Editing Windsor Spitfires (section)

===2008–09 season===
The Windsor Spitfires finished the 2008–09 season with 57 wins, 10 losses, and 1 shootout loss.<ref name="ontariohockeyleague.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/bob-boughner-named-ohl-coach-of-the-year-p128150 |title=Ontario Hockey League ◊ Official Website Bob Boughner named OHL Coach of the Year |access-date=2009-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101080000/http://ontariohockeyleague.com/bob-boughner-named-ohl-coach-of-the-year-p128150 |archive-date=2010-01-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This marked their best season in franchise history. With the first overall record in the [[Ontario Hockey League]] the Spitfires were awarded the [[Hamilton Spectator Trophy]].<ref name="ontariohockeyleague.com"/> The Spitfires also played their final games in the [[Windsor Arena]].<ref name="sportsnet.ca">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/2008/12/03/king_chl_news/|title=King: CHL news and notes|website=sportsnet.ca|access-date=2009-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225002445/http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/2008/12/03/king_chl_news/|archive-date=2008-12-25|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Spits were undefeated at home in the Old Barn during the 2008–09 season. Mid-season they moved to the [[WFCU Centre]].<ref name="sportsnet.ca"/> The Spitfires and their new arena played host to the 2009 All-Star Game.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://windsorstar.com/sports/notes/1253934/story.html|title=OHL Notes|author=Jim Parker|date=4 February 2009|website=windsorstar.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430001909/https://windsorstar.com/sports/notes/1253934/story.html |archive-date=April 30, 2009}}</ref> On May 12, Goalie [[Andrew Engelage]] broke the OHL record for most wins by a goaltender in a single season with 46 with a 5–1 win over the [[Plymouth Whalers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/engelage-sets-record-for-most-wins-in-a-single-season-p127819|title=Engelage Sets Record for Most Wins in a Single Season|date=March 13, 2009|publisher=Ontario Hockey League|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319022552/http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/engelage-sets-record-for-most-wins-in-a-single-season-p127819|archive-date=March 19, 2009|access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref>

In the first round of the playoffs, the Spitfires walked all over the [[Owen Sound Attack]], taking the series in four games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://windsorstar.com/news/windsor/Spitfires+sweep+Attack/1427932/story.html|title=Spitfires Sweep Attack|date=14 April 2012|website=windsorstar.com}} {{dead link|date=November 2018}}</ref> In the next round, the Spits found the [[Plymouth Whalers]] to be a more formidable opponent. After trading off-road wins, then trading off home wins, the Spits took Games 5 and 6 to clinch the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://windsorstar.com/travel/canada/Series+breaks+Plymouth+jinx/1488676/story.html|title=Series breaks Plymouth jinx|date=14 April 2012|website=windsorstar.com}} {{dead link|date=November 2018}}</ref> In the Western Conference final, the Spits played their nemesis the [[London Knights]]. Led by [[John Tavares (ice hockey)|John Tavares]], the Knights were a tough opponent. Every game in the series went to overtime, but the Spitfires were victorious and won the series 4-games-to-1 to earn a berth to the OHL Final and take the [[Wayne Gretzky Trophy]] as Conference champions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1535770|title=Spitfires win series with OT heroics |author=Ryan Pyette|date=April 23, 2009|website=Simcoe.com| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819061710/http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2009/04/23/spitfires-win-series-with-ot-heroics|archive-date=August 19, 2017}}</ref> The OHL Final began with a 10–1 victory for the Spitfires over the Eastern Conference's [[Brampton Battalion]] led by stars [[Cody Hodgson]] and [[Matt Duchene]]. The series became much tighter from there as the Spits took Game 2 5–3. The Battalion fought back in Game 3, winning 4–2. Game 4 belonged to the Spitfires as they took a 4–1 win and a 3–1 series lead. Game 5 was a tight affair, as the Spitfires took a 1–0 lead midway through the second period on the power play. Brampton tied the game up late in the third period to force overtime. At 2:09 of the first overtime period, [[Taylor Hall (ice hockey b. 1991)|Taylor Hall]] scored on the power play to win the Spitfires their second [[J. Ross Robertson Cup]] as league champions and a berth into the [[2009 Memorial Cup]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Taylor Hall scores in overtime as Windsor beats Brampton to claim OHL crown |url=https://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=422092 |website=NHL.com |access-date=January 22, 2024 |date=May 8, 2009}}</ref> The victory was the Spitfires' first league title since the [[1987–88 OHL season]] and marked their second time playing for the [[Memorial Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://communities.canada.com/windsorstar/blogs/duffersdabbles/archive/2009/02/03/spitfires-recall-their-1987-88-title.aspx|title=Spitfires recall their 1987-88 title|author=Bob Duff|date=February 3, 2009|website=canada.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530015244/http://communities.canada.com/WINDSORSTAR/blogs/duffersdabbles/archive/2009/02/03/spitfires-recall-their-1987-88-title.aspx|archive-date=May 30, 2011|access-date=May 26, 2009|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On May 9, Mayor of [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] [[Eddie Francis]] awarded the team with the [[Freedom of the City|Key to the City]] in honour of their achievement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3821330|title=Windsor Mayor Francis Gives Spitfires Key to the City of Windsor|date=10 May 2009|website=oursportscentral.com}}</ref>

At the [[2009 Memorial Cup]], the Spitfires dropped their first two games in [[Rimouski]] 3–2 in overtime to the [[Drummondville Voltigeurs]] and 5–4 to the [[Rimouski Océanic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://windsorstar.com/Spitfires+Tuesday+after+loss+Rimouski/1605665/story.html|title=Do or die for Spitfires after 5-4 loss to Rimouski|author=Jim Parker|date=17 May 2009|website=windsorstar.com |archive-date=January 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115022828/https://windsorstar.com/Spitfires+Tuesday+after+loss+Rimouski/1605665/story.html}}</ref> In a do-or-die game, the Spitfires won the final game of the round robin 2–1 over the [[Kelowna Rockets]] to gain entry to the tie-breaker game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=423277|title=Spitfires stay alive at Memorial Cup with 2-1 win over Rockets|date=May 19, 2009 |website=NHL.com}}</ref> In the tie-breaker, Windsor defeated the hometown Océanic 6-4 powered by a third period natural hat-trick by Dale Mitchell.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/mitchell-s-natural-hat-trick-sinks-oceanic-1.805806|title=Mitchell's natural hat trick sinks Oceanic - CBC Sports|date=May 22, 2009|website=cbc.ca}}</ref> The tournament semi-final was between the Spitfires and the Voltigeurs. The Spitfires blew an early 2–0 lead, but won 3–2 in overtime from a goal by [[Adam Henrique]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chlteamofthecentury.ca/2009-windsor-spitfires|title=2009 – Windsor Spitfires |publisher=Canadian Hockey League|quote=One day later, the Spitfires, still skating on a tightrope, beat the Voltigeurs, 3-2, on an Adam Henrique goal at 4:31 of OT.|access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> to become the second team ever to play in the Memorial Cup final after playing in the tie-breaker game.<ref>https://calgaryherald.com/Spitfires+flying+course+toward+history/1625616/story.html {{dead link|fix-attempted=yes|date=February 2022}}</ref> In the final, the Spitfires again played the Rockets. The Spitfires scored on their first three shots and cruised to a 4–1 win to take their first ever [[Memorial Cup]] championship. Their victory marked the first time a team started with two losses in the Memorial Cup round robin and came back to win the championship.<ref>https://ottawacitizen.com/Historic+Memorial+Spitfires/1627908/story.html {{dead link|fix-attempted=yes |date=February 2022}}</ref> The feat also marks the first time that a team has survived the Memorial Cup tie-breaker game to win the championship.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rockets and Spitfires Play for MasterCard Memorial Cup |url=http://mastercardmemorialcup.com/news.php?id=1152&y=2009 |website=mastercardmemorialcup.com |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |access-date=21 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126144227/http://mastercardmemorialcup.com/news.php?id=1152&y=2009 |archive-date=26 November 2010 |date=24 May 2009}}</ref> The [[Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy]] was awarded to [[Taylor Hall (ice hockey b. 1991)|Taylor Hall]] as Memorial Cup playoffs most valuable player. Both [[Ryan Ellis]] and Hall were elected to the tournament's All-Star Team.<ref name="faceoff.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/memorialcup2009/story.html?id=fa2bad9f-15ae-41ad-b9f7-8a773eb34e46&add_feed_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceoff.com%2Fhockey%2Fmemorialcup2009%2Ftopstories.atom|title=Spitfires win in memory of Renaud<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=faceoff.com|access-date=2009-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724081954/http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/memorialcup2009/story.html?id=fa2bad9f-15ae-41ad-b9f7-8a773eb34e46&add_feed_url=http:%2F%2Fwww.faceoff.com%2Fhockey%2Fmemorialcup2009%2Ftopstories.atom|archive-date=2011-07-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> Throughout the Memorial Cup tournament, the Spitfires hung [[Mickey Renaud]]'s jersey on their bench and the championship was won in Renaud's memory.<ref name="faceoff.com"/>

In the aftermath of the championship, the team was met at the [[Windsor Airport]] by a large contingent of local fans and was addressed by Mayor [[Eddie Francis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://windsorstar.com/Windsor+Spitfires+carpet+welcome+from+frenzied+fans/1629063/story.html|title=Spitfires get red-carpet homecoming from frenzied fans|author=Donald McArthur|date=26 May 2009|website=windsorstar.com|archive-date=29 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629033110/http://www.windsorstar.com/Windsor+Spitfires+carpet+welcome+from+frenzied+fans/1629063/story.html|access-date=4 October 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was announced that the road to the new [[WFCU Centre]] would be renamed ''Memorial Cup Drive'' in honour of the victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://windsorstar.com/City+names+WFCU+Centre+thoroughfare+Memorial+Drive/1629477/story.html|title=City names WFCU Centre thoroughfare Memorial Cup Way|website=windsorstar.com}} {{dead link|date=November 2018}}</ref>