SPITS CARVE OUT IDENTITY DURING PRE-SEASON PLAY
Squad won three of four games, got rookies quality playing time and nobody was hurt
Pre-season success is not something new to the Windsor Spitfires.
The club posted a winning exhibition record the past two years only to see the season come to an abrupt end in the first round of the OHL playoffs.
With Sunday’s 9-4 win over the Sarnia Sting at the WFCU Centre, the Spitfires ended pre-season play with three wins in four games and feeling a little different than the past two seasons.
“I think this year, compared to the last couple, we’re a lot deeper up front and on our blue-line,” Spitfires alternate captain Chris Playfair said. “It’s looking positive.” Windsor’s 3-1 record tied for the best pre-season winning percentage in the Western Conference at .750, with the club outscoring its opponents 21-13.
“I think it means something because we’re trying to build momentum,” Spitfires head coach Trevor Letowski said. “We’re playing a little differently than last season and guys start believing when you win and score. We transitioned the puck so quickly (Sunday) and we were very dangerous off the rush, and it was fun to watch.”
Four Spitfires scored for the first time in exhibition play on Sunday, giving the club 11 different goal scorers in pre-season action — and that’s with the club playing three players under the 20-man roster limit on Sunday as four players remain away at NHL camps.
“I think it helped us build our identity,” said Playfair, who scored his first goal of the pre-season on Sunday. “I think that’s a big positive for us because I think that will be huge for us this season getting scoring from every line and good depth up front and having everyone able to contribute.”
A short roster also allowed rookie first-round pick Wyatt Johnston and second-round pick Pasquale Zito extra ice time.
“It was really important to me getting used to playing at the speed of the OHL,” Zito said. “Coming from minor midget, it’s a huge difference when you’re 16 playing against the older guys.
“I loved playing in the exhibition games because you get used to the speed. We were rolling three lines, so I got a lot of ice time, which I really enjoyed. It was a great experience for me and hopefully it can continue on this year.”
Johnston picked up his first point of the pre-season on Sunday while Zito led the Spitfires with two goals and four points.
“I think it helps (rookies),” Letowski said of exhibition play. “They want to be part of it. For them to help makes them more comfortable.”
With the camp roster already set at 22 players before the team played its first exhibition game, the Spitfires were also happy to escape pre-season play healthy, although there were a couple of scary moments. While Kyle Mcdonald, who had his season cut short a year ago by a shoulder injury, sat out the finale as a precaution, defenceman Louka Henault and captain Luke Boka both returned to the game after needing medical help on the ice on Sunday.
“We’re healthy,” Letowski said. “More than anything, health is huge.”
Zito, Boka and Matthew Maggio each scored a pair of goals as Windsor built a 6-1 lead after 40 minutes. Playfair, Will Cuylle and Cole Purboo added single goals while goalie Kari Piiroinen went the distance and made 33 saves.
“We’re trying to carve out our identity and I thought we did that as the exhibition season went on,” said Letowski, whose team opens the regular season at home on Saturday against the Peterborough Petes. “Guys are feeling good about themselves, but we can’t get too comfortable. It’s going to be different when it starts Saturday. We have another week of work and we’ll be ready to go.”