Playoff Preview: Guelph Storm vs. Windsor Spitfires
Published on March 26, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release
The Guelph Storm and the Windsor Spitfires are set to face off in the first round of the 2026 OHL Playoffs presented by Nissan.
The series will kick off in Windsor on Thursday, March 26th at 7:05pm, and fans can join representatives of the Guelph Storm at Montana's for our first Watch Party of the playoffs. Click here for more information. Games 3 and 4 will be played at the Sleeman Centre starting on Tuesday, March 31st, and Thursday, April 2nd. Individual game tickets are available now. To purchase tickets online, click here, over the phone by calling 866-STORM-GO, or in person at the Guelph Storm Box Office in the Sports Hall of Game Hallway of the Sleeman Centre.
Regular Season Recap
During the 2025/2026 regular season, the Storm and the Spitfires faced off with the Storm emerging with a 2-1-1 record, defeating the Spitfires 8-5 on November 14th and 5-4 on November 24th. Both wins for the Storm came on home ice! Illia Shybinskyi leads the charge against Windsor as he registered 5 goals through 4 games played. Third-year forward Leo Serlin has also seen success against the Spits with 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points and a +3 record. Netminders Colin Ellsworth and Zach Jovanovski have each picked up a win during the regular season series.
Windsor's Carson Woodall shines for the Spitfires as he tallied 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points against the Storm. Anthony Cristoforo is a proven playmaker with 6 assists and a +3 record against the Storm this season. Joey Costanzo and Michael Newlove each picked up a win during the regular season series, with Costanzo only conceding 2 Storm goals.
On October 9th, the teams skated into overtime, where the Spitfires ultimately took the game with a 3-2 win. Mark Pape shone for the Storm as he picked up a goal and an assist, which featured his first OHL goal. Ethan Belchetz has the game-winning goal in overtime. On March 4th, the Windsor Spitfires announced that Belchetz would be out indefinitely after suffering a broken left clavicle. Click here to read more.
Team Leaders Head-to-Head
Forwards
Tyler Hopkins C (January 23, 2007) Liam Greentree (January 1, 2006)
56 GP, 25 G, 25 A, 50 PTS, -1 52 GP, 38 G, 36 4, 74 PTS, +19
Defenseman
Quinn Beauchesne (March 1, 2007) Carson Woodall (April 25, 2006)
56 GP, 7 G, 28 A, 35 PTS, -14 68 GP, 12 G, 52 A, 63 PTS, +17
Goalies
Zach Jovanovski
(October 7, 2007) Joey Costanzo (July 7, 2026)
52 GP, 3.39 GAA, 0.890 SAV%, 25-20-1 47 GP 23 W 3.10 GAA 2 SO
Playoff History
This will be only the second time that the two teams meet in the postseason; the last time was 2002, when the teams met in the second round. The Spitfires took the series 4 games to 1.
First Round Series vs. Windsor Spitfires
Game 1 - Thursday, March 26 @ WSR 7:05pm
Game 2 - Saturday, March 28 @ WSR 7:05pm
Game 3 - Tuesday, March 31 vs. WSR 6:30pm
Game 4 - Thursday, April 2 vs. WSR 7:07pm
Game 5 - Saturday, April 4 @ WSR 7:05pm *
Game 6 - Monday, April 6 vs. WSR 6:30pm *
Game 7 - Tuesday, April 7 @ WSR 7:05pm *
* -if necessary
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The 2025-2026 Season is proudly presented by Mark Wilson's Better Used Cars.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 26, 2026
- Flint Take the Point in Round One Game One - Owen Sound Attack
- Birds Clobber Attack in Game 1, 8-1 - Flint Firebirds
- Rye Stops 29/30 as Battalion Take Game 1 - Peterborough Petes
- Owen Griffin Signs with the Cleveland Monsters - Oshawa Generals
- Game 1 - March 26 - GUE at WSR - Guelph Storm
- Exceeded Expectations and Looking for More: Frontenacs First Round OHL Playoff Preview - Kingston Frontenacs
- Playoff Preview: Guelph Storm vs. Windsor Spitfires - Guelph Storm
- Game Day, Round 1, Game 1, Firebirds vs Attack - 7 p.m. - Flint Firebirds
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