Windsor Spitfires 2024 25 Season Thread Part Iv

1st period was undisciplined, selfish and sketchy team play by this team. 2nd period they played a great period and alot better hockey than the 1st but let in a late goal. I thought they started the 3rd off pretty solid but then got pretty lackadaisical out there and tried to do to much with a few goal lead instead of keeping it simple and hunkering down defensively, changing the style of play and adapting to finish the game off strong, thats what the good teams do consistently.

You would think all of these bad habits & dumb penalties out there would be washed away by now but don't think that will happen, been a consistent theme the last half of this season. Just gotta hope these guys bring it come playoffs and our stars are playing at the top of their game. Goalies haven't been reliable the second half of this season but the team defense don't help them with grade A chances all night.

Coaches can't seem to drive home the need for more discipline and a better two way effort, or they don't care too and its not in their agenda. Either way, tough to lose the game like that. Going to be in tough tomorrow against the Knights. Hope these guys come ready to compete hard or could be ugly in the 4th game in 6 days.
 
1st period was undisciplined, selfish and sketchy team play by this team. 2nd period they played a great period and alot better hockey than the 1st but let in a late goal. I thought they started the 3rd off pretty solid but then got pretty lackadaisical out there and tried to do to much with a few goal lead instead of keeping it simple and hunkering down defensively, changing the style of play and adapting to finish the game off strong, thats what the good teams do consistently.

You would think all of these bad habits & dumb penalties out there would be washed away by now but don't think that will happen, been a consistent theme the last half of this season. Just gotta hope these guys bring it come playoffs and our stars are playing at the top of their game. Goalies haven't been reliable the second half of this season but the team defense don't help them with grade A chances all night.

Coaches can't seem to drive home the need for more discipline and a better two way effort, or they don't care too and its not in their agenda. Either way, tough to lose the game like that. Going to be in tough tomorrow against the Knights. Hope these guys come ready to compete hard or could be ugly in the 4th game in 6 days.
Collectively they have been better this year but old habits die hard. Abraham still has moments of undisciplined play and there can't be accountability without responsibility. Goaltending isn't at the level you need right now to make a rub. They should win round 1 but any opposition that doesn't try to mix it up constantly is making a mistake. Drag them into the gutter and see what happens. If the Spits don't take the bait they should he fine. Right now though???
 
Any word on why Christoforo? Didn’t come out for the final period. Announcers said he came out, but then returned to the dressing room?
 
Collectively they have been better this year but old habits die hard. Abraham still has moments of undisciplined play and there can't be accountability without responsibility. Goaltending isn't at the level you need right now to make a rub. They should win round 1 but any opposition that doesn't try to mix it up constantly is making a mistake. Drag them into the gutter and see what happens. If the Spits don't take the bait they should he fine. Right now though???
Abraham worked hard all game and to his credit stayed outta the box!! Weird that you would center him out in your post tonight when he literally was not an issue. Kinda strange....like don't get me wrong... Abraham has definitely had his undisciplined moments this season....but last night he literally was not anywhere near an issue. Did you actually watch the game? I know I did as I was there last night in Saginaw. I follow this thread...I don't always post...but I literally look at it every day. I have read a good majority of your posts on this thread and you only really seem to post when Windsor loses a game....or if the Spits get into a slump. I have seen numerous times this season when the Spits go on a win streak....and you are no where to be found! It's like you only give your 2 cents when we lose or in some cases barely win a game. You can reply with whatever you want....but your post history speaks volumes! You have issues with some that post on here....and it seems you would rather thumbs down anything they post no matter what it is. You come across as petty .... definitely not anywhere near as Windsor7....as he is literally made it his life's purpose to troll this thread on a literal daily basis. Rayzor....you just come across in your posts as someone that maybe has not played the game. Someone that can be best described as a Lazy-Boy quarterback. Someone that can't wait to post after a loss...just to add salt to the wound. Not a good way to be as a man.
 
IMHO last night's game was the last month in a capsule.
Saginaw and Windsor are similar teams. Both have a high end top line that carries the team and serviceable 2nd and 3rd lines. Questionable D and goaltending.
The difference last night is the playoffs and memorial cup experience. Saginaw knew what they had to do to win that game and Windsor was not ready for that or could find the " playoff gear " to answer it. A lot of these players and this team have not played meaningful hockey for 3 years. As good as they have been this year, and yes they have been good, it is not good enough for what's coming. Hockey games from now on are not going to be easy to win. There are lots of clichés to describe this but it is mostly up to players to find that. Coaches can preach this all day but team leaders and players have to gut this part of it out themselves.
Sadly the pessimist that I am thinks they will find this out too late.

Wondering who we want to face in the first round? Don't think Owen Sound would be ideal. Carter George could win the series on his own. That would be a scary goaltending dual for sure.
Soo have lots of playoff experience so it brings back my previous paragraph.
It leaves Sarina as the only team that the Spits would match up well against.

I'm sorry but I'm finding it very hard to be optimistic on how this season will end.

So I will leave this last thought as something to be happy for the Spits -

Of the 4 teams that did not make the playoffs last year -
Petes are missing the playoffs again this year.
Sarina has yet to clinch a playoff spot and may not.
Icedogs are in the playoffs but will likely finish 7th.
Windsor has not only made the playoffs but have clinched the division and are 2nd seed in the conference and the 3rd best team in the league. So it's not all bad!
Be safe.
 
I wasn’t expecting the stupid penalties, because I expected them to be less engaged in general.

I hope a switch turns for the playoffs, but I don’t have my hopes up.

I think a first round win makes this season a success and Sarnia would be the ideal opponent. It would be less travel than OS/Soo.

I didn’t think Froggett looked bad, Spits just seem to have a lot of trouble keeping their foot on the gas. 4 Unanswered Goals last night.

FWIW, I felt the refs called WAY too much early and really killed the flow of the game. Watching from home, I was a bit surprised Saginaw got called for too many men in OT. I’d much rather see a game play out, but it seems against Saginaw it’s always a bit of a stick infraction fest vs. heavy clean hitting.

I’d love to hope the Spits are the smartest in the room, and are able to keep their composure in the playoffs but the game they need to play, making big hits, and staying away from retaliation doesn’t seem doable based on the last couple months
 
Re Spits need to clean things up when playing on the road,they are 6-4--1-1 in their last 12 games,5-0 at home but 1-4-1-1 in their last 7 on the road,in fact Windsor is 8-0 in their last 8 at home.
While disappointed in blowing the 2 goal lead late pretty sure that doesn't happen if Mathurin, Christoforo and Spellacy were playing last night but must deal with the hand you are dealt with.
Today's game will be interesting, gotta feeling both Christoforo and Mathurin will be missing today,in fact I think from what I hear Mathurin is done for the year, heard his shoulder if u were to grade from 2 to 5 how bad it is it would be a 7,not good.
Expecting Costanzo to start today, Spellacy will be back in,perhaps Garden and Lemieux as well.
 
Re Spits need to clean things up when playing on the road,they are 6-4--1-1 in their last 12 games,5-0 at home but 1-4-1-1 in their last 7 on the road,in fact Windsor is 8-0 in their last 8 at home.
While disappointed in blowing the 2 goal lead late pretty sure that doesn't happen if Mathurin, Christoforo and Spellacy were playing last night but must deal with the hand you are dealt with.
Today's game will be interesting, gotta feeling both Christoforo and Mathurin will be missing today,in fact I think from what I hear Mathurin is done for the year, heard his shoulder if u were to grade from 2 to 5 how bad it is it would be a 7,not good.
Expecting Costanzo to start today, Spellacy will be back in,perhaps Garden and Lemieux as well.
Thought Froggett should get the start instead
 
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Where do you guys hear George will be a Spit next year???? Is this some pipe dream or…..?
I’d imagine. I don’t think we had the players to move for it, but I’d have to imagine this chat would be quite different had we grabbed him now. I heard loose rumblings around the deadline
 
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Now from the optimistic standpoint… The Spits are in every game.

If we’re up 4 we’re in a position to blow it, and if we’re down 4, we’re 10 minutes away from coming back.

It’ll make for some exciting playoff hockey but not necessarily the desired outcome unless changes occur.

I do see Windsor a lot like Saginaw. Elite Canadian Captain, debatably better Top Scoring Import. A couple noteworthy defensemen matched with some size, and mediocre goaltending that could very well be the difference, with the ceiling being “a little better than average”.

Today’s a good test. We can hang with Saginaw. I think we can hang with London. I think we’re better than Kitchener (but yes Parsons). On the goaltending front, of the Top 4 teams in the Western, aside from Parson’s I don’t think the goaltending is lopsided, but London’s Elite D group inflates their tenders numbers, IMO.

I do not see any upsets happening in Round 1. And Kitchener/Windsor, London/Saginaw both being some fun 2nd Round Series where any team could come out the other end. I know everyone likes to talk about London running away with it, but I don’t think Chernyshov’s Spirit should be taken lightly. On Paper, I honestly like Saginaw better. Plus a Memorial Cup & Conference Final Rematch?

We have new rivalries hitting their peak and old rivalries reignited, OHL’s got their own Wrestlemania Brewing in April 2025.

My hope is in Round 2, we get some staggering days from the Western Matchups because I think we’ll be seeing a lot of good hockey.

And as questionable as the goaltending, discipline and secondary scoring has been, at least we’re talking about the playoffs this March.
 
Where do you guys hear George will be a Spit next year???? Is this some pipe dream or…..?
That seems extremely unlikely bordering on crazy.

1st if you're acquiring George you have to move on from Costanzo but he's not going in the George deal.

2nd you still have 4 goalies so that means at least moving two goalies and one of them has to be Costanzo

3rd if Protas doesn't return that is a huge void to fill and no guarantee it happens in the import draft. You probably need assets to acquire a good import.

George isn't fixing the issues of the Spits by himself.
 
Any word on why Christoforo? Didn’t come out for the final period. Announcers said he came out, but then returned to the dressing room?
Sorry forgot to respond to this but he actually did not play from the middle of the 1st on. He took a slapshot off his foot. He went right to the dressing room after. No idea on the severity.
 

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