More than the last few hours of 2023 slipped away from the Spitfires.

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Jim Parker  •  Windsor Star

Revealed Dec 31, 2023  •  Final up to date 2 hours in the past  •  5 minute learn

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Extra than simply the previous few hours of 2023 have been slipping away from the Windsor Spitfires on Sunday.

After watching a three-goal lead disappear in a 6-5 time beyond regulation loss to the Sarnia Sting, time 

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may also be operating out for this group to remain collectively for a playoff chase with the Ontario Hockey League commerce deadline a little bit greater than every week away.

“Personally, I actually needed this one and was saying it’s sort of an emotional loss as a result of we don’t know what’s subsequent,” mentioned Spitfires’ overage centre Jacob Maillet, who had two assists. “I really like this group and I don’t know what (normal supervisor Invoice Bowler is) pondering.”

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The Spitfires hit the halfway mark of the 68-game schedule on Sunday and a regulation win over the Sting would have pushed the membership out of final place within the Western Convention for the primary time this season.

After returning to play Thursday after a break for Christmas with a win in Mississauga, the Spitfires fell 5-4 in time beyond regulation to the Spirit in Saginaw on Saturday after which watched Sunday’s win slip away in entrance of crowd of 6,416 on the WFCU Centre.

“I mentioned earlier than the break, in case you come again and win three video games in a row, it makes the choice (to deal gamers) lots more durable,” Spitfires’ interim head coach Casey Torres mentioned. 

The Spitfires had an opportunity to do this in two weekend video games, however watched third-period leads slip away in every recreation.

“All of our high gamers are going proper now, so I believe it’s a little irritating,” mentioned Spitfires’ ahead Ryan Abraham, who had three targets and 5 factors within the two video games. “At first of the 12 months, we didn’t have as many going and now virtually all (are going) and it’s irritating shedding like that. Simply getting so shut and never with the ability to get that further level. We want all of the factors we are able to get proper now.”

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Had the Spitfires been in a position to maintain onto these two third-period leads, the membership can be alone in ninth place within the convention and inside 4 factors of a playoff spot with a recreation in hand. As an alternative, the membership is six-points again of the Flint Firebirds, who maintain down the eighth and ultimate playoff spot within the Western Convention, with a recreation in hand.

“You’re glad to get the one factors, however this one hurts lots as a result of it’s a crew forward of you within the standings, we had a three-goal lead and it’s disappointing from a whole lot of totally different components,” mentioned Torres, who has guided the crew to a 7-4-2-0 file since being named interim head coach. “I don’t assume we essentially performed notably nicely to get the 3-0 lead, however we had it.”

Abraham, with a pair of targets, and Liam Greentree had the Spitfires up 3-0 early within the second interval and chased Sarnia beginning goalie Nick Surzycia after seven simply photographs, however Windsor had simply 14 photographs in over 37 minutes the remainder of the sport and the Sting battled again.

Kai Scwindt, Zach Filak and Mitch Younger scored to tie the sport earlier than Cole Davis put Windsor up 4-3 after two durations.

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“I don’t know that we did sufficient of what’s been profitable for us,” Torres mentioned. “We have been sloppy in a whole lot of totally different areas. It’s extraordinarily disappointing to allow them to off the mat.”

Ryan Brown scored twice to place the Sting up late earlier than Oliver Peer scored with Windsor goalie Ian Michelone on the bench for an additional attacker to power time beyond regulation.

Easton Wainwright’s power-play objective gained it for the Sting simply 36 seconds into time beyond regulation.

“I believe we simply obtained sort of lazy and careless with the puck,” mentioned Maillet, who had 4 assists within the two video games. “Too many turnovers and perhaps a little bit an excessive amount of dishonest for offence. Sarnia sort of stayed with it and so they obtained us in the long run.”

On Saturday, former Spitfire Alex Christopoulos scored his second of the sport in time beyond regulation to win it for the Spirit.

Christopoulos and Hunter Haight had the Spirit up 2-0 early within the first interval. Abraham and A.J. Spellacy scored to tug Windsor even at 2-2 after 20 minutes.

Braden Hache put the Spirit up 3-2, however Davis and Greentree countered to place the Spitfires up 4-3 after two durations.

Nic Sima’s power-play objective compelled time beyond regulation to set the stage for Christopoulos to web the winner.

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“It’s only a killer intuition we have to attempt to discover,” Torres mentioned. “Leads within the third interval two nights in a row. We’ve obtained to discover a solution to shut these video games out, particularly with the outlet we’re in, if you wish to make the playoffs.”

The Spitfires are again in motion on Wednesday in opposition to Flint on the WFCU Centre. Recreation time is 7:05 p.m.

jpparker@postmedia.com

twitter.com/winstarparker

Recreation Summaries

Sunday End result

Sting 6 Spitfires 5 (OT)

Sarnia 0 3 2 1 – 6

Windsor 2 2 1 0 – 5

First interval: 1. Windsor, Abraham 11 (Maillet) 2:59, 2. Windsor, Abraham 12 (Spellacy) 11:44. Penalties: Maillet W (tripping) 8:35, Harm S (hooking) 14:14.

Second interval: 3. Windsor, Greentree 22 (Mancini, Maillet) 3:07, 4. Sarnia, Schwindt 4 (Fischer, Sikic) 4:47 (pp), 5. Sarnia, Filak 13 (Younger, A.LeBlanc) 5:55, 6. Sarnia, Younger 6 (Sikic, Moses) 12:55, 7. Windsor, Davis 12 (unassisted) 13:56. Penalties: A.LeBlanc S (roughing) 1:05, Davis W (tripping) 4:37, Fischer S (roughing, misconduct), Martin W (roughing, misconduct) 7:09, Davis W (roughing) 8:17, Younger S (diving), Outwater W (holding) 16:57.

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Third interval: 8. Sarnia, Brown 6 (Approach, Wainwright) 5:14, 9. Sarnia, Brown 7 (Wainwright, Moses) 17:31, 10. Windsor, Peer 22 (Cristoforo, Greentree) 18:56. Penalties: Toms W (holding) 3:04, Corridor S (tripping) 6:52, Approach S (excessive sticking), Davis W (excessive sticking) 18:09, Abraham W (hooking) 19:58.

Extra time: 11. Sarnia, Wainwright 6 (Barr, Brown) :36 (pp). Penalties: None.

Recreation stats – SOG – Sarnia 12 10 11 1 – 34 Windsor 4 11 6 0 – 21 Purpose (shots-saves) – Sarnia: Surzycia (7-4), Chartier (3:07 of second interval) (W,5-4-0-0) (14-12). Windsor: Michelone (L,5-7-2-0) (34-29). Energy play (goals-chances) – Sarnia 2-5. Windsor 0-3. Referees: Blake Beer (28) and Ryan Hutchison (20). Linesmen: Luke Pye (45) and Geoff Rutherford (62). Att.: 6,416 on the WFCU Centre.

Saturday End result

Spirit 5 Spitfires 4 (OT)

Windsor 2 2 0 0 – 4

Saginaw 2 1 1 1 – 5

First interval: 1. Windsor, Christopoulos 13 (Gervais, Glavin) 8:33, 2. Saginaw, Haight 15 (Storch, Willis) 12:34, 3. Windsor, Abraham 10 (Greentree, Maillet) 13:04, 4. Windsor, Spellacy 7 (Abraham, Walton) 18:57 (sh). Penalties: Haight S (excessive sticking) 4:18, Greentree W (tripping) 16:57.

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Second interval: 5. Saginaw, Hache 7 (unassisted) 3:57, 6. Windsor, Davis 11 (Peer, Zhugin) 4:43, 7. Windsor, Greentree 21 (Abraham, Maillet) 16:33. Penalties: Peer W (roughing) 6:37, Intestine S (slashing) 10:43, Martin W (roughing), Forgione S (double minor roughing) 13:29.

Third interval: 8. Saginaw, Sima 4 (Gervais, Loukus) 12:20 (pp). Penalty: Maillet W (delay of recreation) 10:56.

Extra time: 9. Saginaw, Christopoulos 14 (Loukus, Parekh) 2:43. Penalties: None.

Recreation stats – SOG – Windsor 8 11 4 1– 24 Saginaw 7 12 14 1 – 34 Purpose (shots-saves) – Windsor: Costanzo (L,6-12-1-0) (34-29). Saginaw: Lalonde (W,8-6-1-1) (24-20). Energy play (goals-chances) – Windsor 0-3. Saginaw 1-3. Referees: Mitchel Hardy (37) and Ben Wilson (32). Linesmen: Riley Brass (44) and Brett Heaman (51). Att.: 3,376 on the Dow Occasion Heart.

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