Newlove is no. 1 for Spitfires
Head coach Greg Walters has tapped holdover puck stopper Michael Newlove as the Spitfires starting goalie ahead of the ’26-27 Ontario Hockey League season.
Newlove, who has a 2007 birth date, had a record of 12-4-2 with a 2.76 GAA and .886 save percentage as the Spitfires rookie backup to since graduated workhorse Joey Costanzo during the ’25-26 regular season. Newlove did not see a single minute of action during Windsor’s three round playoff run.
As Newlove navigates into the starter’s role, 2008 birth year rookie Jake Windbiel will be his backup.
Windbiel posted a regular season record of 19-12-2 with a 3.49 GAA and .899 save percentage for the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Hockey League in ’25-26. LaSalle is Windsor’s top affiliate team.
Then, come the first round of the playoffs, Windbiel was a standout as the no. 7 seed Vipers gave the no. 2 seed Elmira Sugar Kings a scare before dropping the best of seven series four games two. Windbiel went the distance for LaSalle in the series with a 2-4-0 record, 2.98 GAA and a sparkling .919 save percentage.
Action photo of Michael Newlove by Bob Davies
