Spits down two forwards
From 13 forwards to 11. Chasing the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League, the Windsor Spitfires will be minus two veteran forwards for the balance of the season.
Not only do the Spitfires have to deal with a season ending shoulder injury to 18-year old depth forward Owen Outwater but overage skater Pasquale Zito has opted to leave Windsor. The rights of the well travelled Zito had been acquired by Windsor from the North Bay Battalion at what was a busy January 10 trade deadline for Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler.
Without Outwater and Zito, the Spitfires are now down to 11 forwards though they have seven defensemen — and one could possibly move up front.
“We’ll play it by ear,” Spitfires interim head coach Casey Torres told the Windsor Star. “With seven (defencemen) you can play around and see if one of them can jump up front, but there’s a pretty good mix with the 11 forwards right now.”