Spitfires’ big three still trying to find their groove after setbacks

Brown and Stanley forced to battle injuries, Sergachev has had ups, downs

LONDON The Windsor Spitfires’ big three had a tough time getting rolling this season.

The club watched Mikhail Sergachev, Logan Brown and Logan Stanley blossom into NHL firstround picks a year ago.

A year older, wiser and stronger, the Spitfires had high hopes for the trio to make strides as the club prepared to host the MasterCard Memorial Cup in May.

“I’ve been injured a lot, Stan’s had the big injury and Misha was in the NHL for a bit,” Brown said. “For me, personally, it’s been hard to find a groove.”

Brown was a top 20 scorer in the league last year, but has missed time with hand, groin and shoulder problems that kept him out of the lineup for 33 of the team’s 68 games this season.

“It seems I play five games, just start to get into it, and something happens,” said Brown, who missed the final five games of the regular season.

Stanley missed the final 33 games after undergoing knee surgery on Jan. 23 to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee that was projected to sideline him for up to four months.

He’s back in Windsor and hoping to get back on the ice soon, but he’s a long way from playing.

“Stan is trying to get back and play for us,” Sergachev said. “He’s a big part of our team and a leader.

“For them, they got injuries and stuff and obviously for them kind of frustrating.”

Sergachev has been the only consistent face in the lineup of the three after his return from Montreal, but he’s had his ups and downs.

The OHL defenceman of the year as a rookie, Sergachev’s offensive numbers were down from a year ago and his penalty numbers were up.

“I think I had a better year than I did last year,” Sergachev said. “I didn’t score as many goals, but I think I played better at both ends both offensively and defensively.

“I was competitive. I was more competitive than I was last year because last year sometimes I wasn’t trying in the defensive zone, but this year I was trying extremely hard and I think I got better.”

But Sergachev has also become a target for teams, who know he’s a game changer and look to throw him off his game with a hit here or a slash there.

It’s worked on occasion and Sergachev has landed in the doghouse with head coach Rocky Thompson on occasion for retaliation penalties.

“I have to control myself because I can’t cost my team anymore games in playoffs,” Sergachev said. “It’s hard because I’m an emotional guy. I’ve got to control myself and I think I will. I’m going to let it go.”

The Spitfires aren’t thrilled being on the fifth seed in the playoffs after a 90-point campaign, but the playoffs are a time to put the frustrations of the regular season behind.

“It’s been a weird year,” Brown said. “Whatever little bit of regular season I got, it’s been a rough year, but now it’s a brand new season. It’s a fresh start and I kind of want to get on a roll and start rolling through playoffs.”

I have to control myself because I can’t cost my team anymore games in playoffs. It’s hard because I’m an emotional guy. I’ve got to control myself ... .