While they generated more shots on goal than the opening game, their second game of the 2025 Ontario Hockey League playoffs started much like the first.
That start ultimately led to a 2-0 series hole as the Soo Greyhounds return home for game three of their first-round playoff series against the Windsor Spitfires.
The Greyhounds fell behind by a pair of goals before play was five minutes old and proceeded to drop a 7-1 decision to the Spitfires Saturday night at Windsor’s WFCU Centre,
“Awful feeling,” said veteran forward Marco Mignosa of the loss.
The start was self-inflicted for the Greyhounds.
“A couple of missed assignments,” veteran forward Owen Allard said when asked what led to the early goals by the Spitfires. “They’re popping goals quick in games, so we have to be super detailed in our approach. We’re missing some assignments early on and it’s costing us.”
“We can’t be doing that as a team,” said Mignosa. “We have to have better starts.”
Coach John Dean said he was “very disappointed in the start.”
“You can’t post one of the best teams in the league a 2-0 lead for careless puck battles and missed assignments,” Dean added.
“Neither of those two goals needed to happen,” Dean said when asked further about the start to the game. “It’s lost battles in front, lost coverage on tracking. That’s unacceptable for the first three minutes of the game.”
Despite being down two games in the series returning home, the Greyhounds still feel like they can turn things around as the series shifts to Sault Ste. Marie.
“We’re not going to back down,” Mignosa said, adding that he feels the team is still confident after dropping the first two games in Windsor.
“We’ve been through tough situations all year,” Mignosa said. “Just going down 2-0 in a series isn’t going to define our year. We’re going to try our best to tie the series up.
Overage forward Owen Allard said he was “still very confident in this group.”
“We’re a group that never quits,” Allard added.
“This series is far from over,” Dean added.
Windsor opened the scoring 2:04 in as Noah Morneau beat Greyhounds goaltender Nolan Lalonde from the left faceoff circle on a one-timer of a pass from Jack Nesbitt on the power play.
Just 40 seconds later, Windsor made it a 2-0 game as Carter Hicks went to the net and beat Lalonde after taking a pass from A.J. Spellacy on the right wing.
Windsor appeared to take a 3-0 lead when Cole Davis scored on a backhand on a rebound in the slot after his initial shot was s topped by Lalonde, but the goal was disallowed after a review for goalie interference.
The Greyhounds got on the board while on a two-man advantage as Allard deflected a Chase Reid point shot past Windsor goaltender Joey Costanzo at 10:16.
The Greyhounds had a chance to tie the game late in the period on a penalty shot by Mignosa after he was taken down on a breakaway by Windsor defenceman Wyatt Kennedy. Mignosa was ultimately stopped on a backhand by Costanzo on the play, which came with just over five minutes to go in the opening period.
Windsor made it a 3-1 game in the second period as Ethan Garden skated out from the right wing and beat Lalonde stick side from the high slot at 3:46.
The Spitfires took a 4-1 lead 49 seconds later when Liam Greentree took a pass from Ilya Protas, skated into the Sault zone, beat Reid in the slot and then proceeded to beat Lalonde stick side.
Morneau grabbed his second goal of the night to make it a 5-1 game at 5:28 of the third period. The veteran forward scored on a loose puck in the crease after Greentree cut in from the right faceoff circle and was stopped initially by Lalonde.
On the power play, Windsor made it a 6-1 game as Morneau scored his third goal of the night on a rebound after his initial redirection was stopped by Lalonde. The power play marker came at 9:37. The goal also ended the night in goal for Lalonde, who was replaced by Landon Miller.
Spellacy extended Windsor’s lead further as he beat Miller on a backhand 5-hole on a shorthanded breakaway with 5:51 to go in the game.
Lalonde stopped 22 of 28 Windsor shots before coming out of the game. Miller stopped five of six shots the rest of the way.
Morneau paced the Spitfires offensively with three goals and an assist in the victory.
Greentree added a goal and two assists while Protas also had a three-point night for Windsor with three assists in the victory.
Garden chipped in with a goal and an assist for the Spitfires and Nesbitt also had a multi-point night with a pair of helpers.
Costanzo stopped 24 shots in the win.
The series shifts to the Sault for games three and four in the series with the pivotal third game set for Monday night at the GFL Memorial Gardens.
Christopher Brown and Hunter Solomon missed the game for the Greyhounds due to injury.
Both were out due to upper body injuries.
Dean said he was “hopeful” when asked if either could get back in the lineup for game three on Monday night.