Spits avenge ’embarrassing’ loss

 

by Rob Benneian

If their 9-1 loss Friday night at the hands of the Plymouth Whalers led you to believe the Windsor Spitfires had thrown in the towel on a forgettable season, no one would blame you.

You would be wrong, however.

“It feels so good to beat that team, the way things were going,” said Spitfires forward Brady Vail. “You keep it in the back of your head, they embarrassed us.”

Despite falling behind by two goals to a team they had yet to beat this season in five previous attempts, the Spits came up with the intestinal fortitude necessary to reverse their fortunes. Four second period goals in a span of 3:55 shocked the Whalers and chased starting goaltender Matt Mahalak.

Plymouth closed the gap to one goal when Stefan Noesen tucked in a wraparound with less than a second to play in the middle frame, and goals by Tom Wilson and Mitchell Heard early in the third restored the Whalers lead.

Alex Aleardi tied the score with his second goal of the game and assisted on Brady Vail’s game-winner with less than three minutes to go. Aleardi’s two goal, three assist afternoon gives him eight points in three games against the Whalers since Windsor acquired him from Plymouth in January.

“I know their systems quite a bit so I can definitely take advantage of things like that,” Aleardi said. “I know what (defencemen) struggle on what side, I’ve played with them a long time so it makes it easier knowing what you’re going against.”

Aleardi and the Spits, now nine points out of a playoff berth with eight games to play, will have two more cracks at the division-leading Whalers, a home-and-home to end the season.