Patrick King

Spitfires' Kenny Ryan celebrates his third period goal against the Hitmen.

BRANDON, Man. -- It was Turn Back The Clock Night at the Keystone Centre.

The present clashed with the past throughout the Windsor Spitfires-Calgary Hitmen game in Monday's MasterCard Memorial Cup round robin. Windsor came out on a mission and looked more like the Spitfires of last season that pressured teams and ran out to quick leads.

For the second time in the tournament, Windsor led 2-0 before the game was four minutes old. The Spitfires were flying and determined to force Calgary into playing catch-up, much like they had done in running to their first national championship last season.

"It's kind of like last year - the Spitfires just getting leads and keeping them," Windsor veteran Dale Mitchell said. "Early leads too, which I think we play very well with a lead early."

Mitchell got things started before the three-minute mark when his snap shot from near the blue line eluded a stunned Martin Jones. It wasn't exactly like his memorable three goals in 3:33 that he scored against the Rimouski Océanic in last year's tie-breaker, but the wily veteran provided the spark.

The Spitfires weren't the only team turning back the clock. The Hitmen were intent on doing just that after looking at another 3-0 deficit. Calgary stormed back to beat the Québec Major Junior Hockey League champion Moncton Wildcats on Saturday after giving up the first three in that game.

In true blast-from-the-past fashion, it was one of the Hitmen's unsung heroes leading the charge. Jimmy Bubnick, a trade deadline acquisition from the Kamloops Blazers, scored twice in a span of 3:13 to strike fear in the defending champs.

Bubnick's emergence may be a surprise to some, as he's more of a secondary scorer in Calgary, but less so to Western Hockey League scouts. Bubnick had been one of the most highly touted prospects in 2006, his WHL bantam draft year.

Brandon Wheat Kings forward Brayden Schenn centred a line on the Saskatoon Contacts Triple A team with Bubnick flanking his right and Carter Ashton to his left. Bubnick's reputation as a pure goalscorer then preceded his WHL career.

The three forwards were all chosen in the top 10 in the WHL draft, with Bubnick going first among that group at No. 5 to Kamloops. Ashton followed two picks later to Lethbridge while Schenn went ninth to Brandon. Many scouts felt then - as evidenced by his draft position - that he was the best of the three.

Bubnick never quite lived up to the hype that preceded his first WHL game, but the Hitmen won't care as long as he continues turning back the clock in this tournament.

"(Getting) the first goal out of the way, it just only goes up from here," he said. "Once you get those out of the way I can focus on playing my game now and just getting shots on net."

The clock struck midnight on the Hitmen's comeback bid on Monday. Taylor Hall picked off Giffen Nyren's outlet pass attempt seconds after the third period began, then slipped the puck between Jones' legs to restore Windsor's two-goal lead.

The Spitfires never looked back as they potted two more for a decisive 6-2 victory.

But if the Spitfires are using the past to help influence the present, they would like those similarities to end just as quickly. Windsor will meet the Wildcats on Tuesday while standing in that same position the Kelowna Rockets held a year ago.

Kelowna was 2-0 and had a chance to eliminate the Spitfires in that game, but played a lackadaisical style that allowed the Spitfires to revive their tournament.

That approach came right back to bite them. The Spitfires gained momentum from that victory and worked their way towards a rematch with the Rockets in the final after going through the tie-breaker.

In that respect, the Spitfires are hoping history doesn't repeat itself.

"Kelowna didn't knock us out and look what happened," Mitchell said. "For us to knock a team out - it's going to be huge."

The Wildcats have the daunting task of taking on the red-hot Spitfires in a do-or-die situation on Tuesday. After having seen what new life and momentum can do for a team in the MasterCard Memorial Cup, the Spitfires aren't likely to take this game lightly and allow the same epic collapse.

"It always helps to get those early goals," Spitfires head coach Bob Boughner said. "It helps settle your team down."

The Spitfires can only hope the next similarity from the past is the team left standing at the end.