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However, Greentree was only returned to the Spitfires on Wednesday and likely would have been granted a few days off, but that request never came.
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“Maybe a little jet lag, but it’s all right,” said Greentree, who had an assist. “(Walters) texted me asking if I wanted to play and I was like, ‘I don’t see why not.’ I’m always going to try and get ice when I can.”
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Now, with a 6-0 start to the season, this season’s squad has now equaled the start of the 2008-09 team, which went on to win its first Memorial Cup.
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“It’s pretty cool,” Greentree said. “We’re 6-0 and that’s huge for us, but we’re focused one game at a time. We don’t want to be too ahead of ourselves and we have two big games this weekend and just looking forward to Brantford and Owen Sound and go from there.”
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The Spitfires, who are the No. 2-ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League, hit the road to face the No. 3-ranked Brantford Bulldogs on Saturday and the No. 10-ranked Owen Sound Attack on Sunday.
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Windsor Spitfires’ forward J.C. Lemieux, left, and Niagara IceDogs’ defenceman Artem Frolov battle for the puck on Thursday. Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor StarArticle content
Returns make roster decisions tougher
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A blessing to the lineup, the return of the three veterans from NHL camps also left Walters with some roster decisions.
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He again opted to go with seven defencemen and 11 forwards, which meant overage forward Owen Outwater sat for the first time this season along with Cole Dubowsky, who had the game-winning goal on Sunday in Oshawa, rookie Max Brocklehurst and Shawn Costello.
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“It’s extremely tough and the worst part of coaching is telling a kid he’s not playing,” Walters said. “(Dubowsky) had a huge goal in Oshawa and didn’t play (Thursday). It’s just healthy competition. It’s what happens when you have a good team.”
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Twitter.com/@winstarparker
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Game Summary
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Thursday Result
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Spitfires 6 IceDogs 0
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Niagara 0 0 0 – 0
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Windsor 2 3 1 – 6
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First period: 1. Windsor, Davis 5 (Costanzo, Harvey) 4:00 (pp), 2. Windsor, Lemieux 4 (Spellacy, Woodall) 14:55 (pp). Penalties: Davis W (boarding) 1:46, Frolov N (hooking) 3:06, Cheynowski N (holding) 13:37, Spencer N (roughing) 17:41.
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Second period: 3. Windsor, Kennedy 1 (Greentree, Cristoforo) 8:13, 4. Windsor, Makysh 6 (Kennedy, Cristoforo) 8:47, 5. Windsor, Harvey 1 (Spellacy, Woodall) 18:38. Penalty: Makysh W (slashing) 10:50.
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Third period: 6. Windsor, Belchetz 3 (Cristoforo) 9:30. Penalties: Tiller N (misconduct), Greentree W (misconduct), Kennnedy W (roughing) 10:23, Czata N (slashing) 14:45, Hicks W (tripping) 16:47, Frolov N (misconduct), Reisnecker N (roughing, misconduct), Smith N (roughing, misconduct), Gaymes W (misconduct), Hicks W (roughing, misconduct), McLaughlin W (misconduct) 19:42,
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Game stats – SOG – Niagara 4 3 2 – 9 Windsor 13 12 13 – 38 Goal (shots-saves) – Niagara: Yermolenko (L,1-1-0-0) (18-14), Robertson (8:47 of second period) (20-18). Windsor: Costanzo (W,4-0-0-0) (9-9). Power play (goals-chances) – Niagara 0-4. Windsor 2-4. Referees: Chad Ingalls and Mac Nichol. Linesmen: Luke Pye and Chris Martenet. Att.: 4,501 at the WFCU Centre.
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