Gotta See It: NY Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio scores OHL-leading 30th goal, silences crowd
NY Islanders forward prospect Matthew Maggio has been developing quite nicely this season. The Islanders' 2022 fifth-round draft pick seems to be following in similar footsteps to fellow prospect William Dufour as he’s taken the WHL by storm. The 5’11”, 183 lb winger was named captain of the Windsor Spitfires this season following a 38-goal, 85-point season in 2021-22 and is on pace to shatter that career high this season.
Maggio and the Spitfires received some reinforcements recently when Windsor traded for Seattle Kraken’s 2022 first-round pick, Shane Wright. Maggio, Wright, and the Spitfires are on a quest to capture the OHL championship.
Sunday afternoon, the Spitfires took on their division rival, London Knights. The Spitfires lead the West Division and the Knights lead the Midwest Division, but in the Western Conference race heading into Sunday, the Spitfires edge the Knights by a point.
On London's ice, Wright and Maggio took over the Sunday evening rivalry game as Wright scored two goals and Maggio scored an insurance marker in the second period. Exiting the Spitfires zone after Wright won the faceoff draw, defenseman Rodwin Dionicio sprung Maggio for a breakaway sending the puck up ice off the boards. Maggio made no mistake burying the puck glove side on London's goaltender Brett Brochu. Following the goal, Maggio turned to the crowd and signaled a "shush" toward some rowdy London fans. The Spitfires defeated the Knights 4-1 and now have a three-point lead on the Knights in the Western Conference.
Wright ended the contest with three points (two goals, one assist) and Maggio's insurance goal gives the Isles prospect the league lead in goals with 30 on the season. Maggio also ranks fourth overall in the OHL scoring race with 55 points, just seven points shy of the league lead held by Sarnia Sting's forward and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, Ty Voit.
Maggio is on pace to score 53 goals and 100 points, a mark that would shatter his current career high 85 points.