Spitfires unable to secure win for head coach Savard against Generals as he returns to hockey roots

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There was no fear of a hostile reception for Windsor Spitfires’ head coach Marc Savard on Friday.

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The 44-year-old Savard returned to the home of his junior hockey glory when the Spitfires faced the Generals in Oshawa.

“It’s always exciting,” Savard said of returning to Oshawa. “I spent four years there and my family’s coming to the game and we have a box. There’ll probably be 12 people there.”

Savard did not make his name at the Tribute Communities Centre, which opened in 2006 and where the Spitfires fell 5-4 to the Generals on Friday. Savard became Oshawa’s all-time playing at the old Oshawa Civic Auditorium where he won a pair of league scoring titles while putting up 413 points in 238 career games from 1993-97.

High in the rafters is Savard’s No. 27, which was retired by the Generals in 2016 prior to a game against the Spitfires.

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“(Spitfires’ associate coach Jerrod Smith) say they were there for my retirement night and watched me cry,” Savard said.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions this season, the Spitfires will not play a game against an Eastern Conference team, which meant Friday was his only trip to Oshawa. However, after wrapping a solid NHL career, Savard’s goals are different as a first-year head coach with the Spitfires.

“It’s a little different going back as a coach,” Savard said.

And with less than a week until the start of the regular season, Savard is still trying to put the lineup pieces together with the Spitfires as players continue to trickle into town from NHL camps.

The Dallas Star sent first-round pick Wyatt Johnston back to the club on Thursday after signing him to an entry-level deal and he got into the lineup on Friday.

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“It’s great for him to get his contract,” Savard said. “I’m excited to watch how he does.”

Russian defenceman Daniil Sobolev was also in the lineup after being returned by the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens while Russian forward Avval Baisov also got into town after getting his visa taken care of. Both did get in some practice time with the team this week before Friday’s exhibition debut.

“The Russian players look good,” Savard said.

Defenceman Dylan Robinson has also returned after earning an invite to main camp with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings as a free-agent invite. However, Savard said he was a little ‘dinged up’ and held out for precautionary reasons while fellow defenceman Michael Renwick also remains sidelined with a minor injury.

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The club is still waiting to hear if and when forward Will Cuylle will return from the New York Rangers along with defenceman Louka Henault, who earned a main camp invite from the Anaheim Ducks as a free-agent invite.

“Henault and Cuylle, I have not heard,” said Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler, who took in the game Friday.

Expectations remain high for the Spitfires, who earned the No. 8 ranking in the Canadian Hockey League’s pre-season top 10, but Savard is still trying to pull everything together.

“We have some things planned and just the numbers don’t seem to work every day, so you change the plan,” Savard said. “What the top six (forwards) look like? What’s your top nine? Your power play and what’s going to work? We’re going to go with two power-play (units) and load one up and we’re working on that.”

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On Friday, the Spitfires fell behind by two goals after 20 minutes before rallying to tie the game at 3-3 after two periods, but never held a lead in the game.

Defenceman Grayson Ladd had a goal and two assists for the Spitfires, who were outshot 26-17. Kyle McDonald, rookie Oliver Peer and Daniel D’Amico added single goals while Pasquale Zito had two assists.

The Spitfires will close out exhibition play on Sunday against the Generals on Sunday at the WFCU Centre at 4:05 p.m. Like Savard, it will be Lakeshore native Ty Tullio’s last chance to return home for a game with the Generals’ captain set to go pro next season after being signed by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.

As well, the Spitfires will also open the door to 50 per cent capacity at the WFCU Centre for all games.

“It’s open to the general public and we’ve increased our capacity, but it will remain general admission for Sunday’s game,” Spitfires’ director of business operations Steve Horne said.

jpparker@postmedia.com

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