OHL Windsor Spitfires

Spits Stun Hounds in OT

November 21, 2010 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Windsor Spitfires News Release


TOTALLY ... STUNNED.

That's how the Windsor Spitfires left fans at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday night.

Ryan Ellis capped a late comeback with his second goal of the night, as the Spits overcame their third two-goal deficit to beat the Soo Greyhounds, 6-5 in overtime.

Windsor's all-world team captain added two assists, for a four-point night. Zack Kassian had three assists, while Eric Locke and Alexander Khokhlachev each had a goal and two helpers, as the Spitfires (13-9-0-1) won a huge road game for the second straight night.

Things looked bleak for the Spits after the Greyhounds (8-12-4-0) took a 5-3 lead on Trevor Morebeck's third of the year, near the midway mark of the third.

But having already overcome a pair of two-goal deficits in the first period, coach Bob Jones called a timeout, to settle his young club down.

"A great move by Bob," Ellis said, during a jubilant bus ride home. "He told us to relax a little and get back to playing our game. And we did. We won every puck battle after that ... and won it."

The move paid off with four minutes to go, with a little help from some shaky defensive play by the Greyhounds.

Ryan Ellis picked up a loose puck - after Carson Dubchak coughed it up in his own zone - and fed Khokhlachev, who beat Soo goalie Chris Perigini with a nifty backhand, to cut the lead to 5-4 at the 16:04 mark.

That set the stage for more of Locke's heroics.

With the Windsor net empty, the rookie centre sent the Spits bench into a frenzy, as he buried a slick pass from Kassian to tie the game at 19:43.

"Locker's been huge for us," Ellis said. "A hat-trick last night...a huge goal tonight. He seems to bury big chances a lot, and to make a key play for an assist when we need it. He's becoming a huge part of this team...as a rookie."

Big praise from a guy who knows all about big plays.

And, fittingly, it was the dynamic vet who capped the win, and the kid who set him up. Locke spotted Ellis darting in off the point, and he calmly beat Perugini in tight.

Brett Findlay had two goals in a losing cause for the Greyhounds. Brett Thompson and Jake Carrick added two assists each.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2010


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