Windsor Spitfire one goal away from 50 goal milestone

Tecumseh, Ont. native Matthew Maggio is on the cusp of reaching a milestone for this season, but his focus is on the game.

“I'm just [going to] do what I can for the team tonight to get the two points,” Maggio said prior to Wednesday’s game against the Saginaw Spirit.

Many fans are hoping a Spitfires win includes a goal by Maggio — the overage forward is one goal shy of reaching the 50-goal plateau.

“I know [kind of] what's at stake here but I think I'm really just trying to block that out and not really focus on that,” he said.

The New York Islanders draft pick has six games to hit the mark. Last season Maggio went goal-less in his final six games and fell two goals short of the 40-goal mark. His line mate Jacob Maillet is hoping to help Maggio reach his goal.

“I don't [want to] say I'll be looking for him but I definitely will be,” said Maillet. “I know that any chance he gets he's got a chance to put it in the net.”

Maggio credits teammates like Maillet for his success.

Matthew Maggio has been drafted to the New York Islanders. (Source: New York Islanders/Twitter)“I think a lot of praise goes to them for how much they've [kind of] helped me get the puck and put it on my stick,” he said.

Maggio recently scored his 200th career point and was the first OHL player to hit the 100-point mark this season. On the verge of 50 goals, Maggio could become the first in the league to hit the mark this season. If he does, he’ll become the first Spitfire to do so since Steve Ott, of Stoney Point, in 2001.

The most recent Windsorite to score 50-goals as a Spitfire is Tim Findlay.

“It took me ‘til the third period of that last game of the year to get it so yeah, it was [kind of] nerve-racking,” recalled Findlay, who could have taken the game off but decided to make the six-hour bus trip to the Sault. That final game was played on March 15, 1996.

He added, “I'm [going to] go tonight and cheer him on and hopefully he can make it happen. If he does yeah that would be a pretty interesting coincidence that same day however many years later.”

The Spits finished 15th overall in 1996 and were knocked out in the first round. This year the Spits are trying to lock up their second straight Western Conference title with the captain Maggio guiding the ship.

“I think we put ourselves in a good spot. Now it just comes down to us. How we play these next few games to lock that up but it's super important for us,” he said.