Spits pull into 1st place tie

The Windsor Spitfires closed out the 2019 calendar year with a 5-2 win over the Flint Firebirds Tuesday afternoon at the WFCU Centre. The Spits opened up a 3-0 lead in the first period on goals by Cole Purboo, Will Cuylle and Curtis Douglas.

Jack Phibbs was left alone in the slot and fired a one-timer past Xavier Medina to get the visitors on the board at the 4:52 mark of the second period. Medina made a couple of clutch saves to hold off the Firebirds before Spits rookie Wyatt Johnston fed a streaking Egor Afanasyev on a two-on-one as Windsor made it 4-1.

Cody Morgan cut the deficit to two early in the third as he scored on Medina from a bad angle. The Firebirds did not show the effects of playing three games in four days as they pressed the Spitfires. Flint could not capitalize on a brief 5-on-3 and failed to find the back of the net with goaltender Anthony Popovich on the bench for the extra attacker.

The win pulls the Spitfires into a first place tie with Saginaw in the OHL's West Division while Flint falls eight points behind.

Highlights (courtesy of Your TV Windsor) and Powerplay Sports post game can be found by clicking links below.