The Windsor Spitfires are riding a three-game losing streak.

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Author of the article:

Jim Parker  •  Windsor Star

Published Jan 21, 2024  •  Last updated 3 hours ago  •  3 minute read

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A pair of weekend road losses has the Windsor Spitfires riding the team’s first three-game losing streak since Casey Torres was named interim head coach on Nov. 22.

The club has allowed 16 goals in its last three games and produced just three goals on offence after Sunday’s 5-0 loss to the Oshawa Generals before a crowd of 5,087 at the Tribute Communities Centre.

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That followed a 5-1 loss to the East Division-leading Brantford Bulldogs on Saturday before 3,137 at the Civic Centre.

“It’s tough when you’re playing really good teams on the schedule,” said Torres, who has guided the team to a 9-9-2-1 record. “There are no easy games and you’ve got to be prepared or the game can get away from you.”

Windsor has failed to finish on quality scoring chances, produced some glaring miscues at inopportune times defensively and faded down the stretch during the three-game slide.

“(Oshawa’s) a very good opponent and I thought we played well for two periods,” Torres said. “We just made some mistakes.

“It was another good goalie and we hit two or three posts, had five or six breakaways and, if we score, it would be 2-2 after the second (period).”

Trying to break out of their own zone, the Spitfires turned the puck over and Oshawa’s Luca Marrelli fed Tristan Delisle for the only goal of the opening period.

Windsor had a couple of chances to get even in the second period, but could not beat Jacob Oster, who made 27 saves for his second shutout of the season.

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In the final minute of the second period, the Spitfires allowed a two-on-none on goalie Max Donoso and Matthew Buckley scored to put the Generals up 2-0 after the 40 minutes.

“Some self-inflicted (miscues) and we have to find a way not to make it easy on other teams,” Torres said.

The Generals poured in on in the third period with an 22-6 shot advantage and a 52-27 edge in shots overall in the game.

Rasmus Kumpulainen poked home a rebound just 68 seconds into the third period, on an Oshawa power play, and Stuart Rolofs and Calum Ritchie completed the scoring for the Generals, who sit four-points back of Brantford for first place in the East Division.

“There are certainly growing pains,” said Torres, who is leaning more on younger players since the OHL trade deadline. “We generated offence off the rush, but we have to maybe find ways to generate offence inside the zone.

“Our power play has struggled and the way we’re giving up shots, especially in the third period, has to improve dramatically.”

The Spitfires return home on Thursday to Saginaw Spirit at the WFCU Centre. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

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jpparker@postmedia.com

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Game Summary

Sunday Result

Generals 5 Spitfires 0

Windsor 0 0 0 – 0

Oshawa 1 1 3 – 5

First period: 1. Oshawa, Delisle 5 (Marrelli, Toms) 14:20. Penalty: Sandhu O (tripping) 11:17.

Second period: 2. Oshawa, Buckley 20 (Roobroeck, Torrance) 19:16. Penalties: Sennecke O (tripping) :50, Graham O (tripping) 6:20, Greentree W (roughing), Zito W (roughing), Kumpulainen O (roughing) 13:16, Spellacy W (holding) 20:00.

Third period: 3. Oshawa, Kumpulainen 17 (Torrance, Sennecke) 1:08 (pp), 4. Oshawa, Rolofs 19 (Lockhart) 11:38, 5. Oshawa, Ritchie 14 (Marrelli, Lockhart) 15:54. Penalties: Toure W (fighting), Roobroeck O (fighting) 2:43, Martin W (fighting, game misconduct), Punnett O (fighting) 4:17, Spellacy W (tripping) 5:50, Eichler W (checking from behind) 12:45, Cristoforo W (misconduct) 15:38, Roobroeck O (misconduct) 20:00.

Game stats – SOG – Windsor 9 12 6 – 27 Oshawa 18 12 22 – 52 Goal (shots-saves) – Windsor: Donoso (L,10-13-2-0) (52-47). Oshawa: Oster (W,19-14-3-1) (27-27). Power play (goals-chances) – Windsor 0-3. Oshawa 1-4. Referees: Blake Beer (28) and Lacey Senuk (39). Linesmen: Will Dykeman (53) and Scott Lawson (98). Att.: 5,087 at the Tribute Communities Centre.

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