the win, the Spitfires will face either Drummondville or Rimouski in the tie-breaker game on Thursday evening for a chance to move onto the semi-finals on Friday night.

Windsor defenceman Ryan Ellis, who scored the game winner, was relieved that they finally pulled out a victory, allowing them to fight another day.

“We had a few tough battles, one goal games, and an overtime, so its nice to pull one out here tonight,” said Ellis. “We have to take that momentum into the next game, no matter who it is.”

Ellis jumped on a loose puck at the top of the circle, after some great work down low by Taylor Hall, and fired a shot through a screen past Rockets goaltender Mark Guggenberger to put the Spitfires ahead for good.

“It was exciting to score,” said Ellis. “It might have hit someone on the way in but I’ll take it either way, it was nice to put our team up.”

Even with the loss, Kelowna has guaranteed themselves a spot in Sunday’s final finishing with a 2-1 record. They hold the tie-breaker over Drummondville and Rimouski as they defeated both of those teams earlier in the week.

“After tonight we have a lot of things to change,” said Rockets defenceman Tyler Myers. “We weren’t physical, we weren’t getting pucks out of the zone, and had a lot of neutral zone turnovers, three things you can’t have this time of the year.”

Myers feels that the four days between now and the final isn’t going to hinder the team.

“Its nice to have these next four days to refocus and recharge for the final,” he said. “We just have to put this one behind us and move on.”

Kyle St. Denis gave Kelowna a 1-0 lead early in the second, deflecting Myers point shot past Windsor goalie Andrew Engelage.

Hall replied for the Spitfires later in the period, deflecting an Adam Henrique shot past Guggenberger to square the game at one.

The score could have been much worse if not for four blocked shots by Kelowna forward Cody Almond on an 5 on 3 penalty kill midway through the third period, including one sliding across to block an open net.

Engelage got the win for the Spitfires, stopping 17 of 18 shots.

The next game goes tomorrow evening @ 7 pm between the Drummondville Voltigeurs and the hometown Rimouski Oceanic.