It’s a luxury few teams get to enjoy as much as the Windsor Spitfires.

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It’s a luxury few teams get to enjoy as much as the Windsor Spitfires.

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In junior hockey, success usually comes at the expense of younger players, but the Spitfires have risen to the top of the West Division with four players from the 2024 OHL Draft in the lineup on a regular basis.

Sure there is star power in the Windsor lineup, but those rookies have made an impact most games and did again in Monday’s 4-1 win over the Owen Sound Attack before 5,426 at the WFCU Centre.

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“I’ve always played young guys that deserve to play and we’re so lucky we have four of them,” Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters said. “It’s going to be great for the future and this year with our depth.”

There were always high expectations for first overall pick Ethan Belchetz, who has been a mainstay in Windsor’s top six forward. However, not as much was expected from second-round pick J.C. Lemieux, who has also been a regular on the top three lines, unheralded ninth-round forward Ethan Garden as well as defenceman and second-round pick Carter Hicks.

“Some guys come in and make the adjustment, but we have four and they’ve all proven in big moments and big games where they can play,” Walters said. “Belchetz is a mainstay there, but J.C. Lemieux and Garden, they’ve come so far away from the puck that it’s easy for me to trust them in big moments. They manage the puck properly and they play the right way and Hicks is so competitive.”

With overager Ryan Abraham a late scratch with an upper-body injury, Lemieux moved up in the rotation and opened the game’s scoring just 80 seconds into Mondays’ game.

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“At the start of the season, I was pretty nervous and I’m just more comfortable,” Lemieux said. “It feels great. 

“I’m just 16-years-old and every time I’m getting ice time I’m just playing hockey and enjoying it.”

Garden had a multi-goal game last week while Hicks stepped in for overager Tnias Mathurin, who missed Monday’s game with a lower-body injury, to play in the top six and never looked overwhelmed or out of place.

“Playing with confidence and being patient, that’s definitely what I’ve soaked in,” Hicks said. “The rookie year is always the hardest and you’ve got to develop the most you can. Patience, I think that just comes along with developing and growing as a player.”

The development of the young four has allowed Walters not to have to press a veteran player into action when he’s not 100 per cent and at the same time continue to develop younger players, which is only going to help make each player more impactful sooner than expected in the league.

“If you go back through my coaching, I’ve always played young guys,” Walters said. “I believe you may take some hits early in the season, but by the end of the time you see the skill set and work ethic. Ryan Abraham came out and next guy in and we keep going and all the credit goes to them.”

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Even with all four in the lineup on Monday, Walters was able to use all four lines and not hide anyone as the Spitfires were able to grind out a win against the Attack, who stayed into the game thanks to the play of Canadian national junior team goalie Carter George.

“We had a ton of chances and Carter George is one of the best goalies in the league,” Walters said. “This guy has the ability to win a game on his own. It was just stick with the plan.”

After Lemieux’s goal, the Spitfires’ big line provided the rest of the team’s offence. Noah Morneau pushed the lead to 2-0 before the Attack’s Alec Leonard made it a one-goal game after the 40 minutes.

Liam Greentree went in alone to give Windsor some breathing room with just under four minutes left in regulation and Ilya Protas sealed the win with an empty-net goal.

“We had a ton of (offensive) zone time,” Walters said. “We didn’t give up much and when we did, (Spits goalie) Joey (Costanzo) was so comfortable and calm.”

Next up for the Spitfires is a Friday game in Sarnia against the Sting. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

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Game Summary

Monday Result

Spitfires 4 Attack 1

Owen Sound 0 1 0 – 1

Windsor 1 1 2 – 4

First period: 1. Windsor, Lemieux 8 (Eichler, Davis) 1:20. Penalties: Mbuyi OS (hooking) 12:14, Gaymes W (roughing) 15:02, Varosyan OS (tripping) 17:45.

Second period: 2. Windsor, Morneau 22 (Cristoforo, Protas) 8:11, 3. Owen Sound, Leonard 2 (Zurawski, McDonald) 17:45. Penalties: Kennedy W (cross checking) 4:15, Petrovski OS (hooking) 10:07, Crawford OS (interference) 13:13.

Third period: 4. Windsor, Greentree 38 (Nesbitt, Kennedy) 16:04, 5. Windsor, Protas 37 (Morneau, Cristoforo) 19:35 (en). Penalty: Nesbitt W (blindsiding) 13:34. 

Game stats – SOG – Owen Sound 7 10 9 – 26 Windsor 16 12 11 – 39 Goal (shots-saves) – Owen Sound: George (L,9-19-3-3) (38-35). Windsor: Costanzo (W,29-8-2-1) (26-25). Power play (goals-chances) – Owen Sound 0-3. Windsor 0-4. Referees: Matt Boulby and Scott Ferguson. Linesmen: Mason Hardy and Geoff Rutherford. Att.: 5,426 at the WFCU Centre.

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