Welcome home Murphy

by Rob Benneian

Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it better.

Losers of six of their last seven games, including consecutive shutouts at the hands of the Owen Sound Attack and Plymouth Whalers, the Windsor Spitfires were reeling.

General manager Warren Rychel threatened to shake up the team’s chemistry and he kept his word by sending overage forward Derek Schoenmakers, acquired in a preseason trade with Sudbury, and defenceman Brandon Devlin to Peterborough.

In return, the Spitfires acquired 19-year-old forward Zach Lorentz and defenceman Trevor Murphy, a Windsor native.

The next day, in his first career game with the team he grew up watching, Murphy was the hero.

Taking a feed from prized rookie Josh Ho-Sang at the top of the right circle, Murphy one-timed the puck past Saginaw Spirit goaltender Jake Paterson. The goal, which broke a 1-1 deadlock, came with just 2:17 to play.

“It’s good to come home to that and get a goal,” Murphy said. “It’s the lifestyle. You’re living at home, you’re playing the game that you love.”

The two newest Spitfires were not eased into the lineup. Murphy found himself on a pairing with Patrick Sieloff, the highest-drafted NHL prospect on the roster, while Lorentz played on the Spits top line with Ho-Sang and leading goal-scorer Kerby Rychel.

“We’re looking for chemistry. We hadn’t scored in eight periods,” said head coach Bob Boughner. “It’s an experiment to see where everybody falls, but I thought they played well.”

Lorentz drew the secondary assist on Murphy’s winner. He had been acquired by the Petes prior to the start of the season from the Sudbury Wolves, but with Peterborough sporting an Ontario Hockey League-worst 5-17-2-1 record, he said a change in scenery would be a breath of fresh air.

“It was a little wild, a little shocked. I was at The Keg with some of the guys from the Petes and then Murph got the call,” Lorentz said. “Then I got the call and found out I was going with Murph. Knowing the history of this team, it’s really exciting just to be a part of this organization.”

Lorentz, Murphy and the rest of the Spitfires will hit the ice to take on the Kingston Frontenacs Nov. 25 at 2 p.m.