OHL Windsor Spitfires

Windsor Spitfires Are 2022 Western Conference Champions

Published on June 1, 2022 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Windsor Spitfires News Release


Windsor, Ont. - The Windsor Spitfires brought their best on Wednesday, defeating the Flint Firebirds 4-0 before a crowd of 6,335 at the WFCU Centre to claim the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as 2022 Western Conference champions.

After finding the back of the net twice in Game 6, overage veteran Daniel D'Amico scored a hat trick in the seventh and deciding game while Xavier Medina turned in a 38-save shutout in the Windsor crease. Medina, who hadn't started a game in the playoffs prior to Game 6 on Tuesday, won back-to-back contests, stopping 69 of the 71 shots that came his way.

Alex Christopoulos also scored for the Spitfires as Windsor came out on top in Game 7, hoisting the Wayne Gretzky Trophy with a big post-game celebration in front of the home crowd. Wyatt Johnston collected an assist in the win to increase his OHL playoff-leading point total to 31 (11-20-31).

Flint netminder Luke Cavallin made 32 saves in his final OHL start as the Firebirds' playoff run came to an end. Head coach Ted Dent's club turned in a franchise-best 42-21-1-4 regular season, eliminating Owen Sound in seven games and Sault Ste. Marie in five games to reach the Western Conference Championship Series for the first time in their history.

The Spitfires saw the return of Detroit Red Wings prospect Pasquale Zito to their lineup after he was sidelined with an injury in Game 3 of Windsor's second round series against Kitchener. Toronto Maple Leafs draftee Braeden Kressler remained out of the Flint lineup in Game 7 after suffering an injury in Game 5.

The Spitfires claim their third Wayne Gretzky Trophy following previous titles in 2009 and 2010. They eliminated the Sarnia Sting in six games, the Kitchener Rangers in five and the Flint Firebirds in seven to advance to the OHL Championship Series where they'll face the Eastern Conference champion Hamilton Bulldogs in a series that begins on Friday night at FirstOntario Centre.

Spitfires captain Will Cuylle accepted the Wayne Gretzky Trophy from OHL Vice President of Business Operations Cole Butterworth. The Spits will play for the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a chance to advance to the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia that gets underway on June 20 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Check out the Windsor Spitfires Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 1, 2022


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