Windsor Spitfires 2024-25 Season Thread, Part IV

[ohloutsider]

Not really looking too much into the off-season or next season just yet myself, I know the odds are not in our favour to win it all or hell even make it a few rounds would be a surprise with the Rollercoaster way this team has been competing the last few months but I'm still holding out hope that the cards all come together at the right time and grind it out. See this team make it as far as possible into this year's playoffs, im sure the Knights will most definetly be in the conferece finals.

Going to be a tough conference match up tonight against the Otters on an odd Tuesday night game. Usually hard to get a win against Erie and i don't expect anything else tonight. Guessing Costanzo gets the crease after watching last weekend, hope he gets his game into gear closing in on playoffs. We need reliable goal tending come playoffs, don't care who gets the start but needs to be the guy giving this team the best chance to win.

Need the win tonight,
Go Spits Go!!

Joey is starting. Surprised to see Beltchez in, though he was going to be suspended?
Lemieux and Garden out. Maybe more as I usually miss some of them, lol.

 

[OHLTG]

Belchetz is in. Protas and Greentree split up. Costanzo in goal.

 

[windsor7]

Belchetz is in. Protas and Greentree split up. Costanzo in goal.

If coaching doesn't have a clue by now.
They r in trouble..

 

[Cherrydon]

Belchetz is in. Protas and Greentree split up. Costanzo in goal.

That was my suggestion on the weekend. Can't have 2 chiefs running the kitchen. Both capable of anchoring a line so spread it out on a 1a 1b line and get others going for the playoffs

 

[ohloutsider]

High glove side, just sayin.

 

[windsor7]

High glove side, just sayin.

Every team knows..

 

[BoogieB]

Protas/Greentree/Abraham
Spelacy/ Nesbit/ Macnamara
Belchez/Mournea/ Davis
Lemiex/ Costello/ Gaymes / Garden

Christoforo/Mathurin
Walton/ Kennedy
Woodall / Eichler
Hicks/ Wineguard ( depends on who we are playing)

 

[TheGremlin]

I think that’s the first sh goal the Spits have allowed this year.

 

[BoogieB]

Well at least the boys got to play with linemates they have never ever played with tonight !!
One of the highest scoring combos in the league were playing just good, had to split them up, could not have all that success.

 

[windsor7]

I think that’s the first sh goal the Spurs have allowed this year.

44 with the assist..

 

[TheGremlin]

 

[RayzorIsDull]

The give a crap meter has to be higher. Erie shouldn't be in this game yet it's 6-4.

 

[OHLTG]

A tale of two teams. Windsoe dominates in the first, lays an egg in the second. Eries playing well, but Windsor stopped skating. Everyone is at fault, including Costanzo, who had a few words for the officials after the period. Time for a chat in intermission.

 

[windsor7]

A tale of two teams. Windsoe dominates in the first, lays an egg in the second. Eries playing well, but Windsor stopped skating. Everyone is at fault, including Costanzo, who had a few words for the officials after the period. Time for a chat in intermission.

44 shouldn't be chatting with refs.

 

[Cherrydon]

Right or wrong Cristoforo chats at or with the refs after every whistle, every shift every game if thrrd is a stoppage.

 

[windsor7]

Right or wrong Cristoforo chats at or with the refs after every whistle, every shift every game if thrrd is a stoppage.

Wonder why refs ignore him often..

 

[Cherrydon]

I always was told cry wolf and they stop listening when it matters.

 

[windsor7]

I always was told cry wolf and they stop listening when it matters.

Absolutely

 

[ohloutsider]

Not pretty after the first intermission, but they scored enough to win.

 

[windsor7]

Not pretty after the first intermission, but they scored enough to win.

Squeeked by

 

[Cherrydon]

That formula won't work in the playoffs. The 50 goal watch is on for Protas and Greentree. I forget Protas missed 3 more games than Greentree. Hope they both get it soon so we can "try" and tighten up for the real season coming soon. Oc course goaltending is an issue more than the D currently.

 

[Teflon]

The first, you beat anyone in the league. The last 2!!!!?! Your losing most games. What does this group not understand about 60 min of hockey!!!! Id have pulled joey after 2nd goal, maybe that will wake him up. He’s unfocused i dont believe there’s any nagging injury. That said every guy on that bench carries blame. This is exactly what has me worried about 1 and done…

 

[Cherrydon]

They keep starting him to help him find his mojo but agree focus seems strayed. Its bern like this for a while. Now Froggett has the first stop phobia. It has me concerned more than the D at the present

 

[spits]

Spits get the win. Dominated the 1st, were dominated by the Otters in the 2nd and the 3rd was about even. I mean, you're not going to dominate every period. You go up 5-0 and you naturally relax a bit. Problem is the playoffs are coming, and bad habits are hard to break.

Goaltending remains a huge issue. With this goaltending, they won't win the second round. Now, if we can get the goaltending we had in the first half, we have a good chance.

Eichler was injured and did not return. Can't afford another d-man down with injury. Protas was dominant , but what's new.

You want Sarnia in the 1st round and avoid the SOO, who are the better team. I assume they also prefer this and should play a better 60 minutes against the SOO on Thursday.

 

[OHLTG]

A bunch of thoughts here...

- That was a pretty perfect first period. They dominated in all areas, threw the body, and it looked like it could reach double digits. I was kind of surprised Erie didn't put up more of a fight...
- Then the second happened and a near 180. Windsor let off the gas and Erie went "thank you."
- A better third period, but I'll call this an "escape" win, rather than a great, or even good win.

Going through the goals against...

1. Around Eichler, Costanzo looks to be leaning blocker, so the guy goes glove. Not a great goal to give up.
2. A 40 foot wrister that beats Costanzo glove side. I remember looking at it, as it happened, going "okay, glove save.... and it's in?" You have to stop that and Costanzo knew it.
3. Femis gets behind the D, Costanzo goes down, Femis goes up. A bit of a video game goal there.
4. Costanzo has the initial shot, but the rebound goes behind him and he doesn't realize it. The Otters poke it home. That's a lack of communication.
5. Otters outnumber Spitfires down low.

On the plus...

- 11 Spitfires with a point.
- Cristoforo a career-high 4a and goes +2. Protas 4pts, Greentree and Nesbitt 3pts each.
- The line mixing worked very well early on. All three lines were clicking and the chemistry was outstanding.
- The PP was actually really good. It's so hot/cold so nice to see what happens when it clicks.
- I didn't mind the Scooby jerseys. The music was meh, but the jerseys were... okay.

On the not so plus...

- At this point in the season, you can't assume any lead is safe. Gas pedal at all times. You pull that in the playoffs and it's a loss.
- Costanzo needs to find his game. Somehow. Some way. Figure it out. At least three of the goals should have been stopped - the first, the second, and the fourth. It feels like he's not trusting his glove because he's setting up properly but gets beat clean. Is he just too rigid? Is the confidence shaken? I don't know. After the second, he was as angry as I've seen him.


- I don't know if Spellacy will be suspended but, from what I was told after, the GM was just to get him out for the rest of this game. He lost his cool for a second after being hit and took it out on... McCall, I think? Not a great look and hopefully it won't come back to bite him.

- If Windsor doesn't want to travel up to the Soo for the first round, getting the win on Thursday is a good start.

- We'll see how Eichler is. I don't know the extent of anything but a couple of days of rest might do him good.

- Greentree at 47 goals, Protas at 46. I'll have to look up if we've ever had two 50-goal scorers on the roster at the same time. Or, if anyone has. That's downright impressive.