'We have a close-knit relationship'

WINDSOR, Ont. – It’s the biggest thing for any goaltending tandem.

For the Windsor Spitfires, the relationship between Sault Ste. Marie native Mario Culina and Michael DiPietro is the ideal situation.

Ask either and they’ll tell you they’re best friends.

“We have a really close-knit relationship,” Culina said. “He’s one of my best friends. He lives down the road from me and we’re always together laughing and joking. We’re pushing each other on the ice.”

“He keeps things fun,” DiPietro said of playing with Culina. “We get each other on and off the ice. We always joke around. I consider him one of my best buds on the team. Not enough good things can be said about Mario. He supports me an I support him. We’ve got a great bond. I’ve very lucky to have a teammate like him.”

The relationship between the two netminders couldn’t be better.

“It’s huge,” Culina said of the relationship between the two. “We always push each other. We’re always there for each other no matter what.”

The duo has earned praise from the Windsor coaching staff.

“Both kids are outstanding people,” said Spitfires Coach Rocky Thompson. “They’re close friends and they’ve got the best goalie coach anyone can have in Jimmy Bedard. He’s mentored those two guys. They’re great students and they have an amazing teacher. As a result, we’re seeing them as successful as they are.”

Thompson praised Culina’s ability to come in during tough situations and perform.

“He’s been huge,” Thompson said of Culina. “He’s supported Mikey very well and when Mario got the opportunity to play, and he had to play in some tough situations, he was prepared. He practices hard every day.”

Culina said he also has a close relationship with the Spitfires coaching staff, including Bedard, saying the staff has helped him along the way in his two seasons in Windsor.

“I got faster and stronger going side-to-side,” Culina said. “Even mentally, not playing as much honestly made me better.”

Culina added this season has been about improving the “little things” in his game.

The 2017 MasterCard Memorial Cup has also renewed a friendship Culina had with former teammate Owen Headrick. The pair played together with the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Soo Thunderbird. The duo were part of the Thunderbirds Dudley Hewitt Cup winning team in 2014-15.

“It’s pretty cool,” Culina said of Headrick being in the tournament. “I played with him my whole life. We won the Dudley and we have a (championship) ring together.”

Headrick said the opportunity to meet Culina in the tournament was a special one.

“It was definitely weird being on different sides but when we played (in the round robin) we were talking in the warmups for a little bit,” Headrick said. “We haven’t got to talk too much. We know we both have a job to do and we’re just trying to do it.”

For Culina, the tournament has been a great experience.

“It’s pretty cool,” Culina said of participating in the tournament. “It’s one of the biggest tournaments and it’s one of the hardest trophy’s to win.”

The Spitfires were knocked out in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, but the team used the time off ahead of the tournament to get healthy and it’s showed as the team posted a 3-0 round robin record and earn a direct spot in the championship.

“It’s been an awesome experience,” Culina said. “We’ve been working hard, especially in the last six weeks and it’s showed on the ice.”

“We watched a lot of video of the other teams,” Culina also said. “We work out in the mornings, skate in the afternoon. We went for 7 a.m. runs and you can see it’s showing. It’s paying off on the ice.”