It was another reminder to the Windsor Spitfires that no game is easy.

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It was another reminder to the Windsor Spitfires that no game is easy.

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Friday’s matchup against the Guelph Storm seemed like the perfect scenario for the Spitfires. Guelph came into the game riding a four-game losing streak, last in the Western Conference and with the Spitfires sitting 24-points clear of the Storm.

While the Spitfires started quickly with the game’s first seven shots, it was Guelph that never trailed in the match and secured a 6-2 win before a crowd of 4,758 at the Sleeman Centre.

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“It was kind of a weird game,” Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters said. “We came out, we were playing extremely well and were outshooting them, but then we had a a bunch of turnovers and that let them get some momentum.”

Despite the strong start, the Spitfires trailed 1-0 when Carter Stevens beat Windsor goalie Carter Froggett from a tough angle. Cole Davis got the Spitfires even before the end of the period, but Vilmer Alriksson countered 51 seconds later to put the Storm up 2-1 after the 20 minutes.

Noah Morneau’s short-handed goal had Windsor even at 2-2 just 18 seconds into the second period, but that was the last goal to beat Storm netminder Brayden Gillespie, who finished with 41 saves.

“Gillespie played a great game,” said Walters, whose team held a 43-27 edge in shots. “They’re a good team and have some high-end guys. When their goaltender plays like that, they’re in every game.”

Alriksson pounced on a rebound for a late power-play goal to put the Storm up 3-2 after 40 minutes.

“We were trying to create offence out of nothing and doing things on own and I think that hurt us,” Walters said.

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Guelph had the game’s lone power-play goal while the Spitfires, who came in with seven power-play goals in the last two games, failed to connect on six chances. That included a two-man advantage late in the game with the club down two goals.

“We talk about making sure there’s a lot of bodies in front and getting pucks to the net because what he can’t see, he can’t stop,” Walters said. “We had some good, extended shifts and some good chances. Gillespie had a great game.”

Quinn Beauchesen, Thomas Budnick, into an empty net, and Alex McLean closed the scoring for the Storm, who put an end to Windsor’s four-game winning streak.

The Spitfires remain on the road Saturday and will face the Owen Sound Attack. Game time is 7 p.m.

jpparker@postmedia.com

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Game Summary

Friday Result

Storm 6 Spitfires 2

Windsor 1 1 0 – 2

Guelph 2 1 3 – 6

First period: 1. Guelph, Stevens 4 (Snelgrove, Singh) 11:45, 2. Windsor, Davis 8 (Protas, Lemieux) 17:47, 3. Guelph, Alriksson 8 (Namestnikov) 18:38. Penalties: Mathurin W (tripping) 6:02, Alriksson G (interference) 13:37, Hicks W (roughing), Martin W (cross checking) Alriksson G (roughing) 18:47.

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Second period: 4. Windsor, Morneau 9 (Spellacy) :18 (sh), 5. Guelph, Alriksson 9 (Karabela, Singh) 15:39 (pp). Penalties: Serlin G (high sticking) 7:16, Beauchesne G (tripping) 10:03, Gaymes W (high sticking) 14:04, McKenzie G (too many men) 19:33.

Third period: 6. Guelph, Beauchesne 2 (McKenzie, McLean) 6:24, 7. Guelph, Budnick 1 (unassisted) 18:58 (en), 8. Guelph, McLean 4 (McFadden, Teixeira) 19:58. Penalties: Karabela G (high sticking) 14:13, Beauchesne G (hooking) 15:20.

Game stats – SOG – Windsor 15 16 12 – 43 Guelph 9 8 10 – 27 Goal (shots-saves) – Windsor: Froggett (L,3-2-1-0) (26-21). Guelph: Gillespie (W,7-11-0-0) (43-41). Power play (goals-chances) – Windsor 0-6. Guelph 1-3. Referees: Blake Beer and Sean Kimmerly. Linesmen: Devon Driscoll and Dave Pfohl. Att.: 4,758 at the Sleeman Centre.

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