Tovell posts shutout in first OHL start to help Spitfires beat Firebirds 7-0

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Goalie Matt Tovell’s long wait for his first start in the Ontario Hockey League was easily a moment he will never forget.

Tovell, 19, made 25 saves on Saturday to help the Windsor Spitfires snap a two-game losing streak with a 7-0 win over the Firebirds in Flint before 3,186 at the Dort Financial Center.

Passed twice in the OHL Draft, the 6-foot-3, 191-pound Tovell was taken by the Spitfires in the second round of the 2019 OHL U-18 Draft.

He spent the 2019-20 season with the Lakeshore Canadiens, but played two games in relief for the Spitfires.

After seeing last season wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic, Tovell lost the reserve spot battle with the Spitfires to rookie Kyle Downey, but earned the spotlight with the LaSalle Vipers this season.

However, with Xavier Medina out of the game with a leg injury, the Spitfires turned to Tovell on Saturday and made the first blank performance to also earn their first OHL win.

While the Spitfires offense came to life to eventually maintain a 48-25 shooting lead, the Firebirds had the first four shots of the game courtesy of an early power play and Tovell closed the door to allow his teammates to enter the game. play.

A short goal from Will Cuylle saw the Spitfires lead 1-0 after the first period and Louka Henault, Kyle McDonald, who also had two assists, and Matthew Maggio pushed the lead to 4-0 after 40 minutes.

Grayson Ladd, rookie Ethan Miedema and Michael Rewnwick rounded out the Spitfires’ score with Wyatt Johnston and Daniil Sobolev each giving a pair of assists.

Tovell’s shutout is the first by a Windsor goalkeeper since Colton Incze made 32 saves to shut out Erie on January 17, 2019 and the first road shutout by a Spitfire goalkeeper since Kari Piiroinen made 34 saves in a bleached in Kitchener.

The Spitfires return home Sunday to face the Firebirds at the WFCU Center. Game time is at 4:05 pm

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Game Summary

Saturday result

Spitfires 7 Firebirds 0

Windsor 1 3 3 – 7

Flint 0 0 0-0

First period: 1. Windsor, Cuylle 10 (Johnston, Sobolev) 2:31 (sh). Penalties: Ribau W (cut): 37, Abraham W (high adherence) 5:35, Giroux F (cross check) 6:06.

Second period: 2. Windsor, Henault 4 (Johnston, Cuylle): 38, 3. Windsor, McDonald 8 (Sobolev, De Angelis) 2:34, 4. Windsor, Maggio 6 (McDonald, Miedema) 10:52. Penalties: Zito W (fights), Deline F (instigator, fights, misbehavior) 7:00, Johnston W (too much grip) 7:29, MacLean F (too many men) 14:09, Baisov W (too many men) 16:33, Othmann F (interference) 17:06, Abraham W (roughing) 19:58.

Third period: 5. Windsor, Ladd 1 (unassisted) 7:46, 6. Windsor, Miedema 5 (McDonald, Zito) 8:27, 7. Windsor, Renwick 1 (D’Amico) 19:15. Penalties: None.

Game Statistics – SOG – Windsor 11 18 19 – 48 Flint 9 12 4 – 25 Goal (shot-saves) – Windsor: Tovell (G, 1-0-0-0) (25-25). Flint: Michelone (L, 1-1-0-0) (48-41). Power play (goals-chances) – Windsor 0-4. Flint 0-5. Referees: Joe Monette (25) and Aaron Neely (15). Linesmen: Justin Cornell (92) and Tim Valeriote (51). For: 3,186 at Dort Financial Center.



Reference-windsorstar.com

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