Windsor Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters isn’t losing any sleep.

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Windsor Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters isn’t losing any sleep.

Walters watched the Erie Otters score five-unanswered goals in the third period to hand Windsor a 6-3 loss before a crowd of 2,884 at the Erie Insurance Arena on Saturday.

“I loved the way we played,” said Walters, whose team fell in regulation for the first time in seven games this season. “Our structure was good, but sometimes the hockey gods go against you.”

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The Spitfires were short a trio of forwards. Overager Ryan Abraham missed the game with an illness, Cole Davis (upper body) was injured in Friday’s win against Brampton and Owen Outwater (upper body) missed his third game in a row.

“I thought (J.C.) Lemieux, (Nathan) Gaymes, (Ethan) Garden and (defenceman Tanner) Winegard moved up front with Marty (Ethan Martin) and played well,” Walters said. “We were really happy with the way the team played structurally.”

Gaymes and Lemieux scored in the opening period to give Windsor a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Gabriel Frasca’s power-play goal just nine seconds into the second period cut Windsor’s lead in half, but Ilya Protas scored midway through the frame to put the Spitfires up 3-1 after 40 minutes.

Erie made it a one-goal game less than two minutes into the third period and Wesley Royston pulled the Otters even midway through the period on a play the Spitfires challenge for goaltender interference with Nathan Spence having fallen on Spitfires’ goalie Carter Froggett, but officials allowed the goal to stand.

“I don’t know,” Walter said. “You never know with those calls.”

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Brett Hammond put the Otters in front 80 seconds later and the Erie, with a big assist from goalie Noah Erliden’s 40-save performance, added empty-net goals from Nathan Sauder and Royston to seal the win.

“We had five Grade A chances with our top guys in the third period,” Walters said. “There were some goal-mouth scrambles and their goalie made some saves.

“We were really happy with the way the team played structurally and if we play that way we’ll win a lot of hockey games.”

After three games on the road, the Spitfires return home on Monday to face the Oshawa Generals at the WFCU Centre at 2:05 p.m.

“We’re excited to get home to our fans,” Walters said.

jpparker@postmedia.com

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Game Summary

Saturday Result

Otters 6 Spitfires 3

Windsor 2 1 0 – 3

Erie 0 1 5 – 6

First period: 1. Windsor, Gaymes 3 (Belchetz) 2:54, 2. Windsor, Lemieux 3 (Morneau, Spellacy) 16:30. Penalty: Cristoforo W (delay of game) 19:11.

Second period: 3. Erie, Frasca 2 (unassisted) :09 (pp), 4. Windsor, Protas 5 (Greentree, Mathurin) 10:18. Penalties: Daviault E (hooking) 1:37, Cristoforo W (tripping) 17:46.

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Third period: 5. Erie, Edwards 4 (Alfano, Fimis) 1:58, 6. Erie, Royston 2 (Spence, Holomego) 9:44, 7. Erie, Hammond 1 (Frasca, Spence) 11:04, 8. Erie, Sauder 1 (unassisted) 18:52 (en), 9. Erie, Royston 3 (Terrance, Misiak) 19:08 (en). Penalties: Holomego E (tripping) 3:47, Gaymes W (slashing), Spence E (roughing) 6:48, Garden W (double minor high sticking) 12:04.

Game stats – SOG – Windsor 13 12 18 – 43 Erie 13 12 14 – 39 Goal (shots-saves) – Windsor: Froggett (L,0-1-1-0) (37-33). Erie: Erliden (W,3-1-0-1) (43-40). Power play (goals-chances) – Windsor 0-2. Erie 1-4. Referees: Sean Kimmerly (10) and Connor Mallon (7). Linesmen: Will Dykeman (53) and Justin Noble (80). Att.: 2,884 at Erie Insurance Arena.

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