3 Keys to Spitfires’ Pivotal Weekend vs Rangers & Firebirds

General manager Bill Bowler brought in veteran forwards Nathan Villeneuve and Alex Pharand from the Sudbury Wolves, along with Brampton Steelheads’ defenceman (and newest Ohio State University recruit) Jakub Fibigr at the deadline. While Villeneuve has seen Walters’ systems before in minor hockey, Walters said on Monday that getting the trio up to speed is important right now.

“Villeneuve, Fibigr, and Pharand are figuring out how we play and how we do things,” he said. “It’s defence first, always. We preach defence all the time. You see what happens when you play the right way. They can score with anybody. It’s been a great buy-in from everybody.”

Spitfires’ defenceman Andrew Robinson, 18, is in his first full season with the club after a taste of the OHL last season during the playoffs. On Monday, he said that their Northern road swing in early February was an eye-opener and showed them what needed to be done.

“I think the northern road trip really shocked us,” he said. “It showed that we weren’t where we needed to be at that time. Now we’ve had some good practices, talked to the coaching staff, had team meetings, and everyone is looking forward to the playoffs.”

While the Spitfires are near the top of the OHL in goals-scored, they play their strongest hockey when it’s a defence-first mentality. That has to be the top priority this weekend.

Secondary Scoring Is Essential

While defence is essential, you still need scoring from three or four lines, ideally. Fortunately, when the Spitfires are healthy, they have that ability. Following a two-game suspension, forward A.J. Spellacy (Chicago Blackhawks) returns to the lineup on Friday, giving Walters his four lines back.

Walters has constantly talked about the “next man up” philosophy. If someone is out, the next person takes over. It allows players to get used to playing with anyone. It’s benefited them as their younger talents have the confidence to play on the first line, even if they’re fourth liners. On Monday, Walters said that, when healthy, their fourth line is now as good as anyone.

“Losing Spellacy was a huge loss, but we have guys stepping up,” he said. “We’ve talked about our depth all the time. I don’t know who has a better fourth-line center than John McLaughlin so it’s pretty good … When healthy, our fourth line with (Belsultan) Makysh, McLaughlin, and (Caden) Harvey is pretty deep. We’re going to have to win with four lines.”

With McLaughlin being a first-round pick last April, he could have been moved at the trade deadline. However, Bowler kept him, and the youngster has benefited. Walters said it’s not an easy league for 16-year-olds, but the kid has become a sponge.

“(He’s) getting more confident,” he said. “It’s a tough league for 16-year-olds. He’s so competitive and skilled. He works and he asks questions. He wants extra video. The whole thing is about trust for coaches and if I can trust him and he does the right things defensively, he’s going to get more ice time and get everything that he deserves.”

McLaughlin has three goals in his last three games. He said he’s getting experience from working with the veterans, but, in the end, winning is the most important thing.

“Extra reps after practice,” McLaughlin said. “(It’s) being around guys like Ethan Belchetz, helping work on some of the skills and how I can improve … Just my teammates really helping me has been important. If it means that we’re winning, that’s all that matters … We’ve got a great team so it doesn’t matter where you’re playing. Everyone is very good.”

Add in defenceman Anthony Cristoforo, who has become a forward at times, and Walters has plenty of options throughout the lineup. It’s flexibility that’s going to be important this weekend and beyond.

Spitfires’ Veteran Trio Continue to Produce

While secondary scoring will be essential, the Spitfires will still need their best players to be their best players.

On paper, if you put Greentree and Belchetz on the top line with Jack Nesbitt (Philadelphia Flyers), they should dominate every game. However, it hasn’t worked like that. Through a lot of trial-and-error, Walters has found that splitting them up, to a degree, helps everyone. Instead, Belchetz and Nesbitt have become mainstays on the top line, often with Cristoforo, while Greentree is on the second line, often with Ethan Garden.

It’s worked like a charm. Greentree has points in 11 of his last 13 games (10 goals and 20 points), while Belchetz has six goals and 14 points in the same stretch. Nesbitt’s a bit more streaky but still has five goals and six points in his last six games. Regardless, as much as this team needs secondary scoring, it also needs its best players to be at their best.

Coming into Friday, the Rangers are 21-5-0-1 at home, which is tied with the Spitfires (19-3-4-1) for best home winning percentage (.796) in the conference. The Firebirds also have the second-best road record in the league at 19-7-1-2. It was just three weeks ago that the Spitfires suffered a tough 7-2 loss against the Rangers on the road. The Auditorium in Kitchener isn’t a fun place to be an opponent. A week before that game, the Firebirds scored three unanswered for a 4-2 win at the WFCU Centre.

If Walters’ club wants to get four points this weekend, he needs everyone buying in and playing their best hockey. One point could mean the difference between seedings and first-round opponents, so they can’t afford to give anything away.