It has been over a month since Casey Torres was named interim Head Coach of the Windsor Spitfires, who currently are 10-20-1-0 on the season.
The promotion came a day after the club parted ways with Jerrod Smith, who was relieved of his duties on Nov. 20, just 21 games into his first year as head coach of the team.
Since Torres took over, the Spits have won six of their last ten games.
"Overall as a team we have certainly have played a lot better. We've done a really good job of limiting our scoring chances against, cutting down on our shots against, which is turn has led to less goals against," says Torres. "We were six goals against per game for the first 21, and we've done a good job at bringing that down under three basically for the most part of these last ten games."
Torres says going forward for the back half of the 2023-24 season, he would like to see the team string more wins closer together and doesn't see them counted out yet for playoff contention.
"There's a lot of season, a lot of runway left. We are going to have to continue to play better, The league gets tougher every month of the season, other teams are going to get better and they're going to continue to evolve, and we have to do the same. I like where things have started, but like anything you got to continue to evolve and continue to grow and get better. That's ourselves as the coaching staff and the players as well."
He says it's a goal of his to be named permanent head coach.
"This is essential a job interview right in front of your eyes. It's a great opportunity to show what you can do in front of the fans, the ownership, the general manager and the players as well too. So, I'm certainly enjoying the opportunity. I'm enjoying the new found responsibilities and the rest will take care of itself the way it's suppose to, and that's kind of how I'm focusing day-to-day right now."
On Dec. 24, the club announced the hiring of Kris Newbury as assistant coach.
The Spits head to Mississauga Thursday night to face-off against the Steelheads.
Puck-drop is set for 7 p.m., with the pre-game show with Steve Bell getting underway at 6:45 p.m. on AM800.
-With files from AM800's Meagan Delaurier