Spitfires open with four point week.

The Windsor Spitfires opened their 2017 Memorial Cup hosting season at the WFCU Centre last week with a 4-1 win over the Erie Otters.

With a lacklustre roster missing several key players while they attend NHL training camps, the Spitfires head coach Rocky Thompson gave some younger players a chance to make their Ontario Hockey League debut.

“It was a lot of coaching on the bench in the first game, more than you would like to do, but we’re definitely proud of our guys,” said Thompson. “Without a doubt, we were short staffed. We had three players basically fly in today and they were able to produce.”

Windsor headed to Sault Ste. Marie the following day to steal the first game 5-2 in a home-and-home series against the Greyhounds.

The Soo returned the favour Sept. 29 shooting down the Spits by a final score of 3-1.

Spitfires’ goaltender Mike DiPietro made 25 saves on 27 shots while forward Cole Purboo scored the lone Windsor goal, his third of the season.

“We got off to a slow start, we can’t keep doing that. We haven’t started with a lead this year,” said Purboo. “We had a couple chances to tie it in the end, but it wasn’t a full 60 minute effort and it showed.”

Logan Brown returned to Windsor Thursday on game day from the Ottawa Senators camp and tallied an assist on the Purboo goal.

The Spitfires hit the road in hopes to earn four points over the weekend facing off against the Mississauga Steelheads on Friday at 7p.m. and the Oshawa Generals on Sunday with puck drop at 6:05p.m.

“(Mississauga) is a well-built team. We’re going to have to manage the puck and play a smart game,” said Thompson. “We’re going to have to be disciplined and when we get opportunities that power play is going to have to be better. We have to be smart and take advantage of special teams.”