The Windsor Spitfires are quickly learning that success from season to season is far from easy in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). After gaining just two points in three Thanksgiving weekend games and sitting near the bottom of the standings, it’s becoming a hard lesson.
After getting to the top of the Western Conference during the last two seasons, the Spitfires are used to success. However, with significant roster turnover, new coaches, and an overall younger look, it’s proving to be difficult to hang with the contenders. Even their normally comfy WFCU Centre confines aren’t doing the trick as they struggle for answers. Here are three takeaways from a busy Thanksgiving weekend.
3 Takeaways from Thanksgiving Weekend
Weekend Results:
Thurs., Oct. 5 – 5-4 overtime win v. North Bay Battalion
Sat., Oct. 7 – 6-3 loss v. Sarnia Sting
Mon., Oct. 9 – 5-3 loss v. Soo Greyhounds
Current record: 1-4 (eighth in Western Conference)
3. Learning to Win is a Process
Being a contender every season in the OHL is a daunting task. Last season, the Spitfires were a veteran club who rarely gave up a lead, let alone the two points. This season, they’re a younger roster with several new players and showing that getting back to that level will take time.
On Thursday night, they allowed three goals after scoring the opener against the Battalion, eventually winning in overtime. However, both Saturday and Monday saw the Sting and Greyhounds, respectively, score at least four straight goals to take a pair of wins. The losses are frustrating, but you have to find the small positives that add up. Head coach Jerrod Smith said that, despite getting down against the Greyhounds, he appreciated the no-quit effort right until the end.
“I saw a lot of positives in our game,” he said. “I thought it was more of a complete effort up and down our lineup. It’s disappointing not getting the result…”
From turnovers to poor coverage, the inexperience is evident but fixable. Forward Liam Greentree was a part of the team’s success last season. After the Greyhounds’ game, he said their slow start is frustrating, but they’ll get there.
“It’s a young team,” Greentree said. “For us, it’s about doing the little right things. We take our positives and, there’s a lot to work on, but we’ll get there … Some guys are new to this league and we have a lot of guys who are young still. They need to get a little more comfortable and confident but that’s going to come.”
It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re struggling to get points. That’s part of junior hockey, though, and now it’s up to the club’s veterans to take control and guide the roster.
2. Can’t Blame Costanzo
Coming into the season, there was zero debate that 18-year-old Joey Costanzo would be the Spitifres’ starting goaltender. A week into the season, one might look at the stats and ask, “why?” Let’s be clear – he’s not the issue.
Last season, Costanzo stole the show for the Spitfires, sporting a 3.03 goals-against average (G.A.A) and a .901 save percentage (SV%). This season, though, it looks much different. Through four games, he has an uncomfortable 5.11 G.A.A. and .813 SV%; both are near the bottom for OHL goaltenders. However, stats don’t tell the whole story.
Costanzo is behind an inexperienced defence where just two of the six regulars had more than a season under their belt coming into 2023-24. This causes system miscues, turnovers, odd-man rushes, and inconsistent penalty killing. On Sunday, an offensively gifted Greyhounds team (who had a league-leading 37.5 percent on the power play) went two-for-four with the man advantage, and both goals were one-timers that Costanzo wasn’t stopping.
Related: OHL: 5 Windsor Spitfires Breakout Candidates for 2023-24
There’s no question that Costanzo hasn’t been as strong as he would like. Anytime you have those types of numbers, you want to improve yourself. However, he’s merely the product of a defensive group that hasn’t found its way yet. The club has faith in him, and when they need a big moment, he’s their guy.
1. WFCU Centre Must be Home Sweet Home
When the OHL schedule came out last Summer, seeing five of the first six games being played at the WFCU Centre was a relief for fans. Last season, the Spitfires went 25-5-2-2 at home, which was near the top of the league. With a young club, a long stretch of home games seemed like the perfect chance to bank points. It didn’t happen.
Earning just two points in three home games this weekend was disappointing, especially when all three were winnable in their own right. They have one more game left on his homestand – Thursday against the Kingston Frontenacs – before hitting the road to face the Erie Otters on Saturday and the Kitchener Rangers on Sunday.
Despite their success over the last two seasons, earning points on the road has been a challenge for the Spitfires. They’ve gone 38-23-5-0 away from the WFCU Centre, compared to 50-12-3-3 at home. That’s a significant difference, and it shows how much home ice has meant to the club. If they’re going to get into the playoffs, never mind home-ice advantage, taking as many points at home as possible is crucial.
Winning is an art form in the OHL. It’s something that takes time to learn when you’re young, and the Spitfires are experiencing that now. However, when you have a chance to take points in your house, you do it. That’s a lesson that can only be taught the hard way at times, as they learned this weekend.
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