Don’t talk to the Windsor Spitfires about this being a revenge series.

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Don’t talk to the Windsor Spitfires about this being a revenge series.

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Fans might still vividly remember the Kitchener Rangers upsetting the top-seeded Spitfires two years ago in the playoffs, but a lot has changed since then.

“I don’t think guys are too focused on that,” Spitfires’ captain Liam Greentree said. “The teams are two completely different teams. We’re different than we were and they’re different than they were.”

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There are new head coaches on both sides, plenty of new faces in each lineup and far bigger roles for those players still around from two years ago.

“What did I play, four shifts?” Spitfires overage forward Noah Morneau, who shares the OHL lead with eight playoff goals, said of that 2023 series.

Now, for the third time in four seasons, the Spitfires will face the Rangers as the two battle in a Western Conference semifinal series. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday at the WFCU Centre at 7:05 p.m.

“It’s going to be a test, but like we’ve said all year, when we’re going, I like our chances,” Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters said.

What played a big role in derailing the Spitfires two years ago were injuries against the Rangers, who had battled injuries during the regular season, but got healthy for the playoffs.

Windsor was missing as many as eight players in the first round against Sault Ste. Marie. Defenceman Anthony Cristoforo and rookie J.C. Lemieux returned for the series-clinching win in the opening round. However, the status of forwards A.J. Spellacy and rookie Ethan Belchetz along with defencemen Tnias Mathurin and Tanner Winegard remains uncertain for the opener. Forward Owen Outwater has been out since December and defenceman Carson Woodall was injured in the series-clinching win against Sault Ste. Marie and his status is unknown.

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“We’re hoping to get some bodies back here and get to work,” Walters said.

Meanwhile, Kitchener defenceman Cameron Reid, who had 14 goals and 54 points in 67 games in the regular season, missed the last two games of the Flint series with an injury. As well, forward Adrian Misaljevic, who led the team in scoring in the regular season with 31 goals and 69 points in 67 games, left Game 5 of that series after falling awkwardly into the boards. The league has also not ruled on the slew foot major to forward Luke Ellinas in the series-clinching win against Flint.

“They’re a different animal,” Walters said. “No. 1 goalie in the league and coached extremely well. It’s going to be tough.”

Goaltending is another area the Spitfires aren’t looking to play the match game. Kitchener’s Jackson Parsons led the league with 37 wins while posting a 2.24 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.

Windsor’s Joey Costanzo, who was second in the league with 34 wins, matched Parsons save for save over the first half of the season, but had his struggles in the second half of the regular season. However, with the club dealing with injuries in the first round, Costanzo was a standout in the first round of the playoffs with a 2.15 goals-against average and .915 save percentage.

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“At the end of the day, it’s me versus the puck,” Costanzo said. “I’m going to do my best to stop it and give the guys a chance to win.”

The two teams split four games in the regular season and the Rangers actually finished with four points more than the Spitfires, who got the Western Conference’s second seed for winning the West Division.

Windsor was third in the OHL in goals scored this season with 309, which was 55 more than the Rangers. However, the Rangers allowed the second fewest goals in the league this season and 40 fewer than Windsor.

“When we’re going, we like our chances,” Walters said. “We still love our team and like our chances. We just have to have everyone buy in.”

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