It was far from a perfect performance by the Windsor Spitfires.

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It was far from a perfect performance by the Windsor Spitfires.

The club, which has struggled at the start of games this season, scored the game’s first five goals on Thursday. However, the North Bay Battalion took over the second half of the game and the Spitfires were fortunate to escape with a 5-3 win over the Battalion before a crowd of 2,481 at the Memorial Gardens.

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“Our first period was good,” Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walter said. “It was nice to see our start, but I think they thought it was points night and started turning over a lot of pucks in the second period, they (the Battalion) got some momentum and (goalie) Joey (Costanzo) had to be real good for us.”

The Spitfires got an early boost from the return of three rookies that had missed the last six games while competing for Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Defenceman Carter Hicks got Windsor going with the first Ontario Hockey League goal to open the scoring. 

“He was so excited and he’s such a great kid and again you get pucks to the net,” Walters aid.

Captain Liam Greentree added a power-play goal and rookie Ethan Belchetz made it 3-0 with a spectacular individual effort for his first goal in 10 games.

“It was really good to have them back,” Walters said. “Belchetz’s was a highlight reel and he played well with (Ilya) Protas and Greentree and Hicks and J.C. (Lemieux) had some ice time.”

Anthony Cristoforo made it 4-0 Windsor after 20 minutes and the Battalion replaced starting goalie Charlie Larocque, who faced 10 shots, with Mike McIvor to start the second period.

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Ryan Abraham, who had three points in the game, stretched the Windsor lead to 5-0 just 67 seconds into the second period, but things turned after that.

“Ryan was back up the middle with (Cole) Davis and (Noah) Morneau and had a real good night for us,” said Walter, who had Abraham playing with Greentree and Protas with Belchetz aways.

Despite the great start, Windsor’s game turned sloppy and the score tightened as the Battalion outshot Windsor 31-11 over the final two periods and 38-21 overall.

“We got our foot off pedal when it was 4-0 and lucky to get another early in the second, but after that they took control,” Walters said.

Zach Wilson and Ethan Procyszyn scored to get the Battalion to within 5-2 after 40 minutes and Procyszyn got his second with just under two minutes to play in regulation and the goalie on the bench, but North Bay would get no closer.

The Spitfires remain on the road for a Friday match against the Sudbury Wolves at 7:05 p.m.

jpparker@postmedia.com

twitter.com/winstarparker

Game Summary

Thursday Result

Spitfires 5 Battalion 3

Windsor 4 1 0 – 5

North Bay 0 2 1 – 3

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First period: 1. Windsor, Hicks 1 (Outwater) 2:39, 2. Windsor, Greentree 10 (Protas, Abraham) 8:18 (pp), 3. Windsor, Belchetz 5 (Protas, Greentree) 10:40, 4. Windsor, Cristoforo 4 (Davis, Abraham) 16:26. Penalties: A.LeBlanc NB (high sticking) 6:38, Outwater W (tripping) 12:11.

Second period: 5. Windsor, Abraham 8 (Eichler, Morneau) 1:07, 6. North Bay, Wilson 1 (A.LeBlanc, Turley) 5:47, 7. North Bay, Procyszyn 13 (J.LeBlanc, Moses) 8:02 (pp). Penalties: Kennedy NB (boarding) 1:50, Eichler W (high sticking) 6:14.

Third period: 8. North Bay, Procyszyn 14 (J.LeBlanc, Van Steensel) 18:05. Penalties: Smith NB (holding) :37, Abraham W (cross checking, misconduct) 19:18.

Game stats – SOG – Windsor 10 6 5 – 21 North Bay 7 13 18 – 38 Goal (shots-saves) – Windsor: Costanzo (W,12-3-0-0) (38-35). North Bay: Larocque (L,3-7-0-0) (10-6), McIvor (0:00 of second period) (11-10). Power play (goals-chances) – Windsor 1-3. North Bay 1-3. Referees: Ryan Elbers and Aaron Neely. Linesmen: Charlie Giesler and Griffin St. Onge. Att.: 2,481 at the North Bay Memorial Gardens.

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