In the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), there are no easy games. The Windsor Spitfires were put to work on Sunday afternoon by a struggling Peterborough Petes club but managed to come away with the two points.
Nothing about 2024-25 has been what the Spitfires expected. After missing the playoffs last season, they’ve shot up to the top of the Western Conference through 16 games, battling the Kitchener Rangers for the first seed. On Sunday, they welcomed the last-place Petes to town, who had won just once in 17 games. However, it doesn’t matter where they are in the standings, every team’s going to battle for a win. Here are three takeaways from a busy day at the WFCU Centre.
Struggling Petes Aren’t Pushovers
It’s easy to underestimate a team that’s won once in 17 games. However, the Petes lost by two or fewer goals in 10 of their 17 games before they got their first win on Friday. They’re not pushovers.
On their first two-game losing streak of the season, the Spitfires gave up the first goal. Unfortunately, the trend continued Sunday as the Petes went up 1-0 after 20 minutes. However, the home side had a 14-6 lead in shots, so it felt like a matter of time before they scored. That came in the second when Owen Outwater tied it up.
In the third, the Spitfires found their offence with goals from defenceman Josef Eichler and Washington Capitals’ prospect Ilya Protas within three minutes, giving them a 3-1 lead. Defenceman Anthony Cristoforo hit the empty net (his first ever) late to seal the 4-1 win. Goaltender Carter Froggett made 19 saves in the effort.
After the game, Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters gave credit to Petes’ goaltender Easton Rye, who made 31 saves to earn the second star. Cristoforo said the Petes were one of the more physical teams they’ve faced, which he liked, and are better than their record shows.
“… We knew coming out against these guys, their record doesn’t show how good they are in our opinion,” he said. “They’re always in games. So this was a big one for us … They’re a little more physical than most teams, but those are good games to play in.”
The Windsor #Spitfires got three third-period goals to grab a 4-1 win over the Peterborough #Petes at the WFCU Centre on Sunday. #OHL pic.twitter.com/bv9xOmHhwd
— Dave Jewell (@DaveJewellOHL) November 11, 2024
Froggett admitted after there was a bit of extra pressure trying to prevent a third-straight loss.
“A little bit,” he said. “(We) didn’t want to go three (straight) losses but our team responded well. It was just a fun game to play.”
Spitfires’ Power Play Needs to Keep it Simple
On paper, the Spitfires could have a dynamic power play. With Protas, captain Liam Greentree (a Los Angeles Kings draftee), Ryan Abraham, A.J. Spellacy (a Chicago Blackhawks draftee), Cole Davis, and more, there’s no reason they can’t convert regularly. However, that wasn’t the case on Sunday.
They went one-for-seven, with Outwater scoring the lone goal. At times, they were trying to make that perfect play instead of making Rye work. While they’re 20-for-73 overall this season, good for 27.4 percent and fourth in the OHL, they’re just four-for-24 in November over five games. Walters said they had good looks on Sunday but gave the Petes too much time to set up.
“Their penalty kill was real good,” Walters said. “We had some really good looks and some unfortunate things. Our guys started getting frustrated, and I thought about changing things up. But we’ve been so good that you want to see them battle through it and stay positive. For the most part, their goalie made some huge saves. We took some shots we didn’t really like; maybe too much stickhandling to let everyone get set up into their structure.”
Cristoforo said they had the plan. However, sometimes, you have to keep it simple to be effective.
“Prior to the game, we had a good game plan, and we felt confident,” he said. “Sometimes, I feel like we force things and try to pass the puck into the net. A simple play is best; put the puck on net, rebound, let’s score a goal.”
They’re getting good looks but are being hindered by a combination of being too cute, missing the net, or just hesitation. It’s something Walters and his staff will have to figure out.
Under-17 Trio Sorely Missed
Over the last two weeks, the Spitfires have been without forwards Ethan Belchetz and Jean-Christophe Lemieux and defenceman Carter Hicks, who were in Sarnia for the 2024 U17 World Challenge. While all three won medals with Team Canada (White and Red won Gold and Silver, respectively), they were sorely missed in the OHL. The trio returned to the WFCU Centre on Sunday to a warm ovation from the crowd. However, they were healthy scratches and got some much-deserved rest.
Related: Windsor Spitfires Look for Immediate Help at 2024 OHL Draft
It’s tough for rookies to make a significant impact, especially on a team that’s near the top of the standings. However, they’ve been part of the reason the club has been so successful. Belchetz had 12 points in 12 games before the tournament, while Lemieux had six points in eight games, playing important minutes. Hicks was also getting second or third-pairing ice time and has been relied upon in big situations. When the trio left, it created holes in the lineup that forced Walters to mix up his lines a bit, and it impacted the offence. The team has scored just 17 goals in six games since they left, approximately 2.83 goals per game. It’s vastly different from the 63 goals scored in 12 games (5.25 goals per game) before the tournament.
Having the trio back allows Walters to slide his players back into their normal lines, which should, in theory, bring the offence back to life. They’re now tied with the Kingston Frontenacs in goals scored with 80 (the Spitfires have played one fewer game). A rejuvenated lineup, combined with the necessary power-play practice, should benefit the club as they head to Northern Ontario for three games starting Thursday evening with the North Bay Battalion.
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