A pair of late goals in the third period took on a little more importance for the Soo Greyhounds on Thursday night.
Goals by Keeghan Howdeshell just under three minutes apart were the difference as the Greyhounds opened a three-game road trip with a 3-2 win over the Windsor Spitfires at the WFCU Centre in Windsor on Thursday.
The two goals, one of which was a shorthanded marker into an empty Windsor net with 2:26 to go in regulation time, put the Greyhounds ahead 3-0 before the Spitfires scored twice in the final 2:05 of the contest to make things close.
After a solid start to the game, the Greyhounds struggled, and the Spitfires would take the play to the Greyhounds at times.
“The first four minutes of the game were really good,” said Greyhounds Coach John Dean. “Credit to Windsor, the came and got pucks behind our defencemen and kept coming at us on the forecheck.
“We had moments where we were good,” Dean added. “I was happy with our response in the third period. It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but our third period was the best period of the three. That’s a positive sign.”
The overage forward put the Greyhounds ahead 2-0 with 5:14 to go in the third period after Ryan Roth forced a turnover in the neutral zone and sent Howdeshell in on a partial break. Howdeshell would proceed to put a backhand past Michael DiPietro.
Howdeshell’s second goal came moments into a Windsor power play off a faceoff win deep in the Greyhounds zone.
Greyhounds forward Morgan Frost spoke of the Greyhounds ability to find a way to win.
“Windsor definitely outworked us tonight,” Frost said. “It wasn’t our best game but at the same time good teams find a way to win and we grinded this one out tonight.”
Greyhounds goaltender Matthew Villalta was solid throughout the game, finishing the night with 27 saves, including 23 in the opening 40 minutes.
“Matthew Villalta was pretty special tonight,” Dean said.
“When Matty is in the net, you know he’s going to battle for you,” Dean also said, adding that big saves from Villalta have usually been a calming point for the Greyhounds but “today he had to make more big saves than he has in the last six or seven games.”
Frost also credited the veteran netminder.
“We’ve got to give a lot of credit to Matty,” Frost said. “He was outstanding tonight.”
The Greyhounds coach expected Villalta to get the start as the trip continues in Kitchener on Friday night.
Frost opened the scored for the Greyhounds 29 seconds into the second period when his shot from the left wing handcuffed Windsor goaltender Michael DiPietro.
Despite struggling at times during the game, the result leaves the team with a confident feeling.
“It’s easier to teach lessons when the guys are still feeling good and positive,” Dean said. “Anytime you’re in tough games like that and you don’t have your legs and you manage to find a way to win, it is a good sign for your hockey club.”
“It’s a step in the right direction in terms of building that resiliency when you don’t have your best game but can still grind one out,” Frost said.
Tyler Angle had a goal and an assist for the Spitfires while Will Cuylle also scored.
Cuylle got Windsor on the board with 2:05 to go when he beat Villalta with a power play marker. The rookie forward took a feed from Angle in the slot and beat Villalta glove side to make it 3-1.
DiPietro made 19 saves for Windsor.
The Greyhounds improve to 9-3-2-0 while Windsor falls to 5-7-0-1 following Thursday’s game.
After facing the Rangers in Kitchener on Friday night, the Greyhounds will wrap up their three-game road trip on Sunday afternoon in Guelph.
In other action around the OHL on Thursday night, in North Bay, Justin Brazeau had two goals and an assist as the North Bay Battalion beat the Barrie Colts 4-1. David Maier chipped in with a goal and an assist while Matthew Struthers assisted on a pair of goals for the Battalion.
In Peterborough, Hunter Jones made 31 saves as the Peterborough Petes beat the Sudbury Wolves 5-2. Nick Robertson, Pavel Gogolev and Declan Chisholm had a goal and an assist each for the Petes.