Spitfires dominate the game again only to fall to Attack 5-1

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It would be easy for the Windsor Spitfires to get frustrated at this point in the season.

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The Spitfires have outscored the opposition in five of seven games this season, but have only one win in those five games.

The last came Saturday when the Spitfires outscored the Owen Sound Attack 50-29 at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Center only to fall 5-1 on the road.

“With the team that we have, we know that we are capable of producing,” said Spitfires forward Matthew Maggio. “Right now, it seems that rebounding is not going well for us.

“We are confident in our ability to score and we know that if we play the way we are capable, success will eventually follow.”

Part of Windsor’s problems early in the season have been power play struggles and death penalties.

After a goalless first period, Attack took control of the game with a pair of power play goals in the second period to take a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes on goals from Ethan Burroughs and Servac Petrovsky.

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“We need a little work on the special teams,” said Spitfires head coach Marc Savard. “We can design plays and watch videos, but we can’t seem to do a play and be successful.

“As a staff, we have to look and maybe make changes and maybe give other guys a look.”

While Owen Sound converted two of three chances on the power play, the Spitfires only converted one of five chances with the man advantage and that didn’t come until the final seconds of the game when Maggio assisted on Pasquale Zito’s goal. to thwart Mack Guzda’s shutout offer with eight seconds to play.

Overall, Spitfires are 17 ^th in the league of 20 teams on penalties with 72.7 percent and 14 ^th overall in the league in power play at 14.7 percent.

“Both are things we want to be better at,” Maggio said. “We have a lot of talent on this team and we are confident that we can be one of the best special teams teams in the league, but we are confident in the process and we try to improve them every game.”

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Savard said what he likes is the fact that, even with his team down 5-0, the club struggled for that goal in the final seconds.

“I know the guys are frustrated, but we held our ground until the end,” Savard said. “Our identity is as a team that never gives up and works hard every night and is physical. Our identity is improving and it’s about getting results. “

For Savard, who won two league titles while playing junior at Oshawa, it’s a matter of pressure.

“We did everything, but we put it on the net,” Savard said. “I thought we were the best team. We just have to find a way to push.

“I know that as a player, when I play, you want to get results. They have to need to get results. You can put the work in, but there has to be some kind of urgency to put it in the back of a net. “

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Gavin Bryant, Julian Fantino and Logan LeSage finished the score for the Attack, which dropped the Spitfires to 2-3-0-2 on the season.

“We hit the track every day with a positive mindset and wanting to improve every day,” said Maggio, whose team returns to action on Thursday at home against the Guelph Storm. “It is important to remember that it is a 68 game season and we want to be a team that is reaching its peak at 68.

“None of us like to lose, but we know it is a long season and we know that we are going to find our way and establish ourselves as a superior team in the conference.”

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Game Summary

Saturday result

Attack 5 Spitfires 1

Windsor 0 0 1-1

Owen Sound 0 2 3 – 5

First period: No punctuation. Penalties: Lawrence OS (hitch) 5:28, Cuylle W (unsportsmanlike conduct), Okitundu OS (roughing), Petrovsky OS (roughing) 7:45 PM.

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Second period: 1. Owen Sound, Burroughs 3 (Perrott, Machacek) 6:06 (pp), 2. Owen Sound, Petrovsky 1 (Perrott, Burroughs) 15:45 (pp). Penalties: Jodoin W (head check) 5:35, D’Amico W (high sticking) 6:35, Zito W (cross check), Uens OS (roughing) 13:46, Henault W (hooking) 14:14, Machcek OS (misconduct) 20:00.

Third period: 3. Owen Sound, Bryant 3 (LeSage) 1:09, 4. Owen Sound, Fantino 1 (Bonaiuto) 3:35, 5. Owen Sound, LeSage 1 (Uens, Guindon) 10:41, 6. Windsor, Zito 4 (Maggio, DeAngelis) 19:52 (pp). Penalties: LeSage OS (connection) 7:52, Barlow OS (connection) 13:40, Machacek OS (cross-check) 18:15, McDonald W (cross-check), Perrott OS (cut-off) 19:32, Perrott OS (misconduct) 20:00.

Game Statistics – SOG – Windsor 13 19 18 – 50 Owen Sound 10 8 11 – 29 Goal (shot-saves) – Windsor: Medina (L, 1-3-0-2) (25-20), Downey (10:41 of the third period) (4-4. Owen Sound: Guzda (W, 2-3-0-1) ( 50-49). Power play (goals-chances) – Windsor 1-5. Owen Sound 2-3. Referees: Ryan Jenken (36) and Andrew Willmetts (2). Linesmen: Nick Arcan (73) and Blake Beer (67). For: 2,196 at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Center.