Spits top Knights

by Mitchell Brandner

Although the Windsor Spitfires and London Knights have a heated rivalry, the game between the two teams Nov. 1 featured just one fight and a handful of minor penalties.

The Spitfires won the game 6-3 thanks in large part to rookie Josh Ho-Sang’s three point night. Ho-Sang had two assists in the second period and added a goal in the third. He received a pass from defenceman Nick Ebert and was able to slip the puck past London goaltender Kevin Bailie.

Ho-Sang was scratched for a game against the Guelph Storm Oct. 26 by head coach Bob Boughner.

“I got scratched last weekend as I’m sure a lot of people are aware,” said Ho-Sang. “(Boughner) came in the dressing room before the game and challenged our best players to be better than they are and I took it upon myself to be even better than that.”

The Spits were backed by a stellar goaltending performance from Jaroslav Pavelka who made 38 saves in the victory. The memories of losing to London in the playoffs last season are fresh in Pavelka’s mind.

“I wanted to win this game,” said Pavelka. “Last game in London we lost and London’s guys started laughing at me because I was really bad in net.”

London outplayed the Spitfires for most of the first two periods and took a 2-0 lead, but Windsor managed to battle their way back.

“Our third was our best period of the night,” said Boughner. “I believe we had 17 shots and we played more urgent. We worked off a forecheck instead of trying to go east-west in the neutral zone.

Forwards Kerby Rychel, Brady Vail, Ben Johnson and Derek Schoenmakers also scored for the Spitfires, along with defenceman Patrick Sieloff.

The Spitfires are back in action Nov. 2 in Kitchener when they take on the Rangers at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.