The Windsor Spitfires are learning the hard way that talent alone doesn’t close out games - execution does. After letting a third-period lead slip away in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Kitchener Rangers on Wednesday, head coach Jerrod Walters didn’t sugarcoat his frustration.
“If the guys out there aren’t listening, we’ll put guys out who do,” Walters said postgame. “We’ll get there.”
It’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that’s been remarkably steady when playing with a lead. Before this game, Windsor had only lost in regulation once all season when leading after two periods.
That kind of track record suggests a team that knows how to lock things down late. But Wednesday night told a different story - one where details got sloppy and opportunities went begging.
“We lose our game,” forward Ethan Belchetz admitted. “The third (period), we’re not doing what we need to do to close out games. Just the little things to close out games and win games.”
Those “little things” can mean everything in a tight contest. Whether it’s winning a puck battle along the boards, clearing the zone under pressure, or managing the clock with a lead - Windsor came up short when it mattered most. And it wasn’t just at even strength.
The Spitfires' power play, which ranks second in the league, has been a real weapon this season. But in this one, it misfired at the worst possible time. Despite a power-play goal from Belchetz that gave Windsor a 2-1 edge heading into the third, the unit couldn’t capitalize on four other chances - including two in the final frame.
“Our power play cost us the game,” Walters said. “I didn’t think our best players were our best players.”
That’s a stinging critique, but it speaks to the expectation level inside that locker room. When your top guys are getting the lion’s share of the minutes - especially on the man advantage - they’ve got to deliver. And in a game where special teams can swing momentum, missed power-play chances often come back to haunt you.
This loss doesn’t define the Spitfires’ season - far from it. But it does highlight a reality every contending team faces: learning how to finish.
Windsor has the skill. Now it’s about tightening up the details, especially in the third period, where games - and playoff hopes - are won and lost.